Stumbo's Casino Propaganda
Last night on Kentucky Tonight, the group debated casinos in Kentucky.
Previously we have written about Greg Stumbo providing the first interesting casino proposal because he has included relief to the Kentucky taxpayer.
Stumbo has claimed that his legislation will repeal the car and boat tax. Such taxes are bad, double taxation, and should be revoked. But his proposal is more likely snake oil than tonic.
The majority of the car tax is a local tax; the state portion is only a small amount. Stumbo hasn't filed a bill yet (he may today) but odds are he only means to repeal the state portion, because repealing the local portion and holding local governments harmless would eat up almost all of the income he claims gambling will bring.
This is dangerous propaganda. If he does not mean to repeal the local tax as well, there will still be a car tax. And legislators voting for "a repeal of the car tax" will leave their constituents wondering why there is still a car tax. And we will be reminded of the Lottery's broken promise to fund education.
Another interesting conversation from last night's show revolved around the constitutionality of Stumbo's bill. Greg Stumbo, ever sure of himself, stated plainly that legislation has always been all that was necessary to put casinos in Kentucky, and any lawyer challenging that fact would be in serious danger of having his or her license revoked for the ethical violation of filing frivolous lawsuits. I kid you not, that is almost exactly what he said.
In other news, Stumbo's been meeting with his old legislative friends who were convicted of corruption in Kentucky's last gambling escapades (the Herald-Leader calls him a "BOPTROT felon"), to talk about pushing the casino bill old times.
