Pol Watchers

Committee will decide casino bill wording

After meeting with House Democratic leaders Monday night, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear said a House committee will decide Tuesday morning the form of the constitutional amendment allowing casinos.

Beshear also said that the top-ranking legislators must be "unified" for the gambling proposal to pass.

Beshear acknowledged that the House leadership team has been divided over the issue of whether tracks should be guaranteed casino licenses. But Beshear said he would be fine with any of the drafts that are currently in front of lawmakers. Some are more explicit than others about how many licenses would be granted to tracks.

Beshear proposed 12 casinos. All the House proposals call for nine casinos -- some specify five licenses for tracks, while others say tracks could get up to five, leaving open the possibility of no licenses for tracks.

If approved by the legislature, voters would have to approve the constitutional amendment allowing casino gambling.

- Ryan Alessi
       

House leaders, governor will talk casinos tonight

Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear has called the five Democratic House leaders to his office at 7 p.m. Monday for a crucial meeting in which the six men will try to hash out common ground on the governor's embattled casino proposal.

House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, said he favors a constitutional amendment approved last Tuesday by the casino subcommittee that he created. That version calls for nine casinos but makes no guarantees that any would have to be at racetracks.

"I would prefer no changes" to that version, he said.

Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, and Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville, issued a four-page memo to House members Monday defending the work that the subcommittee -- which the two co-chaired -- did over the last two months to study the issue and edit Beshear's proposed constitutional amendment.

"With regard to the issue of splitting up the licenses between track and non-track based casinos, the Subcommittee chose a flexible approach," Jenkins and Owens wrote. "We ask our colleagues to consider the consequences of reserving any of the casino licenses for the racetracks, particularly as the total number of licenses grows smaller."

They wrote that limiting free-standing locations to four could "prove to be unduly restrictive."

Meanwhile, Rep. Rob Wilkey, the Democratic whip from Scottsville, and Rep. Larry Clark, the Speaker Pro Tem from Louisville, have offered several other drafts of constitutional amendments to allow casinos -- all of which guarantee that up to five tracks would have opportunities to obtain track licenses.

Wilkey said he and Clark have tried to meet with Richards and the other two leaders, Reps. Rocky Adkins of Sandy Hook and Charlie Hoffman of Georgetown.

Wilkey said the meeting with the governor could go a long way toward determining what direction a constitutional amendment draft takes or whether it will pass at all. He said he's not sure whether the governor will come down for one option or the other.

"I think he just wants a consensus right now," Wilkey said.

- Ryan Alessi

School boards back casino vote, cigarette tax hike

The Kentucky School Boards Association is in favor of letting voters decide the fate of casino gambling in the state and increasing the state’s cigarette tax.

Seventy-one percent of the state’s largest organization of elected officials with about 880 members voted during its annual conference over the weekend to support placing a constitutional amendment on expanded gambling on the November ballot.

“I want to be very clear about this vote,” association president Ed Massey, a member of the Boone County Board of Education, said in a statement. “The mere fact that 71 percent voted in favor does not mean that KSBA is endorsing expanded gaming. People who voted ‘yes’ to place it on the ballot may well vote ‘no’ if it gets there.

“But gaming has been the subject of legislative discussion as a possible answer to the state’s revenue needs for too long. Until we put this issue to rest, up or down, it’s going to continue to be both an option and a distraction.

Earlier this year, the KSBA Board of Directors voted unanimously to support another revenue-producing proposal –- increasing the state’s tax on the sale of cigarettes by 25 to 30 cents a pack.

This is the second time that the association’s leadership has endorsed an increase in the state’s 30-cent-a-pack cigarette tax as a means of boosting revenue for public schools and other services

Established in 1936, KSBA is a non-profit organization that provides services to the state’s 174 public school districts and boards of education.

--Jack Brammer

A House divided

By Ryan Alessi
RALESSI@HERALD-LEADER.COM

FRANKFORT -- If nothing else, the debate in the House over casinos has publicly revealed that the Democratic leadership team is being held together by little more than the political equivalent of Scotch tape.

A division that has been slowly widening behind the scenes for months became obvious last week in a committee meeting, where members were to discuss possible changes to Gov. Steve Beshear's casino proposal.

Two of the five top-ranking House Democrats -- Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark and Rep. Rob Wilkey, the Democratic whip -- offered their suggested versions in the form of two substitute bills.

But minutes after copies arrived in the hands of committee members, several other Democrats, including the committee's chairman, Rep. Darryl Owens of Louisville, questioned whether Clark and Wilkey had followed proper procedures, which require giving House members 24 hours' notice.

So Wilkey, slightly red-faced, asked to adjourn the committee. The members voted 5-4 in favor of shutting down, while three others passed.

Wilkey and Clark then made a beeline for the exit.

It was the first public display of an internal Democratic leadership struggle that has been festering. Clark and Wilkey are on one side, and Reps. Charlie Hoffman, the Democratic caucus chairman, and Rocky Adkins, the Democrats' floor leader, are aligned with Speaker Jody Richards on the other.

"It is no secret down here that there is some division among the House leadership," said Sen. Ed Worley, the Senate Democrats' floor leader. "Everybody in Frankfort understands that.

"It appears the gambling issue is at the center of that or causing a great deal of that."

Theories abound as to what started all this.

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Beshear searches for GOP casino votes

By Ryan Alessi
RALESSI@HERALD-LEADER.COM

FRANKFORT -- Gov. Steve Beshear has begun courting urban GOP lawmakers to help Democratic House leaders lock up as many as nine Republican votes needed to pass the constitutional amendment allowing casinos.

Beshear called four Louisville Republicans -- Reps. Scott Brinkman, Ron Crimm, Kevin Bratcher and Bob DeWeese, who is the GOP caucus chairman -- into the first-floor governor's office Wednesday evening.

"Obviously, the governor had us in there to see if there was any opportunity of counting on any of us or all four of us," Crimm said. "And if he was taking a hard count, he'd probably say 'I'd better not count on those four.'

"Nobody came out and said that. But if you're looking for four solid votes, I don't think he saw that today," Crimm added.

Meanwhile, other Republicans who are more receptive to voting for the constitutional amendment allowing casinos in Kentucky say they're waiting to see whether Beshear will dangle incentives.

Beshear, who pushed for casinos during and since his election campaign, and Democratic leaders must round up 60 votes in the House to pass it. An even steeper political climb of locking up 23 votes awaits in the Republican-controlled Senate.

The governor's search for Republican House votes comes after House Democratic Whip Rob Wilkey polled the 63 members of the majority caucus this week. Wilkey, of Scottsville, found as few as 51 Democratic votes in addition to "a few R's" who say they're likely to vote for it.

"I think we're somewhere in the mid-50s of (representatives) who've indicated they will or can" vote for it, Wilkey said. "I think there are probably, between D's and R's, another 10 who are on the fence."

So as Beshear and the Democratic legislative leaders like Wilkey scramble to count heads, Republican lawmakers who are undecided or leaning toward voting for it are sitting back to see what they might be able to snare -- road or project funding or getting one of their bills passed -- in exchange for a "Yes" vote.

House Republicans met this week in a caucus and decided among themselves that each should vote the way their district's constituents would, but "see what you can get," said Rep. Bill Farmer, R-Lexington.

"The message was, if you don't know, let's see what they've got to offer," he said. "That is part of the political process at this point in time."

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Clark offers casino plan options, panel shuts down

In yet another bizarre twist in the ongoing casino saga, Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville offered two more suggested casino constitutional amendments, which ended up closing down the committee.

Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said the new recommended amendments "makes me more confused."

Stein then wondered if throwing the new versions violated a House rule about introducing new amendments without 24 hours for members to review them.

But rather than discuss the new versions, Rep. Rob Wilkey, D-Scottsville and the House whip, moved to adjourn the elections and constitutional amendment committee.

The panel then quickly voted 5-4 with two passes to shut down. And that was that.

Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said he didn't think the latest set-back would derail the bill's chances. But he said it does show that many House Democrats have a slew of concerns about the major proposal.

"It will be the largest issue that I’ve seen the General Assembly deal with in my legislative experience," said Stumbo, a former Democratic floor leader. "It’s complicated, a lot of competing interests, a lot of money at stake. And I would speculate that the vote this morning was an indication that some of the members really haven’t gotten comfortable with this language yet."

Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville and the chairman of the committee, said he has no plans to call a special meeting, meaning that it will be another week before the issue will come up before committee.

Gov. Steve Beshear's administration did have a presence in this committee -- the first time recently -- to see the mini-meltdown of legislative procedures. Policy adviser Joe Meyer and legislative liaison Mike Haydon were present.

- Ryan Alessi

UPDATE: Gov. Beshear said he’s spoken with House leadership about consensus language on the number and the protection for racetacks. He said he expects action before Tuesday.

“I’m ok with nine (casinos),”  Beshear said after telling a rally of college students that higher education would be a priority if any new money becomes available. Beshear said the version of the amendment approved on Tuesday is “very close” to what it needs to be.

“I think there’s more angst over the language than probably there should be. With a little tweaking, I think everything will be ok.”

But he was careful to not to say that some of the licenses must be dedicated to racetracks. “I don’t think that any particular entity should be guaranteed a license. I think there might be a certain number available to tracks, if they qualify, if they’re willing to put up the major kinds of investments that need to be put up,” Beshear  said to reporters.

“I think it’s very important that our racetacks have the opportunity to have some of the licenses.”

Beshear hangs out with House Dems at UK game

Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear spent Tuesday night's University of Kentucky men's basketball game with five moderate House Democrats, most of whom hail from conservative Western Kentucky.

Rep. John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, sat next to Beshear to Tilley's left was new Rep. Will Coursey of Benton, then Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, and Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder and finally Rep. Tommy Thompson, D-Owensboro on the aisle.

The outing to watch UK hold off Georgia 61 - 55, came the eve before the governor's proposed constitutional amendment to allow casino gambling in Kentucky is expected to undergo further editing in a key House committee. None of the representatives who joined Beshear are on the committee that will take up the proposal. But Beshear will need support of those and other more conservative/moderate Democrats to get the necessary 60 votes his casino plan will need to get through the full House.

The governor and his guests sat several rows up on the side opposite the benches near center court. Behind them sat Rep. Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg and Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg and the newest member of the House Elections and Constitutional Amendment Committee that is slated to take up the casino proposal Wednesday morning. I think Rep. Rick Rand, D-Bedford sat to Stumbo's right but it was tough to tell from my seats, which were a couple sections over and about 20 rows up.

It's a time-honored tradition in Frankfort for governors to use UK games to court legislators. Beshear took his entourage to the VIP room for halftime, where they mingled with UK trustees and other lawmakers who came separately. Beshear and the accompanying House Democrats returned to the second half with 16:00 left in the game and stayed to see a late Georgia run fall flat and the Cats hang on to a win.

- Ryan Alessi

Jenkins pitches new plan to allow 9 casinos not 12

Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, delivered a new recommendation that alters Gov. Steve Beshear's casino proposal to reduce the number of proposed casinos to nine.

Of those nine, "no more than five may be established by horse racing tracks," according to the proposed constitutional amendment that Jenkins introduced at 1:40  p.m. to the casino gaming subcommittee that she co-chairs.

Beshear's proposal allowed for up to seven at tracks and 12 overall.

Jenkins pitched her plan to replace Beshear's proposed amendment and said she hoped to send her version to the elections and constitutional amendment committee when it takes up the issue Wednesday morning. 

UPDATE 2:36 p.m.: The expanded gambling committee voted 8-4 with three lawmakers passing to send Jenkins' version of the proposed constitutional amendment to the House Elections and Constitutional Amendments committee. It was a largely ceremonial vote, considering the expanded gambling committee is an advisory committee, but Jenkins said the vote was important as a way to allow the groups' members to weigh in after two months of work.

Here's the list of how the committee members voted for the recommended plan:

Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton
Rep. Tim Firkins, D-Louisville
Rep. Charlie Hoffman, D-Georgetown
Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond
Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville
Rep. John Will Stacy, D-West Liberty
Rep. Tommy Thompson, D-Owensboro
Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Shively

Those voting NO:
Rep. Jamie Comer, R-Tompkinsville
Rep. David Osborne, R-Prospect
Rep. Sal Santoro, R-Florence
Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington

Those passing:
Rep. Leslie Combs, D-Pikeville
Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville
Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway

Another key difference between Jenkins' version and the governor's plan is that this new one requires local governments to have a role in approving casinos at tracks. The governor's draft called for local governments to get involved only if the tracks choose not to have a casino on site. Then the local governments would have to approve another location.

Before the vote, the issue sparked a range of discussion among the expanded gaming committee.

"I think you killed casinos in Kentucky," said Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville. Specifically, Clark objected to allowing race tracks to get approval of the local government to place a casino somewhere other than the track but requiring communities to take a vote of citizens in order to approve free-standing casinos.

Clark said he suspected the horse industry -- specifically citing the Kentucky Equine Education Project and its chairman, former Gov. Brereton Jones -- as writing Beshear's initial proposal, which Clark said clearly favored tracks.

"I think it's pretty obvious," he said.

Meanwhile, other lawmakers said they wanted to keep the provision of allowing a local-option vote for communities.

"This is a very difficult bill for me to vote for period. But without local option ... I would have a great difficulty of voting for this bill, as I've told my constituents back home," Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton said.

Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway, also questioned whether the wording of the amendment would cut out the tracks.

"My fear is that we would have nine free-standing casinos," he said.

Rep. Harry Moberly said that wouldn't necessarily be the case. "I don't know that you and I have the same view that there ought to be several small casinos. I'm more interested in destination casinos," he said.

"We need to create a high bar of investment and things people must do," he said.

- Ryan Alessi

Women rally against Beshear's casino proposal

Nearly 200 people -- mostly women -- rallied in the Capitol rotunda to rail against Gov. Steve Beshear's proposal to allow casinos in Kentucky, which they said would not only carry social costs but was overly aggressive.

Several of the seven speakers noted that Beshear's proposal accounted for up to 12 casinos.

"When my daughter said I'll be home early at 1 a.m., I said excuse me?' When the governor said limited expanded gambling, I said excuse me?'" said Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper, executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches.

Roxanne Hack Smero, a retired Louisville firefighter and sister of Say No Casinos chairman John Mark Hack, said she voted for Beshear but not "because of his highly publicized proposal of expanding gambling."

She said even though some Kentuckians do travel to nearby casinos in Indiana, there's enough of a buffer so that the lure of gambling isn't dangling in all Kentuckians' faces.

"More of something does not make it right. And having to drive to Indiana makes me think twice," Smero said.

Many of the speakers talked about the social costs of the prospect of increased crime and financial hardships that accompany problem gamblers.

Adrain Holloway, a nurse from Versailles, said growing up near Las Vegas led her parents to squander their money at the casinos.

"What price do we pay on broken hearts, on divorces, on suicides on lost homes and damaged credit that will never be repaired?" asked Kemper. "Governor, don't bet our future on the slot machines."

- Ryan Alessi

Let Kentucky Vote! mystery solved

The mystery of who set up a  Let Kentucky Vote! web site has been resolved.

Not surprisingly, it is affiliated with those pushing for expanded gambling, including the Kentucky Equine Education Project and several chambers of commerce around the state.

According to a news release, the group is a coalition made up of KEEP, Greater Louisville Inc., Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson County Teachers' Association, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227, and United Food and Commercial Workers IN-KY Council.

The website, www.letkyvote.com, is chock-full of talking points on dollars Kentuckians already wager, casino research, taxes and jobs in other states, and a link to send your legislator a message.

According to the site, the group is "a Kentucky based non-profit organization."

Patrick Neely, executive director of KEEP, said the coalition plans mailings and e-mailings across the state to lobby for Gov. Steve Beshear's casino gambling legislation.

- Janet Patton