Bentley: Gambling bill would turn Alabama into Vegas. ‘It is one of the worst bills I have ever seen.’

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May 4, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — In a speech to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Monday, Governor Robert Bentley (R-AL) expressed his staunch opposition to gambling legislation recently proposed in the Alabama Senate as a way to patch the General Fund budget’s $250 million shortfall.

Bentley said a bill proposed by Senate leader Del Marsh last week “makes Alabama look like Las Vegas. It is one of the worst bills I have ever seen.”

The Governor urged the crowd to encourage their state legislators to instead support his plan, which would raise taxes by $541 million annually to cover the shortfall. Repeating a line he has used since the State of the State address in March, Bentley reiterated that there is “nothing more conservative than getting your fiscal house in order.”

“My prescription works,” he said. “It’s $541 million, and I’m not going to accept anything less than that.”

With less than half of the legislative session remaining, none of the governor’s proposals have even received a committee hearing, as Republican lawmakers are hesitant to attach their names to the tax increase.

The first of his proposals to see any action is the relatively popular cigarette tax hike, which will be considered in committee Tuesday. Bentley, however, remains adamant that he expects the legislature to pass all of his proposals, and added that he will keep bringing legislators back to the State House throughout the year until they do.

“We may have some special sessions this summer,” he said. “The Fourth of July looks good in Montgomery.”

In a video posted on Twitter after his speech, the Governor reiterated he has “no intention of doing anything with gambling, with negotiations with the Poarch Creek Indians, I have no intention of doing anything until we get $541 million.”

VIDEO: Here are my thoughts on using gambling to solve the state’s budget crisis. pic.twitter.com/QPKMKKQvSO

— Gov. Robert Bentley (@GovernorBentley) May 4, 2015

A report from Auburn University Montgomery’s Institute for Accountability and Government Efficiency commissioned by Sen. Marsh’s office estimates that the state would see a $400 million increase in annual tax revenue from his plan to institute a lottery and expanding casino gambling.

A second proposal supported by House Speaker Mike Hubbard would give the Poarch Creek Indians a monopoly on gaming in the state in return for the Tribe singlehandedly covering the state’s budget shortfall this year.

Bentley rejected both ideas on Monday, saying “To think we have to depend on some of the most dependent people in our population to fund our government when corporations won’t even pay our fair share—we’re better than that.”
(H/T Montgomery Advertiser)