On April 20, 2007, former U.S. Rep. Anne Northrup stayed in the offensive against Gov. Ernie Fletcher as the candidates for the position of Governor of Kentucky tried to convince the West Kentucky Voters. The candidates for the Republican and Democratic Party took turns explaining their positions on different issues concerning Kentucky residents. Northrup used different questions to take verbal jibes at Fletcher, a former ally.
Northrup accused Fletcher of not handling the state economy well; it has further slipped down in the National Ranking on the unemployment and per-capita ratio. Fletcher did not answer the questions and commented that he will just focus on what is important, like education and health care. The other candidate from the Republican Party, Billy Harper, a Paducah Businessman, said that he is the only GOP hopeful to sign a no-tax proposal.
All 3 candidates commented that the issue of enforcing the smoking ban should be left to the communities to decide. Before the debate, 6 of the 7 Democratic hopefuls for the position of Governor debated, with several of the candidates commenting that their support will not include giving permission to the Kentucky Lottery to offer online keno and video games to their customers.
Most of the Governor hopefuls are in favor of putting the proposed amendment to let the residents of the state decide whether or not they want to allow casino style gaming on the ballot, commenting that the proposal will produce a good sum for health care and education.
Ex Lt. Governor Steve Beshear, one of firmest supporters of expanded gaming, commented that he would block any attempts to give permission to the state lottery to offer keno and video gaming as an option to the constitutional amendment. Almost 4 years ago, the Kentucky Lottery directors gave temporary approval of the games, but they later decided not to pursue the idea.
State Treasurer, Jonathan Miller, another gubernatorial hopeful who is a supporter of the gaming proposal, said that he was a critic of the Keno Expansion Plan when he was just a lottery board member. Other Democratic Hopefuls for the position of Governor are Steve Henry, Bruce Lunsford, House Speaker Jody Richards and Gatewood Galbraith. The Gubernatorial hopefuls also discussed their plans to help the economy of Western Kentucky.
Monday, May 07 , 2007
John Sullivan
