Published: June 22, 2009 09:56 am      

Disingenuous Assembly

Editorial

"I would rather be right than be President."

— Henry Clay

•••

The shamelessness of the Kentucky General Assembly continues to boggle the imagination. In a brazen effort to curry favor for the VLT initiative the Democratic leadership is touting, get this, NEW SCHOOLS. Does this sound even vaguely familiar to Frankfort watchers with a memory of, say twenty years? Do those Frankfort watchers remember that Wallace Wilkinson ran on a platform of establishing a lottery in Kentucky for the ostensible purpose of benefiting education? And, can anyone name the candidate who opposed Wilkinson and the lottery? If you answered Steven Beshear, our current governor, kudos to you and a pat on the back. Yes, it was the same Governor Beshear who now is encouraging the adoption of Video Lottery Terminals (slots in Vegas) at horse racing venues as an additional draw to rescue horse racing. This week the new strategy is to say we will dole some money to education to fund new infrastructure. Does any of this pique your interest?

What this piques is my button. I am sick and tired of the second rate politicians of our state dangling the carrot in front of us to get us to permit their failure to the people of the state. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am fairly libertarian when it comes to the subject of gambling. I don’t do it because I am terrible at it and can think of better ways to throw my money away but I don’t really object if they float a casino at Waitsboro. If the racetracks can’t make enough money fleecing horse bettors then let them have slots. If Louisville wants to dock a floating casino next to the Belle of Louisville then just do it. Yes, I am aware of the potential for gambling addictions but you can’t keep people in church 7 days a week.

The thing that really gets me is the inability of our General Assembly to come up with a budget to address the expenses of our state. The antiquated tax code of our state is generally recognized as being inadequate to fund state coffers but our fearless (sarcasm intended) legislators lack the political nerve to deal with it. Instead, they find it easier and less damaging politically to tack a few more cents onto the liquor and cigarette taxes or to resort to gambling to move money from the pockets of those who do not have the will to resist it. Some say it is just for fun and I won’t question their veracity but it eludes me how it can be fun to see hard-earned money vaporize into a machine with whirling symbols.

This is what I want. I want legislators to go to Frankfort at the appointed time, look at the needs of the state and reach some sort of agreement that is founded on rational thought. If money is required then get it from a tax base that is established to adequately fund state operations. I just want them to have the courage to do it in plain sight and not try to trick the people with some sleight of hand operation.

This time it is the Democratic Party dangling the carrot with Speaker Stumbo being twice too slick in the charade. But make no mistake; it is not at the feet of the Democratic Party alone. With a Republican Party that ascribes to the Grover Norquist dictum of "no new taxes" there has been little else besides gambling and "sin taxes" to try to raise the cash to give the people of Kentucky the services they require whether it be affordable education or safe roads. The anti-tax crowd needs a political axe to grind and this is it.

Eventually the General Assembly will, for the most part, go along with it because, you know, what’re you gonna do? Does it seem a little odd that we have to rely on sinfulness to fund government?

In a sane world our elected representatives would not be playing political games with the people’s trust, or if they did, they would do it in a more skillful and dignified way. In a sane world they would recognize that our tax code is outdated and does not adequately provide for the state budget. Sanity and a recognition of the inevitable would inform the legislator that a tax on services, aggravating as that may be, is necessary. Maybe they would even come to see that building new prisons and locking up more drug users is not very cost effective when compared to rehabilitation and counseling. And, if it is not too much trouble, try to revise the antiquated Kentucky Constitution of 1891.

All of this would fall under the heading of "adequate representation." Is that too much to ask?

So, there you go. That’s my take, what’s yours?