Kentuckians suspicious ahead of announcement on casinos

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear is being accused of making "backroom deals" ahead of announcing particulars in his proposal for a bill to amend the state constitution in favor of casino gambling. The Family Foundation of Kentucky says those accusations are just part of the negatives associated with trying to bring the gaming industry to the state.

Governor Beshear announced this week that he would reveal by Thursday specifics of the bill which will need passage by three-fifths of the State House and Senate to be placed on a November ballot for the public's approval. The statement came after his attendance at a closed-door session Monday minus reporters.
 
Richard Nelson of the Family Foundation of Kentucky says such meetings have drawn criticism from a legislator in Beshear's own party who Nelson described as "frustrated" for lack of communication and openness about the proposal, as the Democratic governor had promised during his 2007 campaign.
 
"This Democratic State House member even criticized the governor of putting together this proposal in smoke-filled backrooms," says Nelson.
 
The Foundation sees that as just one of the many problems that Nelson says have been proven to be connected to casino gambling by studies conducted in states that allow it -- problems such as crime, gambling addiction, and economic disaster for the family. For those reasons, he says, his organization plans to oppose the proposal with an education campaign, in the hopes that it will not make it out of the General Assembly after lawmakers hear from voters.
 
"Once it is proposed, we're going to do our part to let people know what will happen to Kentucky if we do get casinos," says the pro-family activist. "And we do believe that it will be an overall negative effect on the state."