Alabama Gubernatorial Candidate Would Bring Gambling
Ron Sparks, who is running for governor of Alabama, decided to make one of the state's stickiest issues a cornerstone of his campaign. Sparks announced in speeches this week his intention to create a state lottery and to regulate gaming operations.
Sparks, the state Agriculture Commissioner, who is running as a Democrat, took a verbal shot at current Governor Bob Riley, a staunch foe of gambling, as Sparks noted the existing gambling already in the state and chided officials for pretending its not so.
"It's here and it's going to stay," Sparks said. "For too long Alabama politicians have pretended gambling didn't exist."
Sparks allowed that each district would be free to set its own gambling laws, and said he didn't want a statewide referendum. But he did plan to tax casinos and bingo games in those counties that legalized them.
Sparks says a lottery could fund scholarships allowing high school students to attend state public universities and colleges. He also promised not only to never raise taxes, but to repeal the state sales tax on grocery items.
