"Second, no rational discussion of long-term revenue policy can be conducted until the 900-pound gorilla in our midst — casino gambling — has its day on the ballot.
Both are valid messages. The latter in particular cannot be repeated often enough. Until we decide to either feed or euthanize this gorilla, lawmakers will always use his lurking presence as an excuse to avoid facing up to the state’s fiscal reality.
Feeding the gorilla won’t solve the state’s revenue problems. But it would answer the question of how much revenue he can generate. That revenue, in turn, would serve as a temporary stopgap that gives lawmakers time to figure out what other steps they need to take to give Kentucky a stable, sustainable revenue base.
Euthanizing the gorilla makes the path to a stable, sustainable revenue base considerably longer. But it, at least, removes one of the major distractions that has kept the state from starting that journey."
I added the emphasis to this passage to draw attention to the wild claim that not deciding on casinos one way or the other is preventing state policymakers from making progress on planning for the future. That isn't our problem. Kentucky can't afford Big Government and the effort to buy it or lease it on the cheap just makes matters worse. That is Kentucky's gorilla.
