Wednesday, May 12, 1999
GOP candidates debate
Pair denounce casino idea, disagree on little
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOUISVILLE — Republican candidates for governor spoke strongly against the prospect of casino gambling in Kentucky during a Tuesday debate televised to a statewide audience.
Hart County publicist Peppy Martin and contractor David L. Williams of Columbia said gambling is being promoted by Gov. Paul Patton as a financial panacea, but that it would be a mistake to bring casinos to Kentucky.
“I say we do not need casino gambling in Kentucky,” Ms. Martin said. “The element of crime and drugs that it would bring to Kentucky, and the temptation that it would bring to our young people ... does not set well in any Democratic county or Republican county I've been in the past few days.
“We have enough gambling with the Kentucky Lottery,” said Mr. Williams, adding that more of the proceeds from the state lottery should go to education.
Mr. Patton has recently said he wants to open the debate about casino gambling. He has said some of the money derived from gaming could possibly help protect the thoroughbred industry from competition from riverboat casinos and pay for environmental restoration and protection projects as well as urban renewal efforts.
If elected, the candidates said they would oppose an increase in the state's gasoline tax. Mr. Patton has recently polled key legislative leaders about the prospect of raising the tax by as much as a dime to generate more money for road repair and construction.
Both candidates also said Kentucky residents and businesses pay too many taxes, and that reducing the tax burden would help bring more jobs into Kentucky.
“We don't need corporate welfare,” Ms. Martin said. “We need lower taxes.”
She said lowering taxes could help her achieve a goal of opening a new factory or major employer in each of Kentucky's 120 counties every year.
Mr. Williams also advocated lowering
taxes and said the state's workers' compensation laws need to be changed so workers can have better protection and access to benefits.
Mr. Patton led an effort three years ago to change the state's workers' comp laws, making it more difficult for some workers to collect benefits.
The candidates also discussed other portions of their campaign platforms.
Mr. Williams said any money Kentucky receives from the federal tobacco settlement should go to farmers and to treat people who are sick or diseased because of smoking. “Just keep it out of the hands of the government,” he said.
When asked about her stance on abortion, a topic on which she has given vague answers in previous appearances, Ms. Martin said she could support legislation banning late-term abortions.
Mr. Williams said he is opposed to abortion in all instances.
During the nearly hourlong debate, their first and presumably only joint appearance before for the Republican primary May 25, neither of the candidates did much to dispel the widely held belief — even among the leaders of their own party — that Mr. Patton will have little trouble holding on to his seat this fall.
Shortly after the debate ended, a member of the KET broadcast crew asked a group of reporters covering the event who won.
“Paul Patton,” one of the journalists joked.
Ms. Martin is running a frugal campaign on less than $10,000, according to her most recent campaign finance report. She has no staff or campaign team, and has made just a handful of visits to Northern Kentucky, one of the strongest areas of Republican politics in Kentucky.
Mr. Williams has done virtually no campaigning or fund raising and has not visited Northern Kentucky at all.
His running mate — his wife, Joanna — was invited to participate but did not attend the debate. Ms. Martin's running mate, Wanda Cornelius of Taylor County, did appear at the debate to take questions from reporters.
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