The NY Times (Sunday) Magazine has an interesting story on the decline of casino gambling as a source of state revenue across the U.S. No mention of KY, but Mass. rejected casinos this year as well. Here’s the closing paragraph:
Gambling appears a less glamorous habit when the country is digging its way out of mortgage and credit-card debt. In mid-March, the Colorado Division of Gaming announced that revenues at local gambling resorts were down 10 percent. The next day, Moody’s Investors Service reported that casino revenues in January dropped 17 percent in Illinois, 10 percent in Atlantic City and 8 percent in Indiana. Maybe Massachusetts knows something these places don’t. But you don’t have to live in the Athens of America to see that our economy is one in which those who know when to fold ’em are foldin’ ’em.
Could this be the first time in history when KY is smack in the middle of a trend, rather than lagging behind one? Meanwhile, where will the additional revenue come from to educate our kids? Wait a second, I forgot, we spend too much already and are content with the status quo.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
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7 comments:
Cyber, do not get too excited, I still feel KY is lagging behind. For sure you do not think the economy will be in the dumps forever, do you? The economy will go back up again and when it does, people will want to spend that cash in their pocket. I guess everyone will need to leave the Bluegrass though to do that.
The state is certainly wasting a lot of money already and neither of us truly think Frankfort will change. If they are not wasting it on project A, they will waste it on Project B. So, what do we do? I am of the thought to have casino's, because Kentuckians will still spend their money either way - will we get it or will WV and IN get the money? Do I think the casino's will end the waste... no! Maybe, just maybe though, my fellow students, my siblings and someday far far away from now, my children will have a fighting chance getting a good education in the state. I will always expect to read and maybe write articles of the state wasting money, but maybe I can read articles that say we are no longer in the bottom 10 of America. I will not hold my breath tho, at least not until finals are over. lol
Nicholas:
I'm not convinced casinos are the answer, but I'd like to see the debate and let the voters decide this one some day.
Mostly I think we have to better educate ourselves in this state. And with all respect to those who want to save us money, I just can't see how we do that without spending more on education. Maybe we can get that elsewhere and w/out additional revenues, but I'm not optimistic.
Sadly, the horse trading will siphon off money and the unions will fight progress, so it'll be a tough battle. That's why I think more money will be crucial. But I'm not too optimistic that things will change. I think in a lot of ways we're satisfied with the status quo. At least we're unwilling to put down our partisan guns- both sides I men- to do the hard work necessary. At least not right now with the current players.
I've probably said too much already....
Good luck getting the KY Senate, and the other idiots who signed a no new tax pledge, to vote for increasing taxes for education. Not to worry about 48th, we are on our way to 50th. Oh well, someone has to be last.
Forget about the waste , fraud, and abuse covering our education needs, Ernie already straighten that out. Now if we could just find his "surplus"
Next up, Cyber makes the argument for a cash bar at AA meetings. SCOOBY
Next up Scooby says "we don't need an education. we don't need no thought control."
Who needs education? Someone's gotta be 50, like anony said. What's wrong with building our economy around SSI and social security?
Who said paleocons care more about people than markets? If the market valued more education then more people would get an education. That they're not must mean that folks should stay poor and uneducated forever.
Cyber, name even a couple things LESS market influenced than America's public school system. What isn't market valued, and rightfully so, is a high school diploma which far too many holding can't even read. Heck, it's even getting that way with some college diplomas. And, yes, more money un-accompanied by merit demands would be "just another brick in the wall." TRACKMASTERSCOOB
Scooby:
I think you might be on to something... the collolary of no money without more standards is more money for better standards.
I've always felt that it would take more money to get over the political gridlock imposed by teacher's unions.
I'm for higher standards, more of the free market, vouchers, etc. But I think it will be impossible to get those w/out putting more funding into the system.
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