AEA poll gives Sparks a boost

In a poll conducted by the Capital Survey Research Center, an arm of the Alabama Education Association run by Dr. Gerald Johnson and released recently, Alabama voters give a clear preference for gambling over increased taxes.

Here's why Ag Commissioner Ron Sparks ought to smile. Question No. 13 in the poll asks: If a candidate for governor supports allowing, regulating and taxing gaming, including a lottery and casinos, as a way to prevent further public school budget cuts without raising taxes, would that make you vote or not vote for that person?

A majority, 51.3 percent, said they would "definitely" or "more likely" vote for that candidate. 26 percent said their vote would also depend on other things, but only 18.6 percent said absolutely not.

Sparks' platform includes a plan to authorize, tax and regulate gaming in the state in order to hold down future tax increases. He is the only candidate who has been bold enough to step forward with a realistic plan to help make up the funding losses for education and the essential functions of government.

Sixty-two percent said that if the choice becomes to further cut the budget for public schools, or allow, regulate and tax gaming to support schools, they would opt to allow, regulate and tax gaming. 25 percent would cut school funds or raise taxes and 13 percent were unsure.

A series of questions pertained to support regarding the taxation of the various forms of gaming, to make up in a lost of state tax revenues.

The first question indicates support (66%) for simply regulating and taxing all gaming in the state. The second deals with Indian gambling and 66 percent agreed they would support the state entering into a compact with the Indian casinos to pay a fee in lieu of taxes....