Attention, Alabama: 9 of the 10 most insolvent states have lotteries (fact-checking Bentley’s claims)

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August 5, 2016

Some promises are too good to be true. Last week, Governor Bentley told the people of Alabama that implementing a state lottery would be “a permanent solution” that “will provide funding that we can count on year after year.” This is simply not true, as evidenced by the experiences of other states with lotteries.

Governor Bentley:
“From the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast our great state is rich in abundant resources, blessed beyond measure. With all a state could ask for to prosper and to thrive.”

Fact check:
TRUE. Alabama is “rich in abundant resources, blessed…with all a state could ask for to prosper and thrive.”

Governor Bentley:
“But in order for our state to be the best it can be, we must once and for all solve problems that have held our state back for decades. The state of Alabama has not and can not at this time pay for the most basic services that we must provide to our people.”

Fact check:
FALSE. Alabama could “Pay for the most basic services we must provide to our people” – with good governance.

Governor Bentley:
“We’ve tackled this problem every year I have been in office. First, we took on the task of right sizing state government, cut wasteful spending and made your government more efficient.”

Fact check:
FALSE. Governmental spending is greater than it was at the time that Governor Bentley took office.

Governor Bentley:
“Then we proposed a very fair and balanced tax plan.”

Fact check:
FALSE. The Bentley administration tried to force a massive, unfair tax increase on the the people of Alabama.

Governor Bentley:
“But the Representatives that you sent to Montgomery said ‘That’s not the answer.’”

Fact check:
TRUE. The Alabama legislature did say “That’s not the answer.” And, in fact, raising taxes was not the answer.

Governor Bentley:
“I will present to the legislature simple, clean and transparent legislation that creates a lottery with not other gambling included.

Fact check:
MIXED. The Bentley administration is intent on getting a bill passed, and other proposals include expanding gambling.

Governor Bentley:
“The time has come for us to find a permanent solution.

Fact check:
FALSE. A ‘permanent solution’? Of the 10 states with the most insolvent budgets, 9 have lotteries.

Governor Bentley:
“Montgomery doesn’t have all the answers.”

Fact check:
TRUE. “Montgomery doesn’t have all the answers” is true. “A lottery is the wrong answer” is truer.