In a recent interview with 1819 News, Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) Chief Executive Officer David Bronner said he hopes Gov. Kay Ivey will call a special session on gambling, which would provide much-needed revenue.
In the latest legislative session, the House passed a package of bills allowing a lottery and 10 electronic-gaming casinos, but it failed in the Senate by a single vote.
Bronner told 1819, “Alabama needs new revenue. There have been no meaningful COLAs for RSA retirees in 18 years! There is no affordable healthcare coverage for nearly 200,000 Alabamians, many of whom are employed in low-paying positions. Rural hospitals are dropping like flies!
“Even great new programs like Working for Alabama by Governor Ivey require additional funding for child care and housing to make an impact. We also need to remember that every state agency, from state police to mental health, has been grossly underfunded for decades until the federal arrival of Covid funds, which all states are now losing.”
Bronner outlined three requests to 1819 regarding allowing gambling in the state.
“First, I am asking each member of the RSA to encourage Governor Ivey to continue to make Alabama a little better and get the essential funds to continue improving the state with a special session on gaming. Second, to thank each House and Senate member who voted for this new revenue.
Third, to ask everyone who voted against new revenue how they plan to address the state’s problems without any new revenue in light of the recent tax cuts and loss of federal monies. Alabama needs to move forward, not form a firing squad within a circle!”
Ivey, however, said she has no plans to call a special session on gambling.
During a recent radio interview on the Jeff Poor Show, state Sen. Chris Elliott, who opposed the gambling legislation, said, “I would use the word ‘greedy.’ They got greedy, and I’m not talking about my colleagues. I’m talking about the gaming interests. They wanted more and more and more and more. There is a point where that is not acceptable. And good for the Alabama Senate for saying that is not acceptable, that is too much. We want to give the people the right and the ability to vote on a lottery. We’re not interested in widespread casino gaming.”
