HUNTSVILLE — Republican candidates in the Alabama lieutenant gubernatorial race convened in Huntsville on Tuesday evening for a political forum moderated by 1819 News CEO Bryan Dawson.
During the event, Dawson asked the candidates, including former ALGOP chairman John Wahl, for their views on the possibility of casino gaming and a lottery inside Alabama.
"I am unapologetically opposed to increasing casino gaming in the state of Alabama," Wahl told those in attendance. "It has not just moral implications. It also has great political consequences. The super lobbies that will grow up will control state government for the rest of our lives and our children's lives and our grandchildren. That's why I think we have to be vigilant. We have to be very careful. I also think it's important to remember that right now, we should not be looking to grow government. We, as Republicans, need small government in service, constitutionally limited government."
Wahl added, "We shouldn't necessarily be looking for increased revenue streams. Both the education budget and the general fund budget have surpluses. We don't need more money to grow the size and scope of government."
Wahl then spoke about his position on a potential lottery in Alabama.
"In general, the only way I can be convinced to support a clean lottery would be if it were used as a tool to get rid of the state income tax," he explained. "Because I consider a lottery to be nothing more than a tax. It's taking money from the people and just giving it to the government. So it would have to be something revenue mutual for me to even consider it. Something where we would be able to pay down other taxes if we're going to implement a lottery."
"In general, I'm opposed to it, unless there could be something worked out where it did not grow the size and scope of government," concluded Wahl.
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