Its Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

A proposal to begin an Alabama education lottery is back, this time in a platform laid out this morning by Agriculture Commissioner and Democratic candidate for Governor Ron Sparks. During a late morning news conference, Sparks proposed a lottery to fund academic scholarships for every "C" or above student and technical school scholarships for those with lower grades who graduate or obtain a GED. [Can you actually graduate from H.S. in Alabama with an average that is below "C"?] Considering how much trouble Don Siegelman got into with his lottery proposal, The Commissioner will want to be very careful how he promotes it, and from whom he takes contributions for that promotion. Sparks also proposed taxing all existing gambling, perhaps including Native American gaming, though that would require an agreement called a "compact" be negotiated with the tribes. Sparks would not say what rate he would propose for the gambling tax, although he is counting on it to eliminate the sales tax on food and to fulfill a promise not to raise taxes on what he called "working families and small businesses." And, Sparks says he would return property appraisals back to the once-every-four-year schedule, a popular stand with people who hated the Riley Administration's change to annual appraisals. Riley said previous governor's were violating the law with their every four-year schedule. If today's news conference is any indication, the Sparks campaign may try to limit his exposure to follow-up questions. The time for questioning lasted only a short time, and then he was rushed off to another event. I personally can't remember a "last question" announcement cutting off such a brief news conference. [NOTE: More later on this developing story, including Sparks' comments on the TVA coal ash story.]

[UPDATE: Times-Daily story on 7/5/09 includes react from Davis to Sparks platform.]