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November 28, 2009

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Shaheen reiterates preference for gambling to pay for education

Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 | 9:58 a.m.

Speaking at a news conference, Shaheen handed out a plan to put video gambling machines at race tracks but said she remains open to other proposals.

"I'm not taking any options off the table," she said without mentioning an income tax or general sales tax, which she has opposed in the past.

"Gambling is one way of addressing the funding shortfall," she said.

She also defended her decision to appoint a study commission that will not make a recommendation until after the election. She said the state has relied too long on anecdotal information, ideology and anti-tax pledges. She said it is time to get accurate information.

"The commission said it couldn't get it done in that time frame," she said of why it won't report until after Nov. 7.

She also said she would fight to reduce the rate of the current statewide property and to improve the distribution formula, which she said gives too much money to high-income communities.

Shaheen criticized Humphrey's plan to cap state aid for schools for now and to get more education money over time by holding down other state spending. Not only is the plan unconstitutional, she said, but it would mean higher local and state property taxes. She said Humphrey's approach also would mean more years of struggle in the courts over how to pay for schools.

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