Troy Price, one of the folks in Governor Chet Culver's communications shop, sent an email at 10:31 a.m. this Saturday morning. (See update below — Krogmeier in a telephone conversation was even clearer. The idea's dead, according to Krogmeier.)
STATEMENT FROM CHIEF OF STAFF CHARLES KROGMEIER
"The idea that the Iowa Lottery might be leased is getting more attention from pundits and partisans than it deserves. There is no plan to sell or lease the lottery. Period. Governor Culver has made clear that he wants to look at options to lessen the impact of reduced revenues and further budget cuts. But as far the leasing the lottery is concerned, the Governor has held exactly one meeting with a group interested in this issue. This has become nothing more than a silly political game that some in the Republican Party want to play, and at a time when Iowans want a balanced budget and deserve bipartisan results. This much is certain: when the Governor releases his budget proposal in a few days, it will not include a line item reflecting a lease of the lottery."
UPDATE: I talked with Krogmeier by phone a short while ago; here's the Radio Iowa story.
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
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