Alabama Governor Talks Budget Numbers

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley says the state’s General Fund budget will be the biggest problem before lawmakers next year.

Legislative leaders say they’ll have a hole of at least $200 million in the budget when a fiscal lifeline expires. Voters in 2012 approved of taking money from a state trust fund to support the budget, but that bail out expires this year.

The governor says he and lawmakers have been already been meeting about possible solutions.

Bentley and the House budget Chairman Steve Clouse of Ozark say there are no firm proposals. Bentley said last week that legalized gambling – either with a lottery or compact with the Poarch Creek Indians – is on the table for discussion.

However, Bentley says gambling is not his preferred method of finding revenue.