Sparks plans major platform announcement on Thursday

Gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks has a major campaign platform announcement planned for Thursday.

The Democrat, who is commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, will make the announcement Thursday morning in Montgomery.

"The announcement will include specific plans to guarantee advanced education for every child, reduce taxes, increase funding for Medicaid and education and create a disaster relief fund for agriculture," according to a release from his campaign. "The Sparks plan will eliminate illegal gambling in Alabama and outlaw gaming in any county where it is rejected by the voters."

Sparks is one of eight candidates, two of them Democrats, who has announced he is running for governor in 2010. He cannot run for a third consecutive term as agriculture commissioner.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen