Arkansas Lottery

I agree -- on to more appealing topics. Rep. Bond dropped HJR1005 this afternoon, which would propose a constitutional amendment for a vote by the people to allow for a lottery in Arkansas. The proposal mandates that all proceeds after administrative expenses to go two items: college scholarships and teacher bonuses. The resolution also mandates that net proceeds shall supplement, not supplant, non-lottery educational resources, thereby ensuring that general revenue normally committed to education is not shifted elsewhere. Analysts tell us that we can expect $75-$100 million in additional revenue, which would quadruple our current commitment to college scholarships (and could have a Murphy Oil project-type impact statewide, which has basically been the effect of Georgia's program).

Of course, a vote for HJR1005 only puts this issue to a vote of the people. It can only be assumed that a vote against this is an implication that the voters are too stupid to decide this issue for themselves.

I signed on to this proposal primarily because I'm tired of seeing Arkansas money educate non-Arkansas students. The lottery is already legal in half of my hometown, but Texas, of course, receives 100% of the proceeds. While I don't personally purchase lottery tickets, I don't see why others on our side of the state line should be stopped from doing it over here if they so please.

As far as creating a tax on the poor, the people in my district who want to play the lottery are already doing it. While these people are on the other side of State Line Avenue purchasing lottery tickets, they're also purchasing other items, and the Texas economy is getting 100% of the benefit. I'd like to redirect this revenue to provide scholarships to Arkansas children and bonuses to Arkansas teachers.

Click this map for a list of the 42 states with lotteries:

Update: Here's footage of the press conference today (courtesy of Warwick Sabin and the Arkansas Times):