N.C. Gov. renews call for lottery

Feb 22, 2005, 11:37 am (13 comments)

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North Carolina Governor Mike Easley renewed his commitment to establishing a state lottery in his State of the State Address last night.

Although Easley said that his proposed budget will not include money from a lottery, budget analysts say that a state lottery could raise at least $300 million a year.

Easley recounted during his speech a man at a church who was against the lottery.  "He was selling me a raffle ticket at the time.  Well, I'm for the education raffle," Easley said.

In 2002 Easley failed to win approval of a lottery referendum by 19 votes in the North Carolina House.  Legislators are still unsure of the level of support they can gain in the House this year.

In his speech, Easley noted how the neighboring states of South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee all have lotteries.  "This lottery issue is not going away. Only the money for the education lottery is going away, from our state to other states every single day.

"Our people are playing the lottery.  We just need to decide which schools we should fund other states' or ours," he said.

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MADDOG10's avatarMADDOG10

 to: gov mike easley..!   

mrmst's avatarmrmst

You go Gov!  And while you're at it, go ahead and join a multi-state lottery too!!!!

moehrked

I want the state of North Carolina to have a Lottery. I do not care where the money goes. It can be for education, road repair pay for state employees, anything. I want a state Lottery. I vote for Megamillions, so I can play Powerball in SC also.

amme

NC really needs a lottery, it would help a lot for the schools and for roads where t hey say now that there is no money to fix them the schoolwould help get material the is so much need,. as well as more teacher and class rooms.

dvdiva's avatardvdiva

I have no idea why it's so hard for southern states to form lotteries. It's not like their residents aren't gambling. I'm sure that they would love to get even the amount that their residents spend on online gambling.

JimmySand9
Quote: Originally posted by dvdiva on February 23, 2005

I have no idea why it's so hard for southern states to form lotteries. It's not like their residents aren't gambling. I'm sure that they would love to get even the amount that their residents spend on online gambling.






It's because religious fundementalists think that gambling is a sin, and should therefore be illegal. And they have much more clout in the south than anywhere else.
lazyjim's avatarlazyjim

I believe in our representative form of government but sometimes you have to put things to an initiative when our representatives don't do the will of the people in fear of special interest groups. Then you have to remember to voice your opinion in the voting booth. 

Kidzmom's avatarKidzmom

I am from NC and it is getting tiresome trekking back and forth to virginia for lottery tickets but I suppose as long as we don't have the lottery we will be there.  I hope NC realizes that this money will benefit our schools more than anything as well as my happiness.

PrisonerSix
Quote: Originally posted by lazyjim on February 24, 2005

I believe in our representative form of government but sometimes you have to put things to an initiative when our representatives don't do the will of the people in fear of special interest groups. Then you have to remember to voice your opinion in the voting booth.






You are so right. I'm in Louisiana and I can remember a few of our legislators trying to introduce bills for a lottery and others trying to keep it out. Many legislators were interviewed saying the people didn't want a lottery but finally, they voted to put it on the ballot so it would be resolved once and for all. I still remember watching the returns on TV and seeing the lottery got voted in by a huge margin!



All of the states bordering us didn't have a lottery, so we got alot of Texans coming in to buy tickets, along with Mississippians and Arkansas residents!



PrisonerSix
DoctorEw220's avatarDoctorEw220

i like the governor's idea for how the lottery would be run. the idea of leaving it up to the counties to decide whether or not to sell tickets is a great idea. that way, you can get the support of the counties that are in favor of it, and those who are against it do not have to sell tickets.



also, we live in a society where free-market economics reigns supreme. that means that nobody is forcing someone to buy a lottery ticket. if you believe that gambling is a sin, then don't but a ticket. plain and simple. it's not like they're putting a gun to your head and making you buy a ticket.

sssjr.

I think the lottery coming to north carolina makes nothing but good sense.Let's keep the money here in our state.Tourism would benifit as well as our state's budget.Why would folks whom want to engage in the lottery,be forced to cross state lines and spend money elsewhere?From the coast,to our glorious mountains,the lottery would benifit our state.The downside?What downside?Thanks to two time Gov.Easly,now maybe North Carolina will have a fighting chance.Thanks Mike,.

JimmySand9
Quote: Originally posted by sssjr. on February 28, 2005

The downside?What downside?




My thoughts exactly.
murdoog
Quote: Originally posted by moehrked on February 22, 2005

I want a state Lottery. I vote for Megamillions, so I can play Powerball in SC also.




If they had a multistate lottery in NC, I'd quit going to SC to play powerball. I figure if the state government is willing to take that step to keep my money in NC I should only play in NC
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