CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming House has defeated legislation that would have created a state lottery and allowed Wyoming to take part in the Powerball lottery.
The House voted 35-25 against the bill Monday.
Proponents said the lottery would have raised $11 million a year for the Hathaway Scholarship program. The scholarship is awarded to Wyoming students who attend the University of Wyoming or any of the state's community colleges.
Rep. Allen Jaggi, R-Lyman, opposed the bill. Jaggi questioned whether the lottery really would raise $11 million a year for the Hathaway program. He also says the bill would disproportionately hurt the poor and expand state government.
"This is way expanded beyond a Powerball lottery," Jaggi said.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Recluse, said lottery revenue could have been directed to early childhood education as well as the Hathaway Scholarship. The bill also would have created video gambling on horse races at the state's only horse track, Evanston's Wyoming Downs.
Rep. George Bagby, D-Rawlins, said polls over the years have shown that working people want gambling for fun and some people "like to dream."
But Rep. Rodney Anderson, R-Pine Bluffs, said many Wyomingites oppose gambling.
"Come on, people," he said. "Let's quit telling our people they can get something for nothing."
Thanks to chasingadream for the tip.
This statement here "Come on, people," he said. "Let's quit telling our people they can get something for nothing." shows that this guy is about as close minded as the Bush fool that wouldn't let Powerball in Florida. Now that Powerball is in Florida and doing exceptionally well I wonder did he ever regret not letting in sooner
So sad to see people being kept from having a lottery by state officials that can't see past their own benefit. I think they should let the people vote on it and see what the outcome is.
Did i hear right? did they just said, 11 million dollars that lottery will raise? I don't understand Panama dude Panama a third world country or whater it is raises 550 million dollars a year and a state 3 times the size of Panama only raises 11 million? What's the population of that state 10,000? Panama casinos alone raise 600 million each year...
Mmmmm..... See what I have been talking about all along? Those jokers that rule us in government do not have a clue.
It should have been put on the ballot for voting by the people. I have lost all respect for elected officials. They commit crimes, cheat, steal, and do whatever they want. When it comes to us having freedom to do what we want legally, they say no.
Right now there is a elected official, Fumo that is on trial, he stole from his foundation and the government. Gave a car to his girlfriend that was paid by the foundation. Had work done on his house, and in his words "lived large''. And the Governor of our state, Rendell testified for his defense??? Someone should look into this sneaky one as well.
When they voted so that we can't play lotteries online? We all should have written to those jokers and gave them a piece of our minds and THEN voted those jokers out.
As for the lottery, vote those jokers out next time. If they don't do right by the people, get rid of them!! We should have term limits on them anyway, just like the President, two terms and you are OUT for any elected position.
I feel for the people in Wyoming. Perhaps in the future the next generation officials don't forget where they came from, and their role in society is to help the little people.
whats hurting the people are dopes like Allen Jaggi
I think it's a myth that poor people empty their pockets to play the lottery. But you will find gambling addicts in all parts of the society.
They need to put it on the ballot and let the people decide. As for poor people emptying their pockets..I think somewhere I read that the average person who plays the lottery makes about 30 grand a year and has some college education. I wouldn't call that very poor.
yes if the republicans will allow its population to decide what they want and the not the RNC;
ELECTIONS ARE THE KEY ....BUT WATCH OUT THEY CHEAT LIKE HELL .......OBAMA NEEDED LAWYERS IN 50 STATES TO KEEP THEM HONEST ....
Panama is a tourist destination is it not? No one wants to go to Wyoming, it's also the least populated state in the country with barely 500,000 people, so hardly anyone wants to live there either.
Yeah because the DNC is all innocent, law abiding, non-election tampering saints with no morality police who want to shove their beliefs on others. Seriously, save it for your blog or whatever.
sounds like Alabama. We can't get a lottery here for anything and we still have a tax on food!