Wyoming House committee advances lottery bill

Jan 30, 2013, 11:29 am (9 comments)

Wyoming Lottery

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A Wyoming House committee advanced a bill on Tuesday that would allow the state to join the multi-state Powerball lottery. The profits would go to fix county and city roads.

The sole purpose of House Bill 77 is to provide "entertainment," said the sponsor, Rep. David Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne.

The bill establishes a quasi state corporation with nine members appointed by the governor. The corporation's job is to develop a business plan and to find money to run the lottery.

"If they can't get that done, no lottery," Zwonitzer said.

The House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee advanced the bill to the house floor for debate on a 6-3 vote.

Supporters included Mike Moser, representing the retail liquor dealers who want to be able to sell their customers lottery tickets.

Based on the Georgia model, the Wyoming lottery will make money, Moser said. A 2010 study estimated profits of $20 million to $40 million a year.

He noted that a cafe located south of Cheyenne sells $3 million worth of Colorado Powerball lottery tickets every year.

Supporters expect that 45 percent of the lottery ticket net proceeds would go toward prizes.

Opponents included Chesie Lee, representing the Wyoming Association of Churches, who said providing entertainment is not a role of state government.

A lottery is most attractive to low-income people with lower levels of education and is like a tax on the poor, Lee said.

Maureen Emrich of Casper, representing the Wyoming Family Coalition, said it will cost three times as much to treat gambling addicts as the lottery will generate in revenue.

The bill allocates up to $200,000 from unclaimed lottery winnings to the Wyoming Department of Health to treat people with gambling addictions.

Becky Vanderberghe of WyWatch Family Action questioned why the Legislature would want to adopt something the nation's founding father said was immoral.

Star-Tribune

Comments

Todd's avatarTodd

Wyoming goes for it again.  I hope they are more successful this year.

I am utterly sick of people trotting out the ridiculous "tax on the poor" and morality arguments.

That "Becky" lady talking about the nation's founding father saying that lotteries were immoral is just plain wrong.  Lotteries were used all the time during the nation's founding to raise money.

For example, George Washington founded a lottery to help build a road.  In fact, a lottery helped fund the very first settlement in America.

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

"Maureen Emrich of Casper, representing the Wyoming Family Coalition, said it will cost three times as much to treat gambling addicts as the lottery will generate in revenue."

 

I wonder where she gets her facts?

RedStang's avatarRedStang

What happened to peoples vote. Just mention "Bonus" and it will pass quickly. Do they really need 200k to treat addicts. What will they do, put doggie shock collars on them when they close to lotto machines.

LottoPerro

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Jan 30, 2013

Wyoming goes for it again.  I hope they are more successful this year.

I am utterly sick of people trotting out the ridiculous "tax on the poor" and morality arguments.

That "Becky" lady talking about the nation's founding father saying that lotteries were immoral is just plain wrong.  Lotteries were used all the time during the nation's founding to raise money.

For example, George Washington founded a lottery to help build a road.  In fact, a lottery helped fund the very first settlement in America.

I couldn't agree more on the whole "tax on the poor" stuff, Todd.

Tabtastic

I hate the "tax on the poor" stuff, too. In fact it's not even accurate to say that because you don't have to play the lottey to benefit from the money it raises for good causes - in that case it isn't a tax.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Getting closer to lotto fever Wyoming.....Thumbs Up

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Jan 30, 2013

Wyoming goes for it again.  I hope they are more successful this year.

I am utterly sick of people trotting out the ridiculous "tax on the poor" and morality arguments.

That "Becky" lady talking about the nation's founding father saying that lotteries were immoral is just plain wrong.  Lotteries were used all the time during the nation's founding to raise money.

For example, George Washington founded a lottery to help build a road.  In fact, a lottery helped fund the very first settlement in America.

I Agree!

sully16's avatarsully16

Lottery is fun, I hope they get it.

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by Cletu$2 on Jan 30, 2013

"Maureen Emrich of Casper, representing the Wyoming Family Coalition, said it will cost three times as much to treat gambling addicts as the lottery will generate in revenue."

 

I wonder where she gets her facts?

I wonder if she thinks it's better to tax everyone into the poorhouse, get some lottery going and fix the roads.

Go Lottery!Hyper

End of comments
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