Your tax dollars at work
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn said weeks ago that he would form a group to study the pros and cons of starting a state lottery. As the group met for the first time Wednesday, Gunn repeated his opposition to the game of chance.
"I do not believe a lottery is based on sound economic policy, and it violates a number of conservative, Republican principles," Gunn, a Republican who is also a leader in his local Baptist church, said in a news release.
"The purpose of the study group is to gather information to show that the lottery is not the windfall that all its supporters claim it will be," he said. "I have not had anyone who has voiced support for the lottery provide me with any documentation showing why or how it is a good thing. At the very least, I hope the findings from this group will provide us with information upon which we can make an informed, reasoned decision."
Mississippi is one of six states without a lottery, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Some legislators have tried for years to start a lottery in this state, but those proposals have faltered amid opposition from conservative religious groups and, to a lesser extent, from casino interests.
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant said in his State of the State speech in January that Mississippi should consider starting a lottery because the state is losing money as residents drive to Arkansas, Louisiana and other places to buy tickets, particularly when they're tempted by multimillion-dollar jackpots.
Bryant is calling lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session starting June 5 so they can set budgets for the Department of Transportation and the attorney general's office for the year that begins July 1. He has not released a full agenda for the special session and has not said whether he will include consideration of a lottery.
The lottery study group met Wednesday at the Capitol, though no public notice was given in advance.
Members are House Gaming Committee Chairman Richard Bennett of Long Beach and fellow Republican Reps. Chris Johnson of Hattiesburg and Mac Huddleston of Pontotoc; Democratic Reps. Nick Bain of Corinth and Cedric Burnett of Tunica; Mississippi Gaming Commission director Allen Godfrey; Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs; and James Barber, executive director of the Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review. Lawyers from the attorney general's office and the Gaming Commission will help the group, as needed, according to Gunn's news release.
One of the most persistent lottery proponents in the House, Democratic Rep. Alyce Clarke of Jackson, was not appointed to the study group.
So Mr Gunn, please do complete your biased study (his own words "the purpose...is to show the lottery is not the windfall...) while the state's lottery players take their money to neighboring states.
congress should do a study why they scam the goverment out of so much money.
How can it be bad for Mississippi but good for 40 other states, smh. This is a state still stuck in the past!! Really, u need a study group?
Exactly, they have Casinos,...follow the Lobbyists.
I read two conflicts of interest: Firstly Bible Thumper for even suggesting this.
Secondly: The casinos don't want it...kind of reminds of another state where what the casinos want the casinos get. No lottery there either--Nevada.
This is messed up. A lottery in the State of MS would improve the economy. Many states have it as a Scholarship Lottery for students in their state but they can determine what programs to use the money to improve what in their state and it provides proceeds for many state programs. This is why MS is so far behind compared to other states. They misuse church as the excuse from making MS a better state, but it is really demons keeping the state in unnecessary poverty, behind the times, unnecessary limitation and other good that a State Lottery would improve for MS, if you look over my shoulders. This man is using his own twisted beliefs to hinder the lottery from the State of Mississippi like a fool. It is one of the few states that does not have the lottery. Something is wrong with that. They should have eliminated tobacco, cigarettes, etc. from the State of Mississippi instead and I would still have by big brother and sister in the land of the living; that is if they were truly making decisions best for the citizens in the State of MS. They don't have to play but it should be available for those who do and use the funds to improve the State of Mississippi as many other states have already done. They getting on my nerves with these biased decisions; it would provide hope, opportunities, increased jobs, funds to actually improve many areas in the state rather than all them complaints I see in the new. It is a shame that narrow-minded leaders still exist in decision-making offices in MS. They pissing me off about this, actually and because they cannot see the big picture. MS ghosts still making ridged decisions int he office is the root of much of the crime because so many know they are unnecessarily limited in ways that should not be by 2017. Even the group study is focused on why the lottery would be bad for the state rather than studying the improvements that others states have made since they incorporated the lottery in their state. How truly stupid? WHY THE LOTTERY WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI IS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE STUDYING; they are even focused in the wrong direction for whatever reason. In conclusion, this is actually eliminating would could significantly improve the State of Mississippi with with the money while they keep what continually cause problems instead. smh
As if being a Baptist Church leader automatically makes Mr. Gunn correct. Get real!!! Have you seen "Greenleaf?" Anyways, I'm glad I do not live in backwards-thinking Mississippi. I do, however, live in a Pick 4 utopia--Texas, where Pick 4 plays four (4) times a day! I have won countless times. So, you know wha? Jimmy Crack Corn!
Very well written post. Sad thing is those in that backwards state will never get to read it; doubt Todd has any subscribers from the state of Mississippi. So that minister and casinos which fight the lottery will probably 'win' and their residents will 'lose'.
Kudos to my adopted state of Kentucky and their forward thinking lottery. Not many states offer on-line lottery ticket sales. Though I don't play them, wouldn't be surprised if someday they offer pick 3 & 4 to the mix.
Bleudog101, if you will notice, the first reply was from a Mississippi resident. One who, I might add, will continue to take her lottery $ across the state line into Louisiana.
Can't believe I missed that! Hope I'm more attentive in the PICU tomorrow!
Mississippi voters get what they vote for. They also get what they pay for.
PICU Bleudog101, you a nurse? Bless you for taking care of those babies. I retired from psychiatric nursing last December.
No, A respiratory therapist; sad job a lot of the time. Planning on retiring this December.
Just like Nevada, the casinos will be the biggest opponents of a Mississippi lottery.
Nevada used to be called the "Mississippi of the west"
Now we can call Mississippi the "Nevada of the south"
The first sentence in the third paragraph pretty much sums up how they want this to go. The last paragraph confirms it.
Coin Toss,
Here in Maryland it is just the opposite. We have one of the US's oldest lotteries, but for almost forever they were dead set against casinos. Meanwhile people were going to NJ, Delaware, and WVa. to spend their money in the casinos. Then a few years ago, the first casino opened and now there are several more. Both the lottery and the casinos are doing quite well.
You think this guy wouldn't get rid of casinos if he could? He's just tryiing to force his religious beliefs on everyone else and hoping he can come up with something else to justify it.
gwurstin,
In Nevada even the casino execs say, "The joints want it all."
They don't want to admit that casinos and the lottery do quite well.
What values can a MS politician have that a lottery would violate?
Mississippi screwed up in the office 100%, Lottery Players of MS are making TN a better state while decision makers in Mississippi are doing a biased study about how the lottery in MS could be bad rather than focusing on the benefits for the State of Mississippi instead. If this narrow-minded, Mr. Gunn would practice what he preach and focus on whatsoever is good and of good report, he could make massive improvements in the State of MS; because 50% of the proceeds go to the state to improve the state. Only about half go to prize amounts. IT IS GOOD FOR 40 OTHER STATES; BUT SUPPOSEDLY BAD FOR MS???? Honestly, casinos are worst for any state than the lottery is because you just buy a ticket at the gas station or grocery store. Are they kidding? I don't care what religion this man is, MS is also a state in America and freedom of religion reign there also. From where I sat, the oldest lottery game is when Peter followed Jesus' instructions and went caught that fish with a golden coin in his mouth and whether if you agree or not; the lottery would be good for the Stae of Mississippi as long as they put the money into improving the state as most states do. Mr Gunn sound like his name, hiding behind religion as the excuse but apparently a demon with skin on because he says that the casinos don't want it. Duh! Casinos don't want it because the lottery is competition. Where did this man get his education and experience from? I have never wanted to take anyone's job before but this is tempting because I can explain exactly how the lottery would be good for Mississippi and needed programs that are way overdue in the state of MS for their citizens. Get that idiot out of office asap. This is messed up. A lottery in the State of MS would improve the economy. Many states have it as a Scholarship Lottery for students in their state but they can determine what programs to use the money to improve what in their state and it provides proceeds for many state programs. This is why MS is so far behind compared to other states. They misuse church as the excuse from making MS a better state, but it is really demons keeping the state in unnecessary poverty, behind the times, unnecessary limitation and other good that a State Lottery would improve for MS, if you look over my shoulders. This man is using his own twisted beliefs to hinder the lottery from the State of Mississippi like a fool. It is one of the few states that does not have the lottery. Something is wrong with that. They should have eliminated tobacco, cigarettes, etc. from the State of Mississippi instead and I would still have by big brother and sister in the land of the living; that is if they were truly making decisions best for the citizens in the State of MS. They don't have to play but it should be available for those who do and use the funds to improve the State of Mississippi as many other states have already done. They getting on my nerves with these biased decisions; it would provide hope, opportunities, increased jobs, funds to actually improve many areas in the state rather than all them complaints I see in the new. It is a shame that narrow-minded leaders still exist in decision-making offices in MS. They pissing me off about this, actually and because they cannot see the big picture. MS ghosts still making ridged decisions int he office is the root of much of the crime because so many know they are unnecessarily limited in ways that should not be by 2017. Even the group study is focused on why the lottery would be bad for the state rather than studying the improvements that others states have made since they incorporated the lottery in their state. How truly stupid? WHY THE LOTTERY WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI IS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE STUDYING; they are even focused in the wrong direction for whatever reason. In conclusion, this is actually eliminating would significantly improve the State of Mississippi with the money while they keep what continually cause problems instead. smh I hope Gov. Phil Bryant win this one because I did not know that people from MS were driving to AR, LA to get lottery tickets and thought it was just TN where all of their money was going. It makes no sense that the State of Mississippi allow TN, AR and LA to be built up from the lottery profits while Mississippi (their own state) go without this type of support. The lottery was approved for Mississippi 24 years ago, so why hasn't it been put in place and started yet? That would be the biased reason this warped study. Sounds symbolic of Lincoln setting the slaves free but black folks still being mistreated like slaves to me. There are too many unjustified spirits affecting Mississippi and for too long. This symbolic mentality is messed up. smdh
Submitted by Anita R. F. Rutherford
Anita's name rings a bell, think I sent her a fax or email years ago about them not having a lottery. Could be mistaken.
There is nothing wrong with a lottery for Mississippi but the study should show that they should stay out of the ridiculously obscene Multistate Games and they should keep all their drawings as real ball draws.
The Multistate games are now totally stupid.
You think this guy wants Mississippi to have casinos? He just wants to impose his religious views on everyone else and is hoping he can dig up something to convince people that he's got a legitimate reason. Based on the quote he just about admitted that he's planning on conducting a one-sided witch hunt to find the negatives of having a lottery without acknowledging the obvious benefit of the revenue it would generate for the state.
Well that's easy to answer. Because they're a bunch of hypocrites, that's why. They use God and church when it's convenient to do so, then ignore it for everything else. At the end of the day, it's not about what's best for the people, it's what's best for them, what keeps them in power.
If the study came back proving that the lottery would be beneficial to that state, but then a survey claimed that most of HIS voters didn't want the lottery, regardless of the advantages, he'll still be against the lottery.
Then, follow the money. Find out who is contributing to his campaigns and/or pet projects then look at who might be contributing money to those opposed to him, and everything will fall into place.
I assure you, his "belief" in God will likely be 3rd on the list, if it even manages to crack the top 3.
Vote the Heathen out when his term is up. Too bad there is so much ignorance/poverty in that state. Follow his butt around, probably sins just as much as the average Joe. At least sins in his book, not the Bible. That is going to the bars, casinos and maybe crossing state lines to play the lottery.
44 states plus VI, PR and DC...talking about multi-state lotteries. PR still needs to get MM!
True, but bear in mind the Constitution of Nevada specifically prohibits lotteries in that state. Wonder who was behind that? Don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out!
Love it when NV residents cross the border to CA to play and WIN.
American Indian told me where we the $61 (?) lottery ticket was purchased in Arizona and darn close to the Nevada border.
Four times a day? Going to your Texas lottery website to see what the cut-off hours are.
Funny I thought KY added mid-day to Sunday's Pick 3 & 4, not that I play, and I was correct. Must be farily recent.
WOW!
With 24 drawings a week I'm relieved to see that the Texas lottery takes Sunday's off..they deserve it.