Governor promises to sign into law
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi House reversed itself Tuesday and passed a bill to create a state lottery in the Bible Belt state where churches have long opposed it.
The vote came during a special session, less than 24 hours after the House originally voted to kill the bill that the state's Republican governor promises to sign into law. There was no debate Tuesday as a few representatives changed their votes from no to yes.
Mississippi is one of six states without a lottery, and Gov. Phil Bryant had been pushing lawmakers for more than a year to create one. Supporters estimate a lottery could generate tens of millions of dollars annually, and Bryant says he wants the money to help pay for repair to crumbling highways and bridges.
"This is a historic day in Mississippi," Bryant said on Twitter. "Mississippi lawmakers rose to the occasion."
Supporters said it would take about a year to get a lottery up and running.
The bill was opposed by politically powerful Baptist and Pentecostal groups and some people who called it a regressive tax on poor people in one of the poorest states in the U.S. The state's influential casino lobby did not oppose a lottery but fought some lawmakers' ultimately unsuccessful efforts to allow video lottery terminals in places like truck stops.
Bryant pointed out that three of the four states bordering Mississippi have a lottery, and Mississippi residents drive to Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee to buy millions of dollars of tickets each year.
The lottery bill passed the Senate Monday night but it failed initially in the House with 60 opposed and 54 in favor. The House subsequently passed the bill Tuesday with 58 in favor and 54 opposed.
Tuesday was the fourth day of a special session that Bryant called, asking lawmakers to put millions more dollars into highways and bridges. More than 400 of Mississippi's city and county bridges are closed because they are in bad repair. The state Department of Transportation says it needs at least $400 million more per year just to keep state highways from deteriorating.
Supporters of a lottery estimate it could generate about $40 million for the state in the first year and $80 million in subsequent years.
The Senate and House last week passed different versions of a lottery bill, and top lawmakers spent much of Monday working out the differences. The two chambers must agree on a single version before it can go to the governor.
Republican Rep. Bill Denny said Tuesday that he has opposed attempts to establish a lottery for more than two decades, but he voted in favor this time because his constituents in Jackson want it.
"Every time I go to the grocery store, 'Bill, we need the lottery,'" Denny said.
Democratic Rep. Greg Holloway of Hazlehurst voted against the bill initially and then for it Tuesday.
"My people have contacted me," Holloway said. "They want the lottery and I want them to have what they want."
Democratic Rep. Jeramey Anderson of Escatawpa voted for the bill Monday and against it Tuesday. He said he wanted a guarantee that a significant share of lottery money would go to education.
"Killing the bill would have given us a better opportunity to negotiate," said Anderson, who is running for a U.S. House seat. "Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I do support the lottery, but I support public education, as well."
WOW...two feel good stories and just after 1100 hours!
Like a breath of fresh air that politicians put their own beliefs on the back burner and voted to approve a lottery. Constituents voices were heard. I thought sometime ago the casinos were dead set against a lottery?? Personally I've been to many casinos that had @ least a lottery machine in it...sans Nevada of course. These include MA, RI, OH, IN, CT, and NJ which I've personally played in. Anyway that's off subject except to say casinos should, IMO, keep patrons on their properties.
What a shame that so many bridges are closed and many others in disrepair. They pay the Federal gas too and don't see much for this involuntary tax---sad I think.
Democratic Rep. Jeramey Anderson of Escatawpa should recognize that everything cannot be funded by the lottery. The small amount that will be spent on bridges and roads should satisfy both sides.
I am guessing that the Education lobby there is powerful.
After reading the posts from L.P. & us telling those politicians to get off their A*** they finally doing what the citizens of Miss want. Those pastors manning those churches are probably going to have to cut back on their expensive cars & $1000.00 suits. Times, they are a changing.
Mississippi already has casino gambling so I sort of doubt it's only the church people apposing a lottery. It's possible some of the money for the cars and suits comes from casino winnings.
" It's possible some of the money for the cars and suits comes from casino winnings."
How is that possible Stack? l have read that men who claim to follow the Lord do not go to casinos, it's like willingly walking into a coven. But just for a moment, l envisioned this. Some members of the congregation are sitting at the Casino slot machines, in walks Pastor Brown- aka " Get Down Brown" He approaches one of his sheep, that has strayed.
In a deep voice he says " Sister Angela, we have noticed that you have not been regular at church, is this the place that you have been spending your time in? Yes Pastor Brown, but not on a regular basis- by the way, how did you know l was here? It is my job to keep my congregation from harmful influences.By the way, how much have you lost here?.. oh, maybe $50.00. Move over child, let me see if l can turn a fortune here. Pastor Brown, you going to indulge? Yes, just this once- remember what the word says " Even though l may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, l will fear no evil." Sister Angela giggles.. Oh Get Down Brown!!!
Ever hear of a church running a Bingo game twice a week and having a "casino night" a couple times a year?
But I'm pretty sure you're not talking about that church.
What does race have to do with this particular article ? Not a single thing ! Yet someone is trying to inject it into a positive situation and article.
Congrats, we have our first Code 100 for the day !!
I found that post disingenuous at best, hypocritical at worst...along with several others in this thread. Guess it takes one to know one, huh? After all, a fish rots from the head down.
Plus, the Bible neither condemns nor condones gambling. (as has been pointed out several other times in other threads, at least once that I can remember by the "chief bottle washer" of this website.) "Casting lots" is the nearest thing, and it was mentioned several dozen times in the OT and six/seven times in the New Testament. One can extrapolate a condemnation of gambling from various verses, I suppose, but there's absolutely no prohibition against gambling in The Book.
CDanaT and Mike
I heard an "amen" from the choir!
Good points!
Yes l have Stack. This article speaks of the opposition from the churches in the bible belt. What l am pointing out not was, but is, the hypocrisy there. Many of these leaders live in palatial homes, have amassed insane fortunes into the multi millions, own jets. Yet we told that Jesus was not just poor, but dirt poor. He had One item of clothing, he also said that " foxes have dens, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay down his head." It's no wonder that we read that judgment will start with the house of God.
* 1Peter 4:17
i am using afirestick to type this NO I AM NOT DEAD
all ican say icongrats AND MISSISSIPPI JUST MADE ABIG MISTAKE LOL
I'm not defending anyone, but I will say that you don't have to live dirt-poor in order to be religious or to live in a Christian manner. I think you can say you disagree with these people without trying to personally attack them.
A better line of debate might be to address the point that nowhere in the Bible does it say ANYTHING about gambling being bad. In fact, the Bible makes specific mention of "lots", which is the root from which "lottery" is derived. So, in fact, Christianity is more pro-gambling than anti-gambling (IMHO). It's the churches in the Bible Belt that have misconstrued the teaching and inserted their OWN beliefs that gambling is somehow "bad". (Again, in my opinion.)
Edit: I see that mikeintexas has mentioned this in the comments above as well — nice to see we are on the same page!
l was not advocating that people must be poor to serve God, on the contrary, l was saying that "some " of these leaders, would have their flock support their lifestyle, but heaven forbid these same should play the lottery. However, l do agree with you that their understanding of scripture is misconstrued, after all, Job & King Solomon were extremely wealthy. In the case of King David & his son, they contributed gold in the tons, toward the building of the temple in Jerusalem.
Point taken.
Amen. I think it is also an issue as well of being overly attached to or obsessed with nice things and money and letting it consume oneself. Money in and of itself is not the issue. I see many of my coworkers spend a ridiculous amount of money eating out or take out multiple times a day from upscale restaurants.. Could I afford to do the same? Yes, but to me that is an excess. I am very happy bringing in my own home made veggie meals 99% of the time. Some people can never live a bit below their means. In that case, money is controlling you. But I still like nice things. I remember when I bought my first home and settled for an average size home in a great neighborhood. One co-worker was shocked that I did not buy the biggest model just because I could afford it.
So lottery playing in a reasonable manner is not sinful unless it is taken to an extreme. I am also not aware of any teaching about Christians going into casinos. Jesus never called for Christians to be poor. There are specific bible verses where Jesus expects one to multiply and grow their talents and not bury them in the dirt.
Yeah I know what you meant about the net worth of some of the bigger televangelists, but the smaller Mississippi congregations are probably more worried about their 501C3 status than the creation of a state lottery.
l hear you,
those smaller congregations need a CPA. It's enough to make those handling the books - sweat a little.
Income Statement with very specific revenue and expense categories like donations, salaries, postage, rent...
Balance Sheet with specific categories like cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable...
Functional Expense Statement with all the expenses allocated to either program services, fundraising, or operations.
Individual Program Expense Statement that reports all of the expenses for each program or service like seminar programs or educational mailings.
All because the IRS uses this very specific revenue and expense classifications to determine if their organizations will retain its tax-exempt status.
Churches are automatically covered as 501 c 3 groups. I am uncertain why any of the smaller churches in general would be having problems with that status.
I'm happy that Mississippi approve a state lotto that they will buy a ticket about 6 months after the governor signs the bill!