LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A state senator who wants to abolish Arkansas' new lottery is scheduled to present her case Wednesday to a legislative panel.
Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, will ask the House and Senate committees on state agencies and governmental affairs to adopt her proposal for an interim study "to repeal the authorization for state lotteries under the Arkansas Scholarship Act."
The committee chairmen were cool to the idea.
"The important message that I'm really wanting people to get ... is that this is something the Legislature can change," Madison said today. "I mean, it does not take a vote of the people. The vote of the people merely authorized and gave the Legislature the authority to have a lottery. It did not mandate a lottery."
Last year, Arkansas voters approved Lt. Gov. Bill Halter's proposed constitutional amendment authorizing a lottery to fund college scholarships by nearly a two-to-one vote. Lawmakers passed legislation setting up the lottery during this year's legislative session and lottery tickets went on sale Sept. 28.
The lottery is projected to collect more than $400 million in gross proceeds and net more than $100 million for scholarships in its first year.
Madison said she has concerns about state government promoting a form of gambling that she believes targets the poor, particularly during tough economic times.
"We get good revenue from taxes on tobacco, we get good revenue from taxes on alcohol, but we're not out there promoting people to drink or encouraging them to smoke, and yet we are encouraging people to buy lottery tickets, and I think that's probably not a good position for our government to take," she said.
The Senate and House chairmen of the panel that will hear Madison's proposal said today they will oppose it.
"I've not talked to anybody in the General Assembly other than Sen. Madison that agrees with her proposal," said Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern.
Faris said Madison's argument that the lottery amendment permitted but did not require creation of a lottery is "ridiculous."
"I know the people didn't pass that amendment and expect us to come up here and do nothing," he said.
A committee can endorse a study proposal without endorsing the sponsor's position, but Rep. Rick Saunders, D-Hot Springs, said he sees no need even to study the issue.
"I'd hate to take the staff's time for this. With all due respect to Sen. Madison, I don't know why she's doing this," he said.
If memory serves, we had the same rumblings by a couple of our Georgia legislators when we first got the lottery.
History shows how far their posturing got them.
What really amazes me, is that two of the three Democrats have common sense, while the other has None.....!
I wonder if she'd like to come north for a while and use her wisdom on trying to get John Gotti jr retried again. These politicians have nothing better to do ???
"Madison said she has concerns about state government promoting a form of gambling that she believes targets the poor, particularly during tough economic times. We get good revenue from taxes on tobacco, we get good revenue from taxes on alcohol, but we're not out there promoting people to drink or encouraging them to smoke, and yet we are encouraging people to buy lottery tickets, and I think that's probably not a good position for our government to take,"
Since their getting "good revenues", I doubt she'll be proposing any legislation that discourages the poor from smoking and drinking. The real problem here is that all of Madison's arguments against a state lottery were heard, debated, and then the people voted to have a state lottery. Maybe Madison believes she knows what's really best for the people of Arkansas or just can't believe her arguments against a lottery fell on deaf ears.
"I've not talked to anybody in the General Assembly other than Sen. Madison that agrees with her proposal," said Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern. "
I'll bet the other legislators read the relative story "Oklahoma lottery braces for loss of Arkansas dollars".
Another elected official going against the will of the people who pay her to represent them, thinking she knows what's best for them despite their wishes. Now just watch them re-elect her to another term. I just don't get it.
whats her problem ??? what does she think about health care -since her position said " the state had the right to form a lottery -the voters didn't give a mandate ????-*Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville* get a better state senator
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I wonder how many Arkansas folk drive up to Missouri, or down to Louisiana or Texas, or to Tennessee or Oklahoma to play the lottery. With the gas money that would hurt them even more!