Hypocrisy and the state lottery

Published September 2, 2015

Editorial by Burlington Times-News, September 1, 2015.

Funny how times change.

A little more than 10 years ago, in a move that many still think less than above-board or even flat out dishonest, the North Carolina Senate joined the House in creating what came to be known as the N.C. Education Lottery. All 21 Republican Senate members opposed it for moral or other reasons.

For those fuzzy on history, it was in August of 2005 and then-Senate leader and Democrat Marc Basnight stated that no significant business was ahead on the legislative agenda. A couple of Republicans left town on vacation — one of those current Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown. Basnight rushed the remaining senators into session, took a lottery vote that ended in a 24-24 tie, which was broken by then Democratic Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue. Discontent ensued.

Now it’s Republican senators who wish to expand the state-sponsored games. Many of them the same lawmakers who put the kibosh on privately run video sweepstakes operations.

The Senate included in its budget an increase of about 50 percent for lottery advertising. North Carolinians are now able to play the games while they pump gas. And the Senate backs an array of new options, including letting people play instant winner games on their computers and smartphones. Video gaming terminals could pop up across the state in restaurants, bars and other public places.

We’ve never opposed the lottery but we wince at the hypocrisy of state-operated games while private businesses are shut down from competing against them. Further, it doesn’t even operate as advertised. According to the Charlotte Observer, the original plan called for 50 percent of lottery revenues to be spent on prizes and 35 percent on education. The reality now is 62 percent on prizes and 26 percent on education. The money for education supplants other funding rather than augmenting it.

So current GOP leaders have done an about-face on the lottery and other government gambling operations, hoping it will generate enough revenue to offset other policy decisions.

It’s like a riff on the old song by the Rolling Stones. What you want is not nearly as important as what you might need.

http://www.thetimesnews.com/article/20150901/OPINION/150909915/15233/OPINION