Charger Opinion

Tennessee State Lotto--yes or no?

Cassandra Kimberly, Charger Staff

"Robbing Peter to pay Paul." Sound familiar? That is exactly what the state of Tennessee is doing to pay off the nearly $1 billion budget shortage. The solution to this problem, as presented by state legislatures, proposes using the $175 million in the state’s Rainy Day Fund, making major budget cuts, and then forming a state income tax or raising the sales tax. The majority of the problems with budgeting would be solved if the state would adopt a lottery system.

Those opposed to the lottery argue the fact that the odds of winning, which average to 14 million to one against the participant, would give false hope to the public and wouldn’t be worth the money spent. But what if the profit was worth the risk involved? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, TN was ranked 47 out of the 50 states and District of Colombia in academic funding, averaging $5,343 per student in the 1999-2000 fiscal year. These figures rank $1,492 short of the country’s average. In comparison, states with a legal lottery assist pupils before and after high school. Over 92,000 students in the state of FL received a Bright Future Scholarship for the school year to fund secondary-education. It was no surprise when I discovered that the $164 million to pay for such "gifts" were furnished by the Florida's Lottery and not just taxes. The meager 38% of the lottery earnings were also used to pay for $283,750,000 in grants, awards, technology, and the construction of 80 new schools in the 2000 academic year alone leaving enough money to pay for lottery winnings and other state debts. If the state adopted a legal lottery system, even with the 88% of the profit taken out for winnings and educational funding, the state would not have to resort to an income tax or an increase in sales taxes.

What are Tennesseans so afraid of? Is it the idea that the millions spent by TN residents on KY and GA lotteries each year will be used for something efficient in their own state? I propose that the state constitution be revised and the establishment of a lottery be admitted.

Article prepared for web by Jon Vaughn.