Tuesday, April 05, 2005

N.C. Lottery on a Fast Track

The main push for a state lottery is coming from Democratic leaders, not least of which is the Guv and Jim Black, the Speaker of the N.C. House. Black appointed a special House committee to write the legislation, keeping anyone off who even vaguely had reservations about funding state education by preying on the venality of uneducated people, which is what a lottery demonstrably does. The N&O reports this a.m. that the bill is about to be trotted out and could be voted on by the full House this week. If it passes, it'll be fast-tracked in the Senate too, and North Carolina will officially start raising money for school construction, etc. by appealing to the gullibility of working people. Another excuse not to ask the wealthiest among us to shoulder more of the load.

It's unfortunate. It's cynical. It's opportunistic. It's bad public policy.

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