Show us the money
I had an informal chat with Attorney General Dustin McDaniel today. He mentioned to men what he had mentioned at an earlier public appearance.
Most expect the lottery to be approved. (McDaniel voted for it.) But no state agency has budgeted the significant sum that it will take to set up a lottery bureaucracy, buy machines, open offices, etc. No lottery money comes in until tickets are sold.
Can the state afford the setup cost? Will it be dealing with lottery vendors hoping to front the money to get the business? How many legislators will quaff how many bottles of wine and eat how many steaks while that dickering gets done?
Costs go beyond the obvious. Some state legal experts, probably in McDaniel's office, will be required for oversight. The Department of Finance and Administration will have to prepare for financial oversight. Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, creator of this wealth transfer from the poor to college-bound, has said he'll leave the little details to the legislature. That's reassuring.
Weird that this significant expenditure has been all but overlooked.
Comments
I don't think the lottery will pass. No way. This is the Bible Belt.
(I voted for it, but it's one of the votes I care least about winning or losing.)
Posted by: ThermosDay![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 09:00 PM
After the lottery passes what's to prevent the Guv from making a
loan with terms certain to the lottery commission? Surely you
are not implying that commercial outlets would not help
finance this cash cow. It's true that thousands of ticket
machines must be purchased and connected to
a main computer but within a 5 yr period these costs
can easily be amortized by the company getting the
contract and/or the local franchisees.
.
Posted by: eLwood![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 09:11 PM
Let the Game and Chesapeake Fish bankroll it.
Posted by: Eureka Springs, AR![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 09:30 PM
And who gets the lucrative contracts for printing, etc?
Posted by: bugeyedlittlefreak![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 10:52 PM
It's true that thousands of ticket machines must be purchased <<
Obviously with only 75 counties in the entire state that should have
been several hundred. Not thousands. Excuse
Posted by: eLwood![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 11:09 PM
I did vote for Halter but I am now of the opinion that he is an unmitigated jack-ass.
Posted by: LRPragmatics![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 11:51 PM
The AG is right. This sucker is gonna pass.
As I understand it, the legislature would set the terms of the lottery. We are a long way from purchasing Powerball tickets in Little Rock. A very long way...even if this thing passes.
Posted by: rockstar![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 31, 2008 11:59 PM
Well isn't that the only way AR state govt does everything
Bassackwards??
They just ran off a very successful professional business man because he was trying to run a state agency like it should be run.
Posted by: AliJB![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 3, 2008 01:07 PM