slugshooter Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 N.C. Senate approves lottery Updated: 8/30/2005 5:54 PM By: Tim Boyum & Web Staff (RALEIGH) -- After Senate leaders declared the lottery dead last week they approved it this week. The vote was extremely close and required a tie breaker. Opponents believe Democrat leaders pushed it through unfairly. But the bottom line is, North Carolina will have a lottery. Lottery supporters knew they were two votes short for approving a lottery but as senators arrived Tuesday, there were two open seats - both lottery opponents. Republicans did everything they could to avoid a vote. “I would move that the bill under consideration be postponed until May 9, 2006,” said Sen. Phil Berger (R-Senate Minority Leader). “I think we have one senator at home recently being hospitalized in bed, we have another one who is on his honeymoon because he postponed it,” added Sen. Andrew Brock (R-Davie). The state Senate voted 25-24 in favor of a lottery on Tuesday afternoon. Reporter Tim Boyum has the story in this report. Republicans argued Democrats didn't give enough notice or contact enough senators but the debate continued anyway. “It's time for North Carolina to join all the states around us in the southeast who have a lottery,” said Sen. Tony Rand (D-Cumberland). “We are supporting schools in other states that are so badly needed here.” “But shame on us,” said Sen. Robert Pittenger (R-Mecklenburg). “This is no more for education. It's for filling the holes and we can't take a serious look at running this state efficiently.” With two senators missing, the final vote came down to a tie and the final decision was made by Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue. “And now, members of the Senate, the vote having been 24 for the ‘aye's’ and 24 for the ‘no’s’, the president of the Senate votes ‘aye’,” Perdue said. With that, North Carolina has a lottery. Governor Mike Easley will sign the bill into law on Wednesday, August 31st at 11 a.m. in the Old House Chamber at the State Capitol located at 1 E. Edenton Street in Raleigh. Easley will be joined by bill sponsors, education officials and other advocates. Lawmakers believe a lottery could be up and running in less than a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! Tennessee got their lottery under our current governor, just more for them to misappropriate and mismanage. I do however have to say that they claim to have raised over 330 million dollars for education through the lottery in the short time it has been up and running. Got to wonder where all the rest of the money is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! True, lottery money is only worth it's weight as long as it is being used correctly. Georgia is a fine example, by using the lottery money to set up scholarship funds for students with a B average to attend a state university tuition free, I believe Kentucky has the same thing but not sure if the money comes from the lottery they have there. Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina have all benefitted from North Carolina residents by crossing the borders and buying lottery tickets, not having a lottery here didn't keep people from buying them, it only caused them to spend their money in another state and support their education systems, but North Carolina certainly didn't have a problem with collecting taxes on money won in a neighboring states lottery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dg Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! [ QUOTE ] Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina have all benefitted from North Carolina residents by crossing the borders and buying lottery tickets, [/ QUOTE ] Yep and we thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted September 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina have all benefitted from North Carolina residents by crossing the borders and buying lottery tickets, [/ QUOTE ] Yep and we thank you! [/ QUOTE ] Enjoy it while it lasts, cuz as far as I have heard, ours will be up and running early next year. Now i don't have to wait for a trip to Myrtle Beach to buy some, I just couldn't see driving 50 miles for lotto tickets, at least in the 86 Jimmy I was driving, I would have been more apt to do it in the new Ranger, except for gas being so high now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reloader Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! Lotery: A tax on those who are bad at math. Ever look at the odds of winning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted September 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! [ QUOTE ] Lotery: A tax on those who are bad at math. Ever look at the odds of winning? [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, but it's fun thinking you might win. The trick is to not spend so much money on tickets that you feel sick when you don't win anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! Dont really think too many people come to Tennessee to buy lottery tickets sluggo, However I did on a few occasions while traveling pick up a few from time to time in MIssouri or Kentucky prior to Tennessee getting their lottery. Cannot say as though I would have ever made a special trip just to buy some lottery tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Re: NC has a lottery. FINALLY!!! NC, beautiful but perculiar state, grew up there, glad they finally got in to the fray. Might as well every other state around them has it. What was the reasoning behind the 24 nays? Religion? Or were the politicians afraid somebody else besides them could get rich doing nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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