Posted on: Tuesday, January 21, 2003
ISLAND VOICES
Lottery? Yes, let's go there
By D.G. "Andy" Anderson
Just when I think I can retreat to the back of the house, I read, I'm sure, untruths about my "Pineapple Lottery."
It has always amazed me how editorial writers can continually tell the rest of us what is good for us.
I expected, and I haven't been disappointed, that traditional opponents of "any sort" of gambling to come forward in opposition, again making the predictable claims we have all heard in the past. The state will go to "hell in a basket," local families will all fall apart and this is a foot in the door for other types of gambling.
Some will ask, why a lottery? I served in the state Legislature for 20 years. I was a member of the legislative money committees for the entire 20 years. I was Honolulu's managing director for two years. I have been a private businessman here in Hawai'i for 40 years. I do understand government finances as well as anyone.
I can tell you with all honesty our state is flat broke. I won't go into all of the "doom and gloom" we are facing in the years to come, but it is there for all to see. We need time and must move to diversify and grow our economy immediately. And with this goal I believe Gov. Linda Lingle is on the right course in the very short time she has been at the helm.
During this time, however, the children of Hawai'i and their schools will further deteriorate and face additional cuts as the government is forced to legally balance its bloated budget. The alternative — to do nothing but talk and further promise and give false hope — is not acceptable.
As to the now-almost-etched-in-stone argument "And those who buy lottery tickets aren't always the ones who can afford it": This is also not the case, and there is a mountain-load of evidence to refute it.
Thirty-nine other states have lotteries. Twenty states dedicate some or all of their proceeds to public education. Each of those states has shown that lottery proceeds are stable sources of recurring revenue. Most of these states have conservative governors who appreciate the value of lotteries as a way to avoid additional taxation.
Most states and industrialized nations have successful lotteries because governments increasingly need to address revenue needs creatively, without raising taxes. Our citizens are demanding that more and more money be spent on our state's education system. While money alone will not fix our schools, we cannot continue to lag behind the country in per-pupil spending and expect our schools to be as educationally competitive.
Hawai'i's kids need the "Pineapple Lottery," whose estimated "net" annual income would be $30 million to $40 million. Lottery proceeds would be earmarked by a constitutional amendment for children's classroom needs.
The education lottery contribution would increase the "classroom material/use" budget from $30.5 million to $70.5 million, an increase of 130 percent, or more than double the budgeted amount for 2001-02. Expand the lottery to include the annual visitors to Hawai'i, and these numbers can again double.
We must continue our crusade for better schools in Hawai'i no matter how controversial the funding. Let's join the 39 other states that have successful lotteries; and also benefit from their mistakes by designing and implementing the best education lottery in America.
D.G. "Andy" Anderson recently sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Hawai'i.
