i could care less where the money goes when i play the lottery. I am playing to win me some money. Youll worry to much about these kids getting a college education. what they need is two years mandatory in the armed forces and then vo tech. thats where they will learn something the first two years of college are a waste of time and money. Every time that there is a tax issue , its said to be for the children and education .all they need is two pencils and some books.

Educate our kids so they can go to Dallas or elsewhere to find gainful employment. They sure aren't going to find it here in Arkansas, regardless of how well educated. Want to help the kids of this state, provide tickets out of here...

I must agree with thebluff on this one. First of all providing money for derserving kids to go to college is wonderful but this state has too many other issues as thebluff mentioned. And please dont use Louisiana and Mississpi as examples. Tell me who benefited from either one of those states who ALSO lead the nation in poverty, bad education and crime. Leave those two out if your gonna argue about the benefits. I will just be honest, the only benefit I see is giving me something else to do and spend money on in my own territory. Believe me someone is going to have their hands in the cookie jar just like in ole Louisana and Missisppi and it wont be the every day Joe. *SIGH*

I agree w/ TheBluff.

I must comment on the mentality that if you don't the lottery, then don't play the lottery and the thought that if you do not want to lose money then don't play the lottery. I think a read where someone posted that they were for it because they hoped it would bring in casino gambling as well. This, I think is a major point. The lotter is a first step to full blown casino gamilng. The same thought is given to casino gambling that is often given to the lottery. It is a gross mistake to believe that just because you do not play the lottery or go to the casinos that it will not cost you money. In fact, it will. I was attending graduate school in the area of Psychology while living in the state of Missouri. This was about the time that casino gambling came to that state. One day we had several representatives come to meet with us, trying to recruit us to focus on therapy for those who would become addicted to gambling. These representatives were paid by the gambling industry. The fact is, many do become addicted to gambling and everyone (including those who never by a lottery ticket or walk into a casino) pays for the help they receive. Add on top of this, the statistical rise in crime rate; mark it down everybody pays.

We need only to look south to Louisiana where they have a simular lottery where if any kid makes the grade, then they get a full ride at the college of their choice. Two thumbs up here !!!!

"I support the lottery, but will vote no because the money is not going where I want it to go" Geez! the money is never going to go where everybody wants it to go. I too feel that it should go mainly first toward state income tax, the more money that is made the less state income tax we pay...that would help EVERYBODY. But I am not holding my breath for it to pass, for some reason everybody seems to think that lotteries, casinos, and liquor stores cause the "poor" people to instantly turned into drunks or gamblers. HEADLINE: they are already drunks and gamblers before Arkansas approves any of these items!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I support a Lottery, but will vote NO……

This will be a waste of MONEY. Arkansas leads the nation in fire deaths, crime and low education. Spend the money on what will really HELP Arkansas. More Jails More Police Officers More Funding for Fire Dept's Better Schools, and Pay for ALL.......

And lets not forget we still dont have a TRAUMA SYSTEM in Arkansas!

Many are so educated now they think they know more than their creator.

Everybody needs to remember that just because the money goes for "education" (or whatever), that doesn't necessarily mean it is ADDITIONAL money. State funds currently spent for education would be reduced or cut off completely, and that money would go elsewhere.

There's a good example in Camden. Yesterday there was a vote for an increase in sales tax for the police and fire departments. As they say, 100X of the increase goes for that purpose. BUT, some existing city funds to the police/fire departments will be cut off and spent elsewhere. So the increase in sales tax is NOT the total increase to the departments.

As for the lottery, the money goes into the same pot of state funds as our taxes. Advertising an appropriation for education is largely to get people to vote for it. ASK the question: if the lottery passes, will existing budgeted state funds for education be reduced or eliminated?

WAKE UP ARKANSAS!!! I don't know how you people can be against this. If we were to have this lottery it could do so much for this GOD forsaken state. We are one of the poorest states in the country and you people are worried about the poor people spending money on this????? Let me tell you these poor people are probably already spending money they don't have on alcohol, cigs, and probably METH while their children are doing without and being hungry!!! Let me just say this....if you don't like to gamble then SHUT UP and let those of us that would like to bring and keep the money here in the state do it.

I was at first going to support this, but there are more important issues in the state than secondary education. Our school systems need funding, municipal jails, etc. We could eliminate or signifiancantly reduce the personal property tax burden for every Arkansan. The scholarship idea is noble but it doesn't help everyone who's already paid for college etc. If they want it to pass it should benefit everyone. No deal this time unless it's changed.

I cannot believe the people that are saying that the poor will waste their money on the lottery. WAKE UP to the real world!!! Those people you talk about waste their money now on things they do not need and their children are doing without. Therefore, if you really look at it their parents may spend the money on this Lottery thinking they are going to find the pot of gold and never get it but at least their children one day will benefit from it with their schooling. By the way, who are you fooling using this for a reason? All the states around us have lottery and many people drive to the these states to get them even those poor people that you are using to keep the lottery out of Arkansas. Therefore, if you look at it you want them to spend more money to have to drive out of state to get their fix and pay the high gas prices on something they do not need instead of making it cheaper for them at least the cost of gas. Those that only look at a small piece of the puzzle need to open their eyes and see the big picture before condemning the lottery.

VOTE NO!!!!! What we need to do is give people a tax credit for the purpose of education. If you have a child thats want to go to scholl then that a credit. if you dont you can pay for someones eles and get a tax credit. In the long run this would rasie far more money for education thena lotto. The only ones to benifit off this lotto is the ones that are tring to get it passed. WE NEED EDUCATION TAX CREDITS FOR THE COUNTRY. Not more money traps.

I heard once that "Your odds of winning the lottery are only slightly increased by actually buying a ticket." That being said, I do support the lottery.

Some argue that the funds should be used elsewhere, I would disagree. There are many programs that the state already has in place to provide scholarship money (http://www.arkansas.gov/education_res.php), I would imagine proceeds would either be used to fund these programs or these programs would be eliminated, thus freeing the funds currently allocated to these programs for other purposes.

Since lottery money is not as steady an income stream as taxes, using proceeds for other programs would cause cuts in necessary programs if there was a slowdown in lottery activity. It would be easier to reduce scholarship levels than to reduce the amount of money for public elementary and secondary schools, or to reduce number of police officers, or to cut teacher pay, etc.

With most of the money from the purchase of tickets going back to prizes and 28X of every dollar is spent on the lottery actually going into funding a program, that doesn't leave a lot of money for the overhead of the actual lottery (the numbers in the story don't quite add up, but it looks like anywhere from 12 Xto 17X for overhead).

When I buy a lottery ticket it will most likely be using money I would have otherwise used to buy a donut, coffee, burger, etc. If instead of buying some fast food and making myself more unhealthy, I use that money to buy a lottery ticket (the proceeds of which might someday be used to help pay for college for my daughters), what's the harm.

I have always been against a lottery (tax) because people, many being those who can least afford it, will spend exorbitant amounts of living expense money for "the thrill of a chance at big bucks to become an instant millionaire" (reminds me of a carnival barker's pitch) when, in fact, statistically they have no realistic chance at all (one in several million). But I am resigned to the likelihood that it will come to be so in that regard I agree with those who have a problem with ALL of the proceeds going to just one narrowly defined cause - "higher" education, not even education in general. A lottery is just another way to extract money from the broadest spectrum of its citizens so the proceeds should benefit the broadest spectrum of its citizens, not just one small segment.

Direct the money towards public education and emergency services and I'll consider it. There is plenty of money available for those who are really serious about college. Yes, you will have to repay it but that only makes one more serious about their work. Sadly, MOST of those getting these "scholarships" will drop out. So in effect, we're creating a lottery so more kids can go party. We're all sick and tired of our public schools asking for millage increases every 2 years so let's direct the money generated there and give the tax payers a break. And I also agree that it's pathetic that only 28X will go for the purpose that this whole thing is supposed to be about.

Ever heard the phrase, "Damned if you do and damned if you don't"? This is where the state of Arkansas is right now. I believe a lottery would be good for the State if its proceeds were allocated for the right things and for the right reasons, but Halter's proposed lottery just doesn't make any sense. Instead it should have been structured like this: All available proceeds from the State Lottery are hereby allocated to first: 1) Provide money for Law Enforcement to include officer's pay. 2) Built adequate jails. 3) Teacher's pay. 4) Infrastructure repair and construction of schools. 5) Infrastructure of highways and bridges.

These five designations would win in a landslide. JMO

I vote YES!! This can potentially open the door to casinos in arkansas! I'm not going to tell some poverty stricken, welfare ridden person with 5+ kids what they can do with their money, I DON'T CARE!!! What I do care about is going out, having a little fun w/less than $50. This lottery can also open up opportunities for more kids to go to college. Please take arkansas out of the dark ages!!

Y me 2 you would rather spend money on criminals so they have a better place to hang out than support the future of our state. spending money on criminals is wasteful. lets give our kids the long term college education so they do not live in poverty and end up in jail trying to make a living selling dope!! Farmboy, the bulk of the money going to payout is a good thing and still leaves plenty for education!!!