State Rep. Robbie Wills, speaker of the house designate, spoke to the Conway Kiwanis Club on Wednesday about two amendments voters passed in the recent election. One will enable the Legislature to meet annually, and the other will establish a state-run lottery to benefit higher education.
Wills said he was surprised the measure to allow the Legislature to budget on an annual basis passed with the support of 70 percent of voters.
"Prior to now we have done everything on a two-year period," he said. Historically, the system worked well for the first year, but problems could arise in the second year if the state or nation has economic troubles.
"I really do believe this gives us an opportunity to give the budget greater scrutiny," he said.
Wills said two years ago the state had a large surplus, whereas now it only has a "slight surplus."
"With the economy doing what it's doing, it's already spent," he said.
Wills said the additional session is not open-ended. Sessions will be limited to 30 days and dedicated to fiscal matters only. They may be extended one time for 15 days if there is a two-thirds vote of both houses, he said.
Regarding the state-run lottery to fund scholarships for higher education, Wills said based on public opinion polls, he believed the amendment would pass. Lawmakers have been looking at policy matters, including how the lottery will operate and what its structure will be, he said. Another question lawmakers must consider is how students will qualify for the scholarships.
Wills said 42 other states and the District of Columbia have lotteries. Arkansas lawmakers have been in contact with all of them, he said. Some states have set up a government department that runs and operates the lottery, while others have started a lottery corporation, he said.
One argument against the lottery, Wills said, was that little money would go to scholarships because of administrative costs. He said the average nationwide breakdown is as follows: 60 percent goes to prizes; 30 percent returns to the government for the purpose decided upon when the lottery was formed; 6 percent goes to retailers who sell tickets; and 4 percent is used for operational expenses.
Wills said the most important thing about the lottery is ensuring the integrity of the system. The lottery must have an "unblemished track record," and it must be ensured that the lottery cannot be hacked or rigged.
"Whether you voted for it or not, it was done for a reason. It was done for scholarships. Voters were clear they wanted this."
Wills added the state cannot siphon money off other scholarship programs for other purposes now that new scholarship money from the lottery will be available. The lottery is to be used to fund new scholarships.
Asked about who is most likely to play the lottery, Wills said the information he has shows people who make more than $45,000 a year are the most likely to play. He said people who make less than $25,000 are less likely to play the lottery. Opponents of the lottery have argued that it is a tax on the poor, offering false hope of wealth to low-income residents.
"The information we have shows that those most likely to play are those with more disposable income," Wills said.
(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
