Mississippi New State Lottery Bill On The Way To The Governor
Jackson, Ms
Mississippi Has A New Lottery
The lottery bill is on the way to the Governor Phil Bryant desk where he is expected to sign it into law.
Officials said the Mississippi lottery could be up and running within about a year.
The measure passed 58-54 in a bipartisan vote with little debate in the house.
The senate passed it last night 31 voting for and 17 voted against it.
Among the DeSoto County delegation only Senator Kevin Blackwell voted yes.
DeSoto County State Rep Steve Hopkins said, “ I am pro lottery but this bill was horrible. It does nothing for education. It helped the casinos eliminate competition and created a board with no salary cap and even lets them vote on their own salaries”.
Lottery proponents estimate a Mississippi lottery would initially net the state $40 million in its first year, then $80 million to $100 million a year thereafter.
But Hopkins says, “Every penny of the lottery money will go to roads and bridges in 13 counties who have mismanaged their money”.
Up to $80 million a year from lottery proceeds will go toward working on state roads and bridges for 10 years.
Any revenue above $80 million a year would go to pre K education funding.
By the way some reports say that only 10 percent of school districts in the state offer pre-K programs.
2017 numbers say, Mississippi ranked No. 41 in access to four-year-olds, No. 27 in access to three-year-olds and No. 41 in state spending in contrast to other states.
Lawmakers on Monday passed the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act, a measure that would divert 35 percent of the money the state receives from online sales taxes to cities and counties for infrastructure. The measure also includes borrowing $300 million for emergency road work and specific projects lawmakers will haggle out later and includes a new tax on hybrid and electric cars.
