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Family Advocates Protest Arkansas Lottery13 December 2002LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – As reported by the Associated Press: "As legislators ponder where to find millions more dollars for Arkansas' public schools, an advocacy group for children and families spoke Thursday against using lotteries as a source. "Rich Huddleston, research and fiscal policy director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, said a lottery would be an unreliable source of revenue for education and other state programs. In addition, he said, it would hurt Arkansas' poorest and create a harmful environment for children. "…The group's eight-page report of its study on lotteries estimates a lottery in Arkansas would generate about $169.4 million a year in sales and $47.5 million in net tax revenues for the state. "But Huddleston noted that education experts have said the state might need as much as $1 billion more to address court concerns over school funding, and said the gain from a lottery would be canceled out by the negative effects. "…`Compared to many states with high lottery yields, Arkansas is poorer, has a lower population base, and has more conservative attitudes about gambling,' the study says. "…In general, it says sales tax revenues would decline and personal income taxes would increase with a lottery…" |