from last week’s Atlanta Business Chronicle:

“Right now we’re funding HOPE on the backs of poor people,” said (state Rep. Ron) Stephens (R-Savannah), chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee. “These guys are willing to put $250 million a year into HOPE.”

Ron was addressing the prospect of MGM Resorts International building a casino resort in Atlanta, a prospect opposed by Governor Deal, and considered premature even by MGM.

What struck me was the frank revelation of the incredibly regressive nature of the lottery.  The average income of a lottery ticket buyer is much lower than the average income of the beneficiaries of the lottery.

Perhaps depending on gambling monopolies to fund education says something about our government’s priorities.

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