A relief to the people wasting their hard earned money on fuel to drive to SC and VA to buy lottery tickets.
GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina is set to become the final state on the East Coast to start a lottery after the lieutenant governor broke a Senate tie Tuesday, when two opponents were absent.
Supporters have been trying to legalize the game for more than 20 years.
Gov. Mike Easley is expected to sign the legislation creating the lottery, a cause he’s championed since his election in 2001.
Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Senate’s presiding officer, sided with most of her Democratic colleagues in breaking a 24-24 tie.
“I did what I thought was right,” Perdue said.
The lottery appeared all but defeated last week, when the Senate left Raleigh after backers failed to persuade any of the five Democrats and 21 Republicans who have opposed its creation for weeks to switch their vote.
On Tuesday, with two Republics absent, Senate Democrats had the votes – with Perdue’s help – to pass the legislation creating a lottery.
An April vote in the House was nearly as close, with the lottery passing by just two votes.
The legislation will funnel net proceeds to public school construction, college scholarships and class-size reduction and preschool programs.
GOP lottery opponents argued that the lottery is an inefficient way to raise money and sends the message to children that gambling is the way to solve the state’s financial problems.
“Is this a lesson we teach our children: ‘Don’t do your homework, don’t work hard, you’ll make it rich.'” Sen. Andrew Brock told his colleagues Tuesday. “I think it’s a poor choice for North Carolina. I think it’s one that we’ll regret for a long time.”