Texas should continue the state lottery, lawmakers recommend
Lawmakers studying whether it’s time for the state to cash out on the Texas Lottery reported Monday that they oppose ending the game because that would devastate funding for public education and could spark higher taxes for nearly all Texans.
At the same time, a legislative committee studying the issue said lottery officials should study where the tickets are being sold as well as how advertising dollars are being used — and that the state should stop promoting the games in print media.
“The committee recommends the Legislature continue the Texas Lottery and the Texas Lottery Commission,” according to a report released Monday night. “It is the committee’s opinion that the loss of state funding for education and other valuable programs, as well as the loss to Texas businesses, would be highly detrimental to the state.”
This comes as lottery sales ended the year at a record-breaking pace in Texas, generating $4.38 billion in sales — $1.2 billion of which went to public education and veterans programs.
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/12/01/6331309/texas-should-continue-the-state.html