Do you scratch? What would make you scratch more?
Submitted by Susan Young on Mon, 03/24/2008 - 19:01.
State lottery officials are hoping to boost annual revenues from $50 million to $60 million, and are using focus groups to learn how to lure more people to buy lottery chances. Scratch tickets are more popular than the Tri-State Megabucks, and research has
found that the design of the scratch tickets affects their popularity. Online lottery use is also a growing sector. Which lottery form are you most likely to participate in, if any?
Can - and should - the state lottery commission work to increase sales?
Do You Scratch? What Would Make You Scratch More?
Should the state lottery commission work to "lure" even more Maine residents to purchase lottery tickets? Absolutely not... The state must not be in the business of promoting gambling...
The residents of Maine are all a family. We're all in the same boat, caring for and about one another, as you do in your own family. Would you in your family encourage any unhealthy or addictive behavior in order to bring more money home to the families' coffers? I wouldn't think so... Healthy families care about and only love one another -- encouraging and promoting only physically, emotionally and financially responsible behavior.
It's not at all right for Maine to try to balance its budget on the backs of the less fortunate and those who can least afford it -- those most in need. We all know that it is the least among us who so desperately hope that winning will solve their financial problems.
Maine should, absolutely, not be involved...
Lottery increase still a bad idea
When a municipality (the State) relies on gambling for revenue, there are only three things that can happen. You eventually have more gambling, the same, or less. I don't know about the rest of the country, but I doubt there is a state out there that has reduced the amount of gambling, in this case lottery sales, once they have started down that path.
Gambling is an irresponsible behavior that the State is backing to help make up for shortfalls in revenues. But it is a tax none-the-less. People say "at least we get some entertainment". What do people think the normal taxes are for? For schools, road repairs, healthcare for the needy, and thousands of other small benefits.
Remember what they say about lotteries; they are "taxes for those that can't do math". Because losers will always outnumber the winners.
States promotes gambling on scratch tickets
People in Washington County are cold this winter with little hope of new economic development. The Passamaquoddy Indians and Washington County residents continue with the highest unemployment rates and poverty rates in the State. Why does this matter? In November 2007, Governor Baldacci vetoed the "racino" effort for Washington County and the Passamaquoddy Indians. The message from the Governor and the voters referendum results were implicitly that "Gambling is Bad." Now, state officials are using our tax dollars to conduct focus groups so you will buy more scratch tickets. The dictionary defines "hypocrite" as "the false assumption of an appearance of virtue." Once again, people Downeast suffer terribly while the highminded people in Augusta and editorial board elite espouse virtues, but accept advertising expenses and excessive fees on consultants promoting more gambling benefiting the state's coffers to the tune of $60 million, but no racino for Washington County. That's unconscionable!