Lottery Commission Lowers Budget for 2015

Arkansas Lottery

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, on Wednesday the Arkansas Lottery Commission lowered its budget for the next year, cutting scholarship funding by $3 million to a total $78.2 million. This is $3.3 million less than the Arkansas Lottery paid in scholarships this past year.

We have written before how the Arkansas Lottery Commission has struggled to live up to its promises. Scholarship funding has never reached the levels promised in 2008; the Arkansas Lottery Commission has cut scholarship funds time and time again, but has somehow managed to afford new employees, raises, and bonuses; and lottery officials, in the past, have openly defied members of the Arkansas Legislature.

We’ve been saying it for nearly five years, but the problem down at the Arkansas Lottery Commission is not a revenue problem or a budget problem; it’s a priorities problem. Scholarships are the last bill the Lottery pays and the first thing they cut if ticket sales drop. This latest budget cut is simply another verse in that same old song.

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Fayetteville Group Responsible for Phone Calls

Current Events, , , ,

We have been asked if Family Council orchestrated or paid for automated telephone calls made in Fayetteville earlier this week pertaining to the “nondiscrimination” ordinance the Fayetteville City Council adopted at its Aug. 19 meeting.

Just to clear things up, Family Council did not pay for the calls, nor did we have anything to do with the making of the calls.

As you know, Family Council has been a strong and vocal opponent of the Fayetteville nondiscrimination ordinance.  We are glad that numerous individuals, churches, and other groups in Fayetteville were active in the effort against the ordinance.  We are glad that our policy briefs, letters, blog posts and other material were used by so many different individuals and groups.

Apparently, a Fayetteville group made automated calls directing people to a website that automatically linked people to one of our blog posts on the ordinance.  This caused some people to believe we were responsible for the calls.  This was not the case.

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Fayetteville City Council Ignores Voters, Passes Unpopular Ordinance

Current Events, , , ,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 20, 2014

At 3:20 AM Wednesday morning, the Fayetteville City Council passed the controversial Chapter 119: Civil Rights Administration ordinance creating special protections based on sexual-orientation and gender identity. The vote was 6-to-2, with aldermen Martin Schoppmeyer and Justin Tennant voting against the measure.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “This is another example of government officials thinking they know better than their citizens. The People of Fayetteville turned out in droves to oppose this proposal. Alderman Tennant suggested referring the ordinance for a popular vote this November to let the people decide for themselves if this would be good for Fayetteville. Other members of the council said this ordinance is not the kind of thing voters should get to decide. I wonder what makes them think citizens are qualified to vote for lawmakers, but not for laws.”

Cox said even with last-minute amendments offered by the council, the ordinance is still bad. “You’re talking about a proposal that by nature expands government and elevates the rights of some citizens over others. You can’t amend something that flawed enough to make it acceptable. Businesses and people of faith still face the threat of criminal prosecution under this ordinance, and taxpayers are still bound to see their local government grow. Regardless of the intentions of the city council and City Attorney’s Office, this proposal is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and the courts will be the ones who have the final say on how it is interpreted.”

Cox said he is grateful to aldermen Schoppmeyer and Tennant who voted against the proposal. “They recognized how flawed this ordinance is, and they stood up for their constituents. That takes courage. I appreciate their actions, and I am sure a lot of other people do, too.”

Cox said his group will continue to monitor the situation in Fayetteville and any consequences that arise as a result of Chapter 119. “The ordinance is extremely unpopular; it infringes First Amendment constitutional rights; it might even conflict with state law; and it’s going to open people in Fayetteville to the possibility of criminal prosecution. With all of that in mind, I imagine some Fayetteville residents are going to try to repeal the ordinance, and others will want to file a lawsuit to clarify its constitutionality. One thing is certain: This fight is far from over.”

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