Arkansas Lottery – Page 65

Lottery Leaders Get 2% Bonus as Scholarships Decline

Jul 9, 2014JerryArkansas LotteryArkansas Lottery

Over the holiday weekend, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported the Arkansas Lottery Commission awarded the lottery director a 2% bonus ($2,832) in spite of declining revenue and lagging scholarship projections. Altogether, the Arkansas Lottery Commission distributed thousands of dollars in bonuses to various lottery employees.

There is a lot that could be said about this. Why is the Lottery Commission distributing “merit” bonuses at a time when the Lottery is failing to live up to its own budget projections?

Why was the Lottery able to find thousands of dollars for bonuses but not for scholarships? What, exactly, are the Arkansas Lottery’s priorities?

In light of this and other recent actions on the part of the Arkansas Lottery, it’s no wonder many are beginning to say it’s time for tighter oversight and accountability at the Arkansas Lottery Commission.

We Beat the Arkansas Lottery – For Now

Jul 2, 2014JerryArkansas LotteryArkansas Legislature, Arkansas Lottery

Early this morning the state legislature did what no one has done in the past five years: They told the Arkansas Lottery “No.”

The Lottery Commission has gotten its way on virtually every major decision since the spring of 2009. Many lawmakers have been reluctant to regulate the Lottery, because they were all assured the best way to make the Lottery successful was to give the Lottery Commission as much leeway as possible.

All that changed when Lottery Commissioners openly defied the will of the legislators by voting to roll out lottery “monitor games” this fall. These games—which operate like Keno, a popular casino game, and bingo—would be installed and played across the state.

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Arkansas Lottery Ready to Say ‘Uncle’?

Jul 1, 2014JerryArkansas LotteryArkansas Lottery

Something historic is happening at the Arkansas Legislature this week.

It isn’t just that the legislature is meeting under a special session–although that is rare.

It isn’t just that the legislature is meeting in the Old State House for the first time in more than a century–although that is historic also.

No, this special session of the Arkansas Legislature is historic for those reasons and one more: It marks the first time since 2009 that lawmakers are prepared to tell the Arkansas Lottery Commission “No.”

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