Lottery Scholarship Funding Dismal in December Despite Uptick in Revenue

Arkansas Lottery

According to a report released today by the Arkansas Lottery, December was the second-best month the Lottery has had so far this fiscal year at just over $44.7 million in revenue.

However, despite this uptick in revenue, December was the second-worst month when it came to scholarship funding.

The Arkansas Lottery set aside a little less $6.6 million for scholarships last month — about 14-15 cents out of every dollar it made. That’s worse than every other month this fiscal year, except October.

Since Fiscal Year 2018 began last July, the Arkansas Lottery has spent a paltry 17% of its total revenue on college scholarships. For perspective, the average state lottery spends 30%.

Last December the Arkansas Lottery issued a press release in which it said,

We are always looking to maximize the winning and the fun for our players — as well as the revenues for scholarships for our students here in the state.

If the Arkansas Lottery is really concerned about maximizing scholarship funding, then why doesn’t it give Arkansas’ students more than just 17 cents out of every dollar it makes?

Below is a breakdown of the Lottery’s revenue and scholarship funding so far this fiscal year.

Month Gross Lottery Revenue Paid to Scholarships % Gross Revenue
July $36,885,396.81 $6,661,762.99 18.1%
August 49,320,459.23 8,912,741.54 18.1%
September 36,405,731.14 6,755,333.93 18.6%
October 39,802,740.53 5,667,305.74 14.2%
November 36,186,107.78 6,691,228.00 18.5%
December 44,716,219.32 6,583,355.77 14.7%
Total $243,316,654.81 $41,271,727.97 17.0%

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A.G. Rejects Yet Another Recreational Marijuana Proposal

Marijuana

Last week Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge rejected a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas.

The proposal would have let adults and companies grow, buy sell, and use marijuana for any reason.

The A.G.’s office rejected the measure, citing “fundamental deficiencies in the proposed measure’s text and ballot title.”

Attorney General Rutledge rejected more than a dozen similar measures last year.

As we have said before, marijuana’s proponents aren’t content with “medical marijuana.” The endgame is — and always has been — full legalization.

Read the A.G.’s full opinion here.

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Federal Government to Enforce Anti-Marijuana Laws

Marijuana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 4, 2018

On Thursday U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo directing prosecutors to enforce federal laws against marijuana. The memo rescinded the Obama Administration’s policies that generally prevented enforcement in states where medical or recreational marijuana had been legalized.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “We are pleased with the federal Justice Department’s decision to enforce our nation’s anti-drug laws. For too long, federal officials have turned a blind eye to so-called ‘medical’ and recreational marijuana in the U.S. That needs to change.”

Cox said he hopes federal prosecutors will help keep marijuana out of Arkansas. “Arkansas’ marijuana amendment gives a handful of businesses a monopoly on marijuana, and it lets practically anyone qualify to use marijuana if they want to. Marijuana is a blight on the community. Arkansas already has a bad enough drug problem as it is. We don’t need stores out here selling marijuana on Main Street. I hope today’s decision will help keep marijuana out of our communities.”

Cox said the memo from the U.S. Attorney General should not come as a surprise to anyone. “Federal law is perfectly clear when it says marijuana is illegal. There is no question about that. Even Arkansas’ medical marijuana amendment admits that marijuana is illegal under federal law. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the federal government would want to enforce its own laws. If people want to legalize marijuana, then they ought to take that up with Congress.”

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