Dispute erupts over lottery

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Tuesday, April 29, 2003 | 9:33 a.m.

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- State Sen. John Matthews says he's almost ready to try to repeal the South Carolina lottery because money raised is not benefiting those who spend the most on tickets.

"I'm just about at the point of proposing that we need to put up a constitutional amendment to repeal the lottery because the money being generated is being abused," said Matthews, D-Bowman, who originally backed the enabling legislation.

Matthews says merit-based college scholarships are funded at higher levels than need-based awards and tuition grants for low-income students in the budget approved by the Senate Finance Committee.

"We are funding only 25 percent of the students who are eligible for needs-based scholarships," Matthews said. "And over 50 percent of the people who buy the lottery are minorities."

Other senators are bracing for lengthy debates about spending $192 million in lottery money expected in 2003-2004.

Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, said the lottery has become "the worst of political footballs."