Oklahoma governor defends lottery plan

Jennifer L. Brown

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003 | 9:20 a.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Gov. Brad Henry called his lottery proposal the "only game in town" to bail out education, but a Republican lawmaker said he wouldn't risk children's futures on such an uncertain scheme.

The governor debated longtime Rep. Forrest Claunch last week, just hours after the state House backed off making a decision on whether to send the issue to a vote of the people.

"What's wrong with letting the people decide?" Henry asked during the hourlong debate at Oklahoma City University. "The people want this right. I believe that the people are smart enough to make the right decision."

Claunch, who led the fight against an Oklahoma lottery eight years ago, argued that it's the Legislature's job to weed out "bad propositions."

"We have every right to vote on it," the Midwest City representative said. "That's why people elected us."

The governor predicts a lottery could generate $300 million per year, all tagged for education. The money would fund raises for teachers, classroom technology and college tuition waivers.

Henry said his proposal ensures that future Legislatures could not decrease general revenue funds to education when lottery money starts accruing. He also promised a state lottery would not give Indian tribes in Oklahoma the right to offer Vegas-style gambling.

"This proposal is ironclad," Henry told a live radio audience and a crowd packed into OCU's law center.

Henry said the lottery isn't a "magic bullet," but he hasn't discovered any other revenue rescue for education.

"This is the only game in town," he said. "We don't have any alternatives on the table."

Claunch worries a lottery would bring other types of gambling into Indian casinos, and said a lottery likely would not raise as much money as the governor believes.

"You can't risk education in Oklahoma on the uncertainty of the lottery," he said.

The representative also accused Henry of having a one-track mind when it comes to solving the education funding crisis.

"If we hadn't been so busy on the lottery in the last couple of weeks we could have already funded education in Oklahoma," Claunch said.

The crowd was split almost evenly on the issue. The governor drew long applause and cheers, but also a bit of grumbling.

A handful of protesters gathered outside the law center as people parked their cars. One carried a sign that said, "Just imagine your chances of winning the lottery -- just the same as getting struck by lightning three times in one day."

The debaters -- who had one and a half minutes to answer each of 10 questions -- also disagreed on the possible social effects of a lottery, competing over who had the bigger "moral compass."

Henry charged there will always be some people with "addictive tendencies." Claunch said the lottery has the potential to tear families apart and preys upon the poorest citizens who can't even afford college for their own children.

"It has a terrible effect on the lives of families," Claunch said.