Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund, Question No. 706 (2004)
From Ballotpedia
State Question No. 706 appeared on the November 2, 2004 ballot in Oklahoma as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved.[1]
- Yes: 970,987 (67.9%)
- No: 458,122 (32.1%)
Ballot Summary
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution. It adds a new Section 41 to Article 10. This measure would create the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund. The trust fund shall consist of monies from the Oklahoma Education Lottery. The monies of the trust fund may only be used for certain purposes. All of the purposes for which the trust fund may be used relate to education. The monies in the trust fund may not be used to replace other state funds used to support education. The State Board of Equalization will determine if any of the monies in the trust fund are being used to replace state funding of education. If such a finding is made, the Legislature may not make any appropriations until the amount of replaced funding is returned to the trust fund. This measure would only become effective if voters approved the lottery contained in House Bill No. 1278 (State Question 705).[2]
Support
Governor Henry is a strong advocate of an education lottery because it will provide critical funding for our classrooms and teacher pay. With all due respect to Representative Claunch, the governor has been anything but silent on the education lottery and his reasons for supporting it, Bacharach said. It's disappointing that foes of SQ 705 and 706 continue to offer only complaints without proposing an alternative to provide desperately needed education dollars.[3]
Opposition
The chairman of Oklahomans for Good Government, the statewide nonpartisan organization opposed to State Questions 705, 706, and 712, said that the proponents of expanded government-sponsored gambling, including Gov. Brad Henry's surrogates, are misleading the public by claiming that gambling money will save education and cannot be diverted to other expenditures.
The truth is state questions 705, 706 and 712 will enrich gambling companies, line the pockets of out-of-state gaming machine manufacturers, and put Oklahoma education at risk as people refuse to support bond issues and good ideas for stable, future revenue streams for education; after all, they are being sold as 'the savior' of education, Claunch said. When government sponsors gambling it promotes the idea that people losing billions of dollars enriches the state. It's as simple as that. It's not about helping children or saving jobs in the horse industry. It's about money and greed.[3]
See also
- List of Oklahoma ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Oklahoma
- Campaign finance requirements for Oklahoma ballot measures
- Oklahoma 2004 ballot measures
- Oklahoma signature requirements
External links
References
- ↑ 2004 Oklahoma General Election Results
- ↑ State Questions for General Election 2004
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Group claims OK gambling proponents 'misleading'
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