The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 25, 1985, Page Page 3, Image 3

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THE GAMECOCK News January 25, 1985 - Page 3 ^Betting on state's fi Representatii By Associated Press Sen. Ryan Shealy waved a petition with 700 signatures in the Senate yesterday and said it represented unsolicited support for his state lottery bill. The petition contained the names of people from Spartanburg, Greenville, a Travelers Rest and Greer, and Shealy ^ said it arrived in the morning. "I was surprised to get it," the Lexington Republican said. THE PROPOSED legislation ells for the establishment of a five-member Iotery commision at a cost of $1.4 million that would be repaid within six months of the first sale of tickets. ^h^nlv cairl lnlt?ru ic In fund the rising cost of indigent health care. Opposition to the legislation has surfaced with the Baptist Courier, a South Carolins Baptist Convention publication, calling on its readers to begin a letter-writing campaign. "We can stop this gambling bill dead in its tracks as we stopped the bill on the pari-mutual gambling bill a year ago," wrote Courier editor John Roberts in an editorial. Shealy, who is having more legislation prepard that would call for a con a PREGNANCY i PRIMER50 ; S) Kg JgJgj SS VISUAL ART5 HK AN ART 'ar9e photographs B vH XBBCORATB ?01 'I* All next week : jture ire pushes foi stitiutional amendment so the public could vote on the issue, said South Carolinians already participate in out ot-state lotteries tnrougn ine mails. "CIVIC-MINDED organizations use raffle tickets; how can they object to a lottery?" he said. The bill was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee fro study but whether it makes it thrugh the General Assembly depends upon whether other backers actively support it like those in Greenville and Spartanburg, he said. "If they do not do that it will not get out because we are sensitive to the wishes of the populace." Shealy denied the Baptist Courier's contention that a lottery lures only weak and vunerable people. "THE TRUTH of the matter is the state of Washington was about to go bankrupt in 1982, caled an emergency session of the legislature and instituted a lottery," he said. A subsequent 12-month study of the people who played the lottery "showed that the majority were over 40 years old and earned more than $30,000," he said. "True, some of the indigents will spend a dollar on this, but they will get fA\ void I alcohol, drugs, moking, infectioi J OFFICE FOR OFFICER , Haed i > presents Sjgn.U| SALE Unive' & poster prints create RHLc'bby %%\ SSS5SSSSSSSS I siaie luuery t all the benefits." [ Although some people have estimated as much as $70 million might | be generated by a lottery, Shealy said if | it was only $30 million, South Carolina < still needs the money. I ROBERTS DISCOUNTED Shealy's ] contention the lottery would generate j funds to pay for health care for the poor. "The lottery takes an impoverished gambler's dollar, tossing back a few cents, perhaps a dime or so-for health care. (Shealy) says a lottery might raise $60 million to $75 million for health care. That would mean over $500 million wasted on lottery tickets with the biggest portion taken out of the state." he said. "A more realistic figure would be $20 million for medical care with $100 million to $200 million siphoned off by the gambling operatives." But Shealy denied the organized crime alegation. "THE MOB is not interested in a $1 lottery ticket, and there is no way that skimming can be done," he said. "There is no room for the mob in a state lottery. It's just not the kind of thing that organized crime is interested in." kwwv K232S [ftloost |C **?your intake of Y* n- nutritious foo< APPLICATIONS FOR NEXT S teaching experience? a to teach a Free sity course this ter. Be original ... ai your own topic. Stop D i CPU office or call tt 130 for more details. V IrtTVWVVV AHULIIN/ egislators give first approval o school board member bill By Associated Press 1 * . The South Carolina House of Representatives gkve preliminary approval yesterday to a bill that woutd take lame duck school board members out of office more sickly. i ' Rep. Dill Blackwell, D-Grecnville, said his bill changes the date an elected school board member would take office from Jan. I, to one week after certification of election results. ' Blackwell, who is from Traveler's Rest, said the will of voters should be implemented as soon as possible. ; The bill was prompted by an Incident involving a Greenville County school distrie board about two years &go* he '' said. f The school board negotiated the contract of Superintend dent Floyd Hall shortly before a new board took office, Blackwell said. . v kh . ^ r "Who is to say what the new board would have done? The point is, the people have changed the.composition of the board in the election/' he said. Richard Pace, chairman of the Greenville County School Board, said he doesnft believe the lqpslatton Wou$;havfa great effect on the board's operation. v p 3 r Third-reading approval is usually routine in the House. The measure must pass the Senate before it goes to Gov. Dick Riley for signing into law.: V- ... * - - ' rv ..4?St He said he would support a similar measure now the Until* T?i/lt/?taru /Iaa. ^ H0V rfuuiviw; ^VIIIUIUIVV lUAl UV/C3 IUC Gallic lur vUUUiy councils In the state. , ' The school board bill originated as a measure applicable only to Greenville County, but required statewide action, Blackwell said. .-.>/ ; ' , . ' V ,.i V. ' . \fA contact your local chapter.<*? | arc ' about mrself and your 1 unborn baby. g| {a P V f 9 Jftifil ft 'j^/e EMESTER? GET INVOLVED. " "! IDEAS & ISSUES presents A RAPE FORUM ? how to deal with ?JiiP? the tragic situation I'lC i informal discussion with Jane i'i's reher, the executive director of JiJi \e Rape Crisis Network "i'i" Ved., Jan. 30 RHUU 305 M? FREE 7 pm flfe m W5 ^ PROGRAM ^I^NIONW.