Family Weekly 'August 25, 1963
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By JOHN KENT
WHEN GOV. JOHN W. KING
of New Hampshire
signed into law a controver
sial state sweepstakes bill
last spring, he expected a lot
of pro and con letters. He
wasn't disappointed.
One New Hampshire woman wrote
King that she was "stunned and sick
ened" that the Granite State had
resorted to gambling to educate its
children, and she prayed that the
governor would "see the errors of
his ways."
But in the same mail came a let
ter from the woman's husband. He
thought the sweepstakes law was a
great idea and lauded King for sign
ing it against heavy opposition. Then
he added a postscript: "Governor,
don't answer this letter."
The division of this couple reflects
the sharply divided opinion through
out the country over the wisdom of
a government body raising needed
revenue through lotteries instead of
increasing already-burdensome taxes.
Since New Hampshire approved a
sweeps, almost every state has heard
the cry: "Let's do the same." Al
ready three neighboring states have
considered the feasibility of setting
up lotteries of their own.
You won't be able to buy a New
Hampshire swoops ticket at least un
til next spring because voters first
must ballot on whether they want
tickets sold in their own locality. It
will be the first indication on a state
wide basis of how the individual New
Hampshireman fools about a lottery.
4 f'amilv Wttklv. August 25. 1963
If you were voting, how would you
cast your ballot? It is a question that
may be raised in your state soon.
Would you be in favor of a state
sponsored lottery to raise money if
you knew defeat of the measure
would mean new or added taxes for
you? Before you vote in the family
weekly poll presented on this page,
let's review the history of the New
Hampshire sweepstakes and the pro
and con arguments advanced during
the legislative debate there last
spring.
New Hampshire has a $94-million
budget but no state income tax or
sales tax. Most of its revenue, $26
million, comes from levies on liquor,
tobacco, and horse racing. Schools
are supported almost entirely by
local property taxes and are in des
perate need of more state aid.
Sweepstakes proponents claim they
can raise at least $4 million a year
for education by selling sweeps tick
ets for no more than $3 apiece on
prizes which would total $200,000.
The winners would be determined by
two horse races run in New Hamp
shire each year.
Now here are the pros and cons:
First, New Hampshire educa
tors see the lottery as no boon to ed
ucation but only as a way to dodge an
income tax. Franklin Mollis, chair
man of the board of education, says
that New Hampshire schools need
$20 million, not a possible $4 million,
and that a lottery is just a "stopgap
measure."
Governor King replies that there
is no other way to raise money since
a progressive income tax is unconsti
tutional in New Hampshire and that
educational needs are so critical it
SPECIAL FAMILY WEEKLY POLL
Are You in Favor of Legalized Lotteries?
Because of the great interest in the question of a state-operated
lottery, both from a moral standpoint and from its possible value
in reducing or avoiding added taxes for the individual citizen,
family weekly is conducting this nationwide poll on the subject.
The results will be published in a forthcoming issue of family
weekly. Please cast your vote and express your reasons for or
against (this is optional; your vote will be recorded even if you
choose not to fill out the Comments section).
BALLOT
As an alternative to increased local or state taxes, a state-operated
lottery would be justified. Ye No
Comments (100 Words or Lass)
I (am) (am not) in favor of a legalized lottery because '
Mail to: Poll, Family Weekly, 60 E. 56th St., New York 22, N. Y.
Address .
City.
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You may publish my remarks and use my name
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