Disproportionately taxing the poor since 1988

The Wisconsin Lottery is about to get a boost in advertising money from the state government. You know the old saying, you gotta spend money to make money? According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the lottery is going to be able to spend 63% more to get the mathematically challenged to become degenerate gamblers.

On an 8-8 vote, the Joint Finance Committee refused to delete Doyle's proposal to increase the annual lottery advertising budget by $2.9 million - from the current $4.6 million a year to $7.5 million. Republicans voted for the governor's recommendation, and Democrats opposed it.

Raising the lottery budget by that amount would generate $15 million more a year in sales, or a net increase of $12.1 million, officials say. Lottery sales totaled $508.9 million last year, a one-year increase of 12.6%.

I have no problem with the vice, just with the government's promotion of the vice to it's profit, often from those who can afford it the least. What's more, it's a sad commentary on our government when the state is promoting the vice because of the inability of state government to curb it's voracious appetite for spending. Instead of cutting spending and offering real tax relief, the Republicans in the legislature and Governor Doyle are jointly operating a shell game with poor people's money.

Looking for a virtuous member of government in Madison is like looking for an honest hooker in Las Vegas.

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