Black Lawmakers Urging Voters to Reject State Lottery

Black Issues in Higher Education, Sept 2, 1999

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Some Black lawmakers are speaking out against Gov. Don Siegelman's lottery plan on grounds that it excludes many poor students from scholarship grants, a problem the governor's Office says can't be solved right away.

"It hurts me to my heart to come out and say this," says Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham), a longtime supporter of a lottery, "but I can't sit back and watch my people get nothing."

The lottery proposal goes before voters Oct. 12. Siegelman says the lottery would raise $150 million a year for college scholarships, pre-kindergarten, and school technology.

What bothers Rogers is that poor students who qualify for federal tuition grants would have the value of those grants deducted from their lottery-funded scholarships. Siegelman has said that to do otherwise initially would bankrupt the program. The governor's spokeswoman adds that a rule change maybe considered later.

"We'll start out like Georgia," says Kristin Carvell, Siegelman's press secretary. "We don't want some kids to get two scholarships, while others get none. But that's something that we'll look at."

"I cannot support a lottery that will destroy a population who's going to be playing it but not getting any of the benefits," Rogers says. "I've got to look at myself in the mirror in the morning."

Rep. James Buskey (D-Mobile) says he also has spoken to several groups and is recommending that his constituents reject the lottery plan.

"I'm not opposed to a lottery -- I'm just opposed to this lottery," he says. "I'm not for a lottery that penalizes poor people so that rich folks can go to college."

Rogers says he's also concerned that the scholarship program would undercut enrollment at historically Black four-year colleges, where most students don't have the grades to qualify for a HOPE scholarship. Siegelman's proposal would give those students an incentive to attend two-year schools, where a Baverage won't be required for a scholarship, Rogers says.

Rogers had hoped to meet with Siegelman in late August to win a commitment on the tuition grant issue. If an agreement is not reached, Rogers says he will step up his opposition.