COG September meeting

With the EMBDC Council of Governments meeting happening this morning, the lottery that will now be legal in the state of Mississippi, was a large topic.

Representative Charles Young Jr says, “with proceeds coming from the lottery being used to support those gifts, I’m just not really in favor of those types of subsidies. Most poor people, elderly people, and most minorities don’t get a real benefit and no use in tearing up roads and bridges.”

Representative Young brought up how there are two bills now in which revenue generated from lottery ticket sales will go to fund bridge and road repairs in the state. While he claims he ultimately supports the lottery, he says he doesn’t support this diversion.

“With the diversions, you know, money’s not being made available for education. With some of the other measures that are included in the bill, just like I said, morally I just didn’t feel comfortable in voting for in it’s current and present form,” says Young.

He says in the past four or five years, Mississippi has given out around 700 million in incentives and tax breaks, which has lead the state to this position with the lottery.