Letter: Lottery in Hawaii would be a win-win

Auwe! Taxes, taxes and more taxes. Why is it that politicians can only perceive of one way to solve deficits, by increasing existing taxes or creating a new tax? Can’t we be more creative?

Here’s an idea. We could legalize a lottery. The revenues could solve all the education needs and probably pay for the rail transit project.

As we saw on the news, another billion-dollar Power Ball lottery is about to pay out on the mainland. And once again, Hawaii is left out.

Taxes are a one-way street: Everyone has to pay for our political spending habit. In a lottery, no one is forced to buy a ticket. But if you do, there’s a potential payday for the winner plus plenty of revenue for the state. A win-win.

Let’s put the lottery on the agenda for the next constitutional convention ballot. Let the public, not the politicians, decide.

Lynn Sebek

Kamuela

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