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

Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.