Tennessee lawmakers predicted the state lottery will use up most of the funds earmarked for college scholarships by 2024. The revenue shortfall is prompting lawmakers to look for new ways to generate lottery revenues. Translation: the state needs its residents to gamble away more of their money in order to keep its promise.
Tennessee joins other states that have been unable to uphold commitments made from lottery revenues. Georgia recently scaled back the scholarship money it contributes toward scholarships. The scholarship programs were once highly touted in states. Beyond being a regressive tax, the shortfall demonstartes that lotteries are not a sustainable way to fund government programs. Adding more lottery games in order to take more money from residents is hardly the answer to this problem.