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Here in California, the state government itself advertises gambling, promoting the California Lottery. I find this extra frustrating - my tax dollars are being
by lacker 3y ago
Here in California, the state government itself advertises gambling, promoting the California Lottery. I find this extra frustrating - my tax dollars are being spent to encourage dumb behavior by other citizens.
- smugma 3y agoIt’s not your tax dollars at work, it’s the opposite. The CA lottery generates about $2B, 1% of total funds that go to public schools. It encourages dumb behavior but brings in money for the state. Is it a net win or net loss… depends on how much the negative externality is valued—is lotto a gateway to more gambling or a substitute for other, costlier gambling? There are plenty of people who argue that lotteries should be banned, which is fine, but that will result in fewer services or higher taxes.
- WirelessGigabit 3y agoExcept it extract $ from the poorest in the state. People who need the money the most. You don't see lottery signs in the rich neighborhoods of Los Angeles. You only see them in the poor ones. So that money that it generates? We're still paying for that, as those people now need more help to get around. And I say 'we', but I'm out.
- lacker 3y agoThe way I see it, California extracts plenty of money from its citizens via taxes. When they decide to extract this money via a lottery instead, all the overhead of the lottery is just a complete waste. That includes advertising the lottery and implementing the lottery.
- stjohnswarts 3y agoI guarantee your lottery makes many times over what it costs to advertise, so not a dime of your tax dollars goes into it. If you're buying lottery tickets then yeah a portion of that goes into it. think, Mark, think.