Name:   Maddog - Subject:   legislative update Date:   12/9/2018 7:39:21 AM

I was there and it was all about the GAS TAX increase and the State Lottery. Those attending: State Senator Chambliss Dist 30, State House Rep Elect Ed Oliver and past State Rep Mark Tuggle. They discussed the possibilty of a 14 cent increase in the current gas tax rate for roads and bridges. Oliver was more in favor of an increase around 4 cents. As for the lottery, they were all over the place on the lottery. Oliver was in favor of letting the good folks of Alabama vote on the lottery. Senator Chambliss, who served on a lottery committee, seemed to be confused on several questions I presented to him. I urged all three presenters to make sure that at least 50% of the proceeds from the lottery go into a school/education fund and not the general fund. I also urged them to make the Lottery a stand alone item to be voted on. Tuggle kept saying that the lottery was voted down two ago. However, the lottery was part of a very bad "Gaming Bill" and was defeated by the voters. If you're in favor of the lottery to help our school system (rated 43 in the nation), we've got a rough row to hoe. I also brought out that the State of Alabama is surrounded by states that have the lottery and I challenged them to research how much money is flowing out of Alabama each week and going to the souundering states to help their school systems, By the way, all of the states, except Mississippi, rank higher in the national on their school systems!!!!!