Betting Both Sides Now

[March 14th, 2007] Judging by the bills he's co-sponsored this session, state Rep. John Lim has a hate-love relationship with the Oregon Lottery.

On the hate side, the Gresham Republican, who was first elected to the Legislature as a senator in 1992, has long complained gambling plays too large a role in raising state revenue. (He's right: Oregon's per-capita dependence on lottery funding ranks seventh in the nation, according to figures compiled by the Ohio Lottery.)

Lim also sponsored successful legislation in 1999 to limit lottery advertising to 1 percent of revenues and set aside an additional 1 percent to treat gambling addiction.

Particularly worrisome for Lim have been gambling's effects on kids.

"People are becoming addicted to gambling and losing their families," he says. "Then the state has to step in and take care of their children."

So far this session, Lim has introduced three bills intended to slow the lottery's explosive growth—receipts have grown about 40 percent since the introduction of video slot machines (also known as "line games") three years ago.

Lim's bills would limit the lottery's use of television advertising to a brief period when it introduces new games. The legislation would also cut the lottery's advertising budget to one-half of 1 percent of revenues (disclosure: WW receives ad dollars from the lottery) and limit the number of lottery locations anyone can own to five.

The bills, at least one of which Lim has introduced before, are consistent with the anti-gambling positions he has previously espoused.

It's puzzling, then, that while Lim is trying to ratchet back the lottery's growth, he's also making it a love object by seeking a slice of its proceeds to buy pork for his Gresham constituents.

Namely, Lim has co-sponsored SB 646, which requests $1 million for a proposed "Gresham Center for the Arts."

He acknowledges that there is inconsistency between the Senate bill and his anti-lottery legislation. "To some degree it could be a contradiction," he says.

Lim explains he's not against the lottery per se but opposes its continued rapid growth and the exposure of children to TV advertising. "Children are bombarded with the idea that they can become rich from gambling, and that's wrong," he says.

As for his request for lottery dollars, Lim says a performing arts center—which he adds he has personally supported with a pledge of $3,000—would bring much-needed economic development to east Multnomah County. (One of the statutory uses for lottery proceeds is economic development.)

"I understand this could appear confusing," he says, "but they've needed something like [a performing arts center] for a long time."

Longtime lottery critic Steve Novick calls Lim's position "apalling."

"John Lim thinks everything is free—that you can cut the lottery but still spend lottery money," Novick says.