Ark. voters pass higher education funding, charitable bingo

Let the games, and the construction, begin.

Arkansas voters said overwhelmingly Tuesday that established charities can conduct bingo games and raffles as fundraisers, and just as convincingly approved a $250 million bond package to support improved facilities at the state's colleges and universities.

Both measures passed with 2-1 margins of support, with two-thirds of Arkansas precincts reporting unofficial returns.

In a state with no lottery, voters decisively supported amending the state constitution to allow charitable bingo and raffles for organizations. Rep. Shirley Borhauer, R-Bella Vista, said voters understood the games could raise money for scholarships and other work in their communities.

"I think it will give some groups a way to raise some money and allow little old ladies to have a good time," said Borhauer, 80 and the sponsor of the bill. "I include myself as a little old lady."

Arkansas voters rejected measures expanding gambling the state before but the measure faced little organized opposition.

"I believe the voters saw the word charitable on the ballot and it was really hard for them to vote against anything that sounded charitable," said Jerry Cox of the Family Council Action Committee, a group that launched a late campaign against the measure. "I believe we'll see a day when a number of people in the state will regret voting for the measure."

The $250 million bond measure for Arkansas' university and colleges faced no organized opposition.

"This is really a bread-and-butter kind of program to be sure our academic facilities are in top-notch shape and that we have cutting edge technology," said B. Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas System. "It is clear the better educated our society is, the stronger our economic development will be."

Sugg and other college leaders were more visible this fall than they were last year, when the $250 million package failed after being placed on the ballot with a highly unpopular $575 million bond package to benefit highways.

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