Reality will doom dream of letting charity run lottery

An endearing California gentleman has filed an initiative petition to allow him to start a lottery in Nevada to benefit education. At 75, Larry Benefield is retired, concedes he's computer illiterate (he hopes to change that) and has the best intentions.

But as I say about initiative petitions, the best intentions are often trumped by unintended consequences, and this one appears doomed.

Benefield is aware lotteries are not legal in Nevada, and he wants to change that. Actually, a lot of people would agree with him and favor a state-run lottery, but inevitably the idea is shot down by the gaming industry.

Benefield's initiative petition to change the Nevada Constitution would authorize his recently formed nonprofit, the Charity Partners Giving Foundation, to run the lottery. The foundation is a family affair, with a board including himself, his 92-year-old mother, a brother in Reno, a cousin and a friend.

At first glance, it smelled like a scam. But a Friday interview with Benefield made it clear this was a man who wants to do good before he dies. He is unrealistically optimistic teachers and parents will get behind him so he can obtain 97,002 signatures needed by Nov. 9.

"This is an organization to honor my parents and to help students who are struggling," said the former public relations official for the Bell Telephone System.

Paperwork was filed with the secretary of state's office May 14 and says the lottery will operate online. Not only does the constitutional ban on lotteries have to be overcome, but online gambling is not legal in the United States or Nevada.

The proceeds would go to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno (10 percent each) and 15 percent of the net proceeds would go to "teachers and college students in grants, awards, and zero-interest loans, other designated local and national charities."

Since that's just 35 percent, he must believe there will be large overhead costs.

Carole Vilardo, president of the Nevada Taxpayers Association, first mentioned this latest initiative filing to me. After reading it carefully she said the initiative has some positives, but warned it's a major policy change. Plus putting a lottery in the hands of one foundation wouldn't be fair.

However, she liked that the language left it up to the Legislature to determine how to make it work. She suggested more initiatives should go that route because that's preferable to offering lengthy petitions with page after page of details that people don't read and don't understand. Still, she can't recommend anyone sign an initiative petition that changes state policy for one foundation.

These days, about the only way an initiative petition can get on the ballot is with the help of paid signature gatherers. The price, which used to be $1.50 to $2 a signature, is now up as high as $5 a signature.

"I don't have that kind of money," Benefield said.

He won't succeed , but at least Benefield isn't pursuing his initiative for political purposes like Gov. Jim Gibbons and Assemblyman Chad Christensen.

Gibbons filed an initiative to open collective bargaining to public scrutiny, part of his eternal search for free press. But he can't afford petition gatherers and his petition should die along with his re-election chances.

Christensen, a Las Vegas Republican running for the U.S. Senate, grabbed his free press by saying he was going to launch an initiative giving law enforcement officials the authority to question people about whether they are legally in Nevada, something akin to Arizona's controversial law.

Christensen acknowledged he would have trouble collecting enough signatures by this year's deadline. He has filed nothing and thus can't collect signatures. Christensen is full of hooey.

At least the well-meaning Benefield filed his petition.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 702- 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.