[ex-Texan]

This is a good Investigative Journalism report from Reporter Janie Har.

When the Lottery was approved by Orgon voters that claimed that the bulk of the money would be spent on improving our school system. Looks like the voter were led astray by the special interests that are benefitting.

Appears to me that spending is way out of control. Only about $ 330 million went to the state out of $ 1.5 billion raised by the lottery.

[Willie Green]

and about $3,100 for snacks

$3100 will buy enough Cheetos to turn your fingers orange permanently.

[eeman]

Maybe Lee Moore and Richard Lyons, the previous directors could get upper-management positions in the United Way. I don't know which is a bigger waste of money: Waterford crystal gifts or "team-building" exercises.

[Archangelsk]

I don't understand. A lottery agency should provide the infrastructure to run the machines that punch out tickets, secure the method of selecting the numbers, verify winning tickets and pay out the monies to the winners. Aside from a small staff to administer these items and account for the money that should immediately be turned over to the state how much management does it take?

Or am I missing something?

[EBUCK]

Looks like the voter were led astray by the special interests that are benefitting.

No way!!!! We've been guranteed that we wouldn't be led astray dammmitttt...[/sarcasm]

Big Oregon Ping...let me know if you want off.

EBUCK

[Salvation]

BTTT!

Sounds like they need some major re-organization -- along with a Supreme Court of the State of Oregon investigation. I know it has to come from private citizens first, but I sure hope it ends up there.

[holyscroller]

"For example, Moore has paid Corbett-based management consultant Sara Grigsby $320,000 -- about $175 to $190 an hour -- since 1999 to run smoother lottery meetings, teach team-building, and just recently, develop training programs. The current contract has $460,000 remaining on its limit, although Moore says that is a mistake and the agency probably won't use her beyond this year.

Girlfriend? Pre-arranged kickback deal? This Moore is a major con artist, and notice he only has a 2-year junior college "degree." He's probably salted sway enough $$ to be set for life.

[AuntB]

Well, it's kind of like the "tabacco money" that was supposed to be spent on smoking related health issues....NOT.

[aimhigh]

When the Lottery was approved .... the bulk of the money would be spent on improving our school system.

This is inaccurate. The money was originally to go towards economic stimulous projects. The teacher's union later pushed for schools to get it - and they want it all.

[Henrietta]

It's in a "we deserve this" attitude that Sen. Bill Fisher, R-Roseburg, says permeates the agency

Isn't that the attitude of most who work in government?

[Henrietta]

To that end, Moore often used a lottery credit card to buy sodas, bottled water, cookies and brownies for his weekly support services staff meetings, about 75 percent of which were held at his Southwest Portland home.

And I bet the leftovers did not go home with the employees, either! What a nice setup..."Oops, we bought extra brownies...oh, well, I guess we'll just eat them at little Janey's slumber party tonight!"

[Elsie]

Now, legislators are demanding reform of the semipublic agency, which is exempt from some state rules because it doesn't receive taxpayer money.

So, where is the URL that lists the income versus the payout stats?

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the post and the ping!

"But critics -- including state legislators, Gov. John Kitzhaber and outside government watchdogs -- are complaining that much of the $800,000 should have gone to schools and economic development projects."

Include me in those critics. This is the first time Taxhaber and I have been on the same page. Wonders never cease...

Learning creative window treatments and handing out Waterford crystal? Sheesh!

Some heads need to roll!

Happy New Year to you both!

[WaterDragon]

You may be right that this is good investigative reporting, but the Portland Oregonian is a Democrat-House-Organ, and would not be reporting this unless the Democrats had an axe to grind here.