Assembly Republican Budget Committee member Anthony M. Bucco, R-Morris and Somerset, issued the following statement after the committee’s hearing on a proposal to retain private management services to operate the marketing and sales functions of the New Jersey State Lottery:

“It is incumbent upon government to look for new ways to do things better and this administration has done that time and time again. Our Governor should be applauded for seeking an innovative way to improve sales and marketing of the lottery to earn more revenue and put more money toward education.

“This proposal is strictly performance-based. If the winning bidder doesn’t put up increased revenues, the state will always have the ability to terminate the contract. However, in Illinois, a similar plan has achieved record lottery revenues.

“This is an idea worth exploring and I look forward to seeing whether it’s an avenue we should pursue to benefit taxpayers and students.”

####