Gov. Mike Easley's State of the State Address on Monday night prompted Republican criticism for his support of a state lottery to fund education programs in the middle of a budget shortfall.
Easley called for a state lottery to fund education measures such as reducing class sizes in grades K-3 and establishing prekindergarten programs for at-risk 4-year-olds.
Most senators, from both sides of the aisle, said they were impressed with the positive way Easley delivered his speech and his calls for bipartisanship.
But the idea of a statewide lottery to support the educational programs struck a note of discord among some Republicans.
Sen. Robert Carpenter, R-Buncombe, said the state government already has money without the lottery.
"The biggest problem with (Easley) is that he wants to spend everything he lays his hands on," Carpenter said. "The thing the governor needs to do is to cut up the waste we have."
Sen. Patrick
