The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is the Hoosier Lottery. In 1997 Tom Smith won $5 on a scratch-off ticket. He tried to cash it but was told it expired. So Mr. Smith appealed it. Nine years later almost, Indiana's lottery and Mr. Smith are going to settle the matter. Total cost to Indiana taxpayers- 1.05 million dollars!

$15,000
Payout to the plaintiff who had bought ticket

$450,000
Legal fees the state ran up with the law firm Baker & Daniels

$585,000
In a fund to be used to settle other such scratch-off claims

$1.05 MILLION
Approximate cost to the state to contest and resolve $5 claim.

The Indianapolis Star article says the big winner is the lawyers. Absolutely true, the losers of course are the taxpayers of Indiana. Only bureaucracy would turn a $5 ticket payout into a million dollar payout. For these unelected officials are not accountable to anyone and think taxpayer money is their own. A business(with rare exceptions) would have paid the $5 immediately for the cost to fight it isn't worth it. Not our government!

For blowing a million dollars of taxpayer money, the Hoosier Lottery is today's knucklehead of the day.

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