Legislature should intervene for non-profits

What follows is the text of the letter I sent State Senator Troy Fraser -- with a copy sent to State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock's office -- regarding the recent cancellation of Project Graduation's Cow Patty Bingo fund-raiser.

Craig R. Benton

* Dear Senator Fraser:

I am writing you in response to a cancellation of a Project Graduation fund-raiser in Lampasas. We have been notified that the Texas Lottery Commission has determined that a fund-raiser named "Cow Patty Bingo" is illegal.

As I am sure you are aware, Project Graduation projects occur all over the state of Texas with the purpose of insuring a safe and fun graduation night for high school seniors. It is also true that Cow Patty Bingo occurs all over the state as a fund-raiser for this event and others like it.

Lampasas has held Project Graduation for a number of years with great success. The parents of seniors do fund-raisers all year long in an effort to raise money for this project. I am absolutely astonished that the state of Texas wants to prohibit certain honest nonprofit fund-raisers because it runs afoul of some state law, and it may take away some money from the Texas Lottery Commission.

Senator, I am curious just who is best served by the cancellation of this fund-raiser in Lampasas. Is it the individuals in the form of students and parents, or big business in the form of a state lottery or for-profit bingo halls?

It seems that our state is losing a great deal of common sense when it comes to issues such as this one. I am sure there is some state law somewhere that says this is illegal, and I am sure the state can "lawyer" this issue and be victorious. Also, is our state ready to arrest hard-working parents and charge them with a third-degree felony for this fund-raiser?

Senator, it is probably too late to help Lampasas with this issue for Project Graduation 2008, but I urge you to make sure that the big government of the state of Texas does not try to kill these types of events in small rural communities. I look forward to your response concerning this letter.