Back in 2005, proponents for a state-endorsed, state-run gambling operation were so obsessed with securing enough votes for a state lottery that, with a wink and a nod, they repeatedly assured the public that “education lottery” revenue would put additional dollars into public education rather than replace dollars.

That promise was — to be kind — a fib.

From a Greensboro News-Record story comes the interesting explanation for using lottery revenue to replace other public dollars: (emphasis is mine)

Rep. Maggie Jeffus, a Greensboro Democrat and one of the lead House budget writers, said she wouldn’t even characterize the use of lottery funds as supplanting.

“It depends on how you look at it,” she said. “I would say no. I would say also we’re in extremely unusual circumstances this year, and they warrant some unusual decision-making.

“As far as using the lottery money to retain teachers, I think its certainly better to retain jobs and keep the teachers in the classrooms to educate students.”

Gov. Bev Perdue cast the deciding vote to create the lottery when she broke a tie in the Senate as lieutenant governor in 2005.

“I said I would watch out for supplanting — I meant that,” Perdue said last week. But, she said, the economy has been slow to bounce back and as a result, the state needed to do things it ordinarily would not.

“Sometimes you have to do what you have to do,” Perdue said.