N.C. Senators Bob Atwater and Jeanne Lucas visited N.C. Central University on Oct. 4 at the Alfonso Elder Student Union.

Atwater, a Chatham County resident and former county commissioner, is serving his first term in the senate.

Lucas, an NCCU alumna and retired education administrator for the Durham County school system, has served five years in the senate and is chair of the Appropriations on Education /Higher Education Committee.

One issue discussed was how the lottery will improve education in North Carolina through increased funding to the public school system.

Atwater explained that despite criticism, the lottery would bring $400 million in revenue to the state.

Lucas responded to the argument that the lottery is not effective because the majority of people who play the lottery are poor.

“They’re going to play [the lottery] anyway,” said Lucas.

“We don’t tell rich people how to spend money at the stock market.”

Also discussed was whether North Carolina is prepared to face the devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought to Louisiana.

Atwater and Lucas agreed that North Carolina is not currently prepared to handle a Category 5 hurricane, but there are plans to create an evacuation route for the coast.

“We would experience more deaths than Lousiana did,” said Lucas.

“If those streets [on the coast] flooded immediately, all of the traffic could not get inland within two hours.”