Dorman Wants Lottery Change
Tired of seeing lottery shortfalls create budget problems for public schools and college students, Rep. Joe Dorman wants lawmakers to reform the budgeting process, he said today.
"The lottery is an unpredictable source of revenue that has come up short more often than not in recent months," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Clearly, we cannot build anticipated lottery funds into the budget without a strong risk of future crisis."
Dorman plans to author an amendment that will require the state to set aside all lottery funds collected for one year and then appropriate that money in year two. Under the plan, lawmakers would only spend lottery money actually collected the previous year instead of trying to anticipate future collections. Currently, lawmakers include anticipated lottery revenue projections in the state budget.
Although the lottery was once expected to provide up to $150 million per year, it is now generating just over $80 million per year. A mid-year revision in lottery projections recently eliminated funds for $1,100 of the $3,000 pay raise given all public school teachers last year. It also shortchanged college students depending on a state scholarship program funded by lottery cash.
"My constituents want to know why we're banking on lottery cash that may never materialize, and it's a good question," Dorman said."Under my plan, no education program will have to be cut because of a fluctuation in the lottery's performance. We'll only spend money that we have in hand, and not 'projections' that might as well be Monopoly money."
"The lottery is an unpredictable source of revenue that has come up short more often than not in recent months," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Clearly, we cannot build anticipated lottery funds into the budget without a strong risk of future crisis."
Dorman plans to author an amendment that will require the state to set aside all lottery funds collected for one year and then appropriate that money in year two. Under the plan, lawmakers would only spend lottery money actually collected the previous year instead of trying to anticipate future collections. Currently, lawmakers include anticipated lottery revenue projections in the state budget.
Although the lottery was once expected to provide up to $150 million per year, it is now generating just over $80 million per year. A mid-year revision in lottery projections recently eliminated funds for $1,100 of the $3,000 pay raise given all public school teachers last year. It also shortchanged college students depending on a state scholarship program funded by lottery cash.
"My constituents want to know why we're banking on lottery cash that may never materialize, and it's a good question," Dorman said."Under my plan, no education program will have to be cut because of a fluctuation in the lottery's performance. We'll only spend money that we have in hand, and not 'projections' that might as well be Monopoly money."
Labels: 2007 Legislature, Joe Dorman, Lottery
posted by Mike McCarville @ 2:14 PM
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