778 million for education from Tenn. lottery

I could not agree with you more. I was a little suprised to see the article in the TD. The school system in Alabama will always receive a failing grade as long as we have the same folks doing the same thing over and over. TheSwindleMaster

I would like to see and would vote for the lottery and casinos in Alabama. I have many friends who visit Tunica a good bit. We play the Tennessee Lottery often when we are there, as well as Kentucky. I don’t know. Just like Bedford said “organized opposition from the surrounding states if we ever wanted to try again” I don’t see it happening either. We have three school age children and I’m thankful that they have a college savings in place now. It would be wonderful for all kids in Alabama to have the same continuing education opportunity as those in surrounding states. It could work, especially seeing how Tennessee’s top ten selling places include many Alabama/Tennessee state line stores.

It may take someone being politically expedient, like Seigelman was, to go at it again.

Just as a devil's advocate. Who is to say the schools really benefit?. So the state raises 778 million in the lottery. Do they still appropriate the normal funds for education or subtract from their normal appropriation and spend the money elsewhere?

In that scenario schools make out the same but nearly a billion dollars are raised "for the kids".

According to this site: http://www.tnlottery.com/aboutus/reports.aspx

"Fiscal year 2005–06 produced a return of
$277.1 million to the education programs the Lottery
funds, bringing the total raised since inception to
more than $636 million. According to the Tennessee
Student Assistance Corporation, the state organization responsible for distributing Lottery-funded awards,
approximately $136.8 million was awarded this past year alone, helping 56,058 students attend higher
education institutions throughout the state."

quote:

Originally posted by Phoenix Rising:
Just as a devil's advocate. Who is to say the schools really benefit?. So the state raises 778 million in the lottery. Do they still appropriate the normal funds for education or subtract from their normal appropriation and spend the money elsewhere?

In that scenario schools make out the same but nearly a billion dollars are raised "for the kids".

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Why would you care? If a state is able to come up with extra money that they don't extort from me via higher taxes on my property, or some other thing, I really don't care if it does go to the general budget.
I'm sick and tired of always hearing "we need money for the schools". I heard once what percent went to what compared to 20 or 30 years ago. Don't remember the numbers exactely, but something like 40% of the budget now goes to administration cost. I believe it used to be something like 10%. If Alabama wants to give a high percent of their budget to admin, and not put it in the classrooms, then more and more dollars will go to worse and worse schools, and no ammount of extra money will fix it.

UNfortunately, MOST of TN's lottery $$$ go to the UNIVERSITIES. VERY little of it actually makes it into the local classrooms.

A large portion of that money goes to marketing, advertising, and salaries for the employees. The TN Lottery recently had an advertising campaign where they simulated movie trailers. It was shot on film, jib arms, actors, and even the guy who cuts the vo for most trailers. That's a pretty high dollar production, then factor in air time and you've spent a huge chunk of change. As I said on another thread, I voted for the TN lottery, but since I've had second thoughts.