Benefits older Pennsylvanians (the lottery)

acesover · By: **acesover** On: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:36 pm

Pa has a total population of 12,440,621 (2006) 1,885,323 (15.2%) are 65 years of age or older.
In fiscal year 2007-2008 the lottery had sales of more than 3.08 BILLION, contributions to
programs for older Pennsylvanians totaled more than 928 million.
Hmmm, lets see 2 million old people... 928 million to giveaway. What does that work out to?
What do you think?
Ray

jeromemsn · By: **jeromemsn** On: Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:32 pm

Only one way an older Pennsylvanian will benifit from the lottery in this state and thats to move to another state, I hate to say. The people in this state revolted before because of the way a government was treating the people, sure seems like it might be time again.

Michigan also has a lottery to benifit the schools among other things, but they never advertise it on the television or newspapers just very small signs up where you can buy a lottery ticket is all.

jpete · By: **jpete** On: Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:09 pm

We started the lottery to fund schools back in 1973. RI has the highest per capita rate of lottery playing in the country yet the schools never seem to have enough money and they closed 5 in the last 2 years just in my city.

Hmmm, I wonder where all the money went? Couldn't have been skimmed by the General Assembly could it? Nah, I'm just being a tin foil hat wearing whacko!

Richard S. · By: **Richard S.** On: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:12 am

Well they have breakdown on PA lottery page:

http://www.palottery.state.pa.us/content.aspx?id=60

The Pennsylvania Lottery was established by the Legislature in 1971. The purpose of creating the Lottery was, and remains, to generate funds to benefit programs for the Commonwealth's older residents.

Since 1972, when its first game went on sale, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $18.3 billion to a wide variety of programs, including:

* Property Tax/Rent Rebate, administered by the Department of Revenue.
* Mass Transit Program for older residents, administered by the Department of Transportation.
* PACE, PACENET and now PACE Plus Medicare, administered by the Department of Aging. These constitute the nation's most comprehensive prescription program for older adults.
* Long-Term Care Services administered by the Department of Public Welfare.
* The 52 Area Agencies on Aging throughout the Commonwealth, comprising more than 600 full- and part-time senior community centers.

The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only lottery in the nation that exclusively targets all of its proceeds to programs for older residents. In fiscal year 2007-2008, the Lottery had sales of more than $3.08 billion; contributions to programs for older Pennsylvanians totaled more than $928 million.

By law, the Pennsylvania Lottery must contribute at least 27 cents of each dollar earned to programs and 40 cents of each dollar to players in the form of prize money. In fiscal year 2007-2008, the Lottery contributed about 30 cents of each dollar to programs for older residents, while about 59 cents of each dollar was returned to players in the form of prize money.

89% gets returned. I believe that's typical of any casino. As far as I'm concerned it's beneficial. People are going to gamble whether the state allows it or not, they might as well tax it. The losers here are the people buying the tickets as their chances are better at the casino.

samhill · By: **samhill** On: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:18 am

I think alot is skimmed off to mass transit, there are restricked hours that they can ride & aqs far as I know they just show a card. So who`s to say how many older citizens ride but the transit authority? I can eremember years back my grandfather who was 82 at the time was refused a ride because he had forgotten his ID card. I almost went to transit authority jail over that one.

billw · By: **billw** On: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:49 am

It pays for Pace and Pacenet (medical and prescription drug assistance for the elderly) also pays for the rent and property tax rebates for those over 65. I would bet some is being skimmed but it's one program that actually does marginally work.

Benefits older Pennsylvanians (the lottery)

Benefits older Pennsylvanians (the lottery)

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