[ale] unusual global warming experiment

[Jim Lynch]

Greg Freemyer wrote:
> Kindergarten and post high-school only.
>
>
>   
>> (snip)
>> as an outsider (non Georgia resident) I was under the impression that
>> the Georgia Lottery was supposed to fund education.  is this not the case?
>> _______________________________________________
>>     
To be fair,  when the lottery was first set up the statement was made 
that the lottery was NOT to be used to fund existing programs or general 
school expenditures.  The reason this rule was made was so the lottery 
would be to supplement the educational system not fund it.  In other 
states the legislatures were taking money from education, using the 
lottery to replace that money and spending the money on less beneficial 
purposes such as pork.  (Nothing against pork as long as my taxes don't 
fund it.)  Other states have made similar promises, but broken them. 

I'm not an insider, but as far as I can tell from afar, they actually 
have kept that promise.  As someone said, the HOPE scholarships are paid 
from lottery income.  Also the pre-K programs.  But Greg is not complete 
in his statement since some of the money goes to technology grants. 
(http://www.galottery.com/gen/education/capitalOutlay.jsp)  This program 
may be in conflict with the original promise since some of it goes to 
the schools for computers, computer facilities, training for school 
personnel on technology, etc.  It could be argued that this application 
of funds is replacing money that would have been spent from the general 
fund.  In my mind, it's unclear, but I applaud the state for spending 
money on technology, I just wish more of it went to Linux projects.

Jim.