Causer: Lottery Fund Study Shows Slow
Growth, But Programs Solvent For Now
HARRISBURG – The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee has released its comprehensive assessment of the Pennsylvania Lottery Fund. The study was conducted under the direction of House Resolution 106, sponsored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint).
“Senior citizens in our area and across the state rely on a number of programs funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, including the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program,” Causer said. “With the legalization of slots and table games in Pennsylvania, it is important to know the status of the lottery fund both now and in the future to ensure the sustainability of these vital programs.”
According to the report, officials are projecting little annual growth over the next five years in lottery sales. In fact, sales have been stagnating since fiscal year 2005-06, likely due to the weak economy and slower growth in the lottery’s retail sales network.
However, the study shows that the lottery-funded senior citizen benefit programs will remain solvent for the next five years as long as sales do not plummet and as long as lawmakers don’t expand existing lottery-funded programs or add new ones.
Currently, the lottery fund supports a variety of programs, such as Property Tax/Rent Rebate; PACE, PACENET and PACE Plus Medicare prescription benefit programs; free transit and reduced fare shared-ride services; long-term living services; and Area Agencies on Aging.
“I am pleased that there appears to be no immediate danger of senior citizens losing benefits that help with their housing, transportation and health care costs,” Causer said. “However, our population is aging, and if lottery sales continue to stagnate, we could be faced with some difficult decisions in the next decade.”
Pennsylvania currently has one of the oldest populations in the country, with 15.4 percent of citizens age 65 or older. By 2030, it is expected that senior citizens will represent 22.5 percent of the total population.
To improve the long-term solvency of the lottery fund, the report made the following recommendations:
The Pennsylvania Lottery should pursue expanding its retail network to facilitate an increase in ticket sales and continue to analyze approaches being used in other states to stimulate sales.
The General Assembly should limit the use of lottery funds to those programs and services currently funded in that manner.
Greater effort should be made to improve the accuracy of projections made by various state agencies that receive lottery funds for programs under their jurisdiction.
To read the full report, visit http://www.repcauser.com/.
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947
“Senior citizens in our area and across the state rely on a number of programs funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, including the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program,” Causer said. “With the legalization of slots and table games in Pennsylvania, it is important to know the status of the lottery fund both now and in the future to ensure the sustainability of these vital programs.”
According to the report, officials are projecting little annual growth over the next five years in lottery sales. In fact, sales have been stagnating since fiscal year 2005-06, likely due to the weak economy and slower growth in the lottery’s retail sales network.
However, the study shows that the lottery-funded senior citizen benefit programs will remain solvent for the next five years as long as sales do not plummet and as long as lawmakers don’t expand existing lottery-funded programs or add new ones.
Currently, the lottery fund supports a variety of programs, such as Property Tax/Rent Rebate; PACE, PACENET and PACE Plus Medicare prescription benefit programs; free transit and reduced fare shared-ride services; long-term living services; and Area Agencies on Aging.
“I am pleased that there appears to be no immediate danger of senior citizens losing benefits that help with their housing, transportation and health care costs,” Causer said. “However, our population is aging, and if lottery sales continue to stagnate, we could be faced with some difficult decisions in the next decade.”
Pennsylvania currently has one of the oldest populations in the country, with 15.4 percent of citizens age 65 or older. By 2030, it is expected that senior citizens will represent 22.5 percent of the total population.
To improve the long-term solvency of the lottery fund, the report made the following recommendations:
The Pennsylvania Lottery should pursue expanding its retail network to facilitate an increase in ticket sales and continue to analyze approaches being used in other states to stimulate sales.
The General Assembly should limit the use of lottery funds to those programs and services currently funded in that manner.
Greater effort should be made to improve the accuracy of projections made by various state agencies that receive lottery funds for programs under their jurisdiction.
To read the full report, visit http://www.repcauser.com/.
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...since 1947
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