There has been much talk about auditing Metroplex and I applaud that as does any tax paying citizen in our county. The term transparency is bandied about frequently and there is nothing like an audit to achieve that. I also applaud Attorney General Cuomo for his investigation into the pension scandal. One thing I never hear anything about is accountability of the billions of dollars received by the NYS Lotto. It was always my belief these monies were used for education and schools. I realize it isn't exactly tax payer dollars in the pure sense but do you ever wonder where ALL that money goes to?
Your cartoon about lotteries June 12 could benefit from a fuller picture about one of the most frequently asked questions from New Yorkers about the Lottery: Where does all the money go? The New York Lottery achieved another record-setting year in fiscal year 2007-08 for its sole mission to earn revenue for education. We contributed nearly $2.6 billion to help support education in New York state on incoming revenues of $7.549 billion — a profit margin of 34.3 percent. What’s more, this $2.6 billion Lottery Aidto-Education funding represents over 13 percent of total state aid to education, which was $19.65 billion in 2007-08. The state comptroller’s office distributes revenue earned by the Lottery for education based on a statutory formula. Overall, 96 percent of the Lottery’s record $7.5 billion in sales was returned to New Yorkers in the form of prizes, aid to education and commissions to independent retailers. Within traditional lottery games, $3.9 billion went back to players as prizes. Some $9.81 billion of $10.68 billion Video Lottery Gaming “Credits Played,” or the “handle,” was returned to winners. Total commissions paid to over 16,000 traditional Lottery retailers and eight video gaming facilities totaled $707 million. The entire operation of the Lottery, including advertising, marketing, printing, systems, telecommunications, finance and administration, is funded from the remaining 4 percent of sales. We’re proud of the fact the New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, earning over $34.2 billion in education support statewide since it was enacted into the state constitution by voters as a result of a ballot initiative in 1966. JOHN CHARLSON Schenectady The writer is director of communications for the New York Lottery
I'd be willing to bet that a lot of the money given to the state to benefit schools by the lottery never gets to the schools but ends up in the states general fund and that may be one reason why the school taxes are so high. The legislature in this state had better start cutting spending, eliminate pork, and lower taxes or we soon won't be able to afford to live here.
SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL.........penny by penny by penny by penny..........................................once the zeros add on to the end it is very easy to 'lose' a zero or two........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
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