Fewer students will benefit from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery this year than last with revenue dropping to $98 million as compared to the $100 million anticipated and the $107 million garnered last year.
Commissioners Bruce Engstrom and Steve Faris threw a number of hardball questions at Director Ernie Passailaigue, wondering why he jumped so quickly into a contract with National Software Escrow of Brecksville, Ohio, without first discussing the move with the commission.
However, the commission previously granted Passailaigue the ability to approve small contracts without its input — a move the commission is assuredly now kicking itself for in light of a recent public push for more transparency in the lottery process.
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There is story after story of how lotteries for states end up having serious problems not too long after they’re started. Some of the stories are about the lotteries dropping scholarship programs, since scholarships are sometimes nothing more than a way to get voters to vote yes for them.
There is no excuse for anyone dropping the ball in regards to the AR lottery and I won’t be surprised at all if they end up saying what so many other states have said already. “It’s too expensive to run a lottery so we have to stop giving scholarships.”
I’d like to compare the yearly financials since it started. Revenue is just the money left over after expenses and I would not be surprised if “expenses” have skyrocketed since it’s inception.
This Passagune guy has smelled a little fishy from the get-go. Seem like he never lives up to his promises or goals. Since he makes well over $300,000 per year seems like we should as a state be holding him accountable.
Well, $98 million isn’t exactly chicken feed.
Ken, amen. Those that downplay 98 million would be shouting “Hallelujah” if it came from sources other than gambling.
Admin – Is it really ok to term two million as “millions”? just a thought
Singular versus plural, ArVet.
Just for fun (grammer aside) – yesterday our Church received $286.00 in collections. So, in next weeks bulletin, can I say we collected “hundreds”?
It’s not up to me, I don’t run the church pages. But I would.