Securing Hope and Pre-K for Future Generations

In 1992, Georgia voters made their voices heard on one of the defining policy issues of our time by ratifying our constitution to create the Georgia Lottery.

This decision, which allowed ticket sales to begin in June of 1993, forever changed the education landscape of our great state for the people who are blessed to call Georgia home. Over the past 22 years, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has raised over $16.5 billion for our two landmark programs: the HOPE Scholarship and the state funded Pre-K programs.

The numbers are staggering. More than 1.7 million students have attended college on the HOPE scholarship, while more than 1.4 million four-year-olds have attended state funded Pre-K programs. Although similar programs have existed in Massachusetts and New York decades before ours, we now rank number three in net sales behind those two northeastern states.

The success of the Georgia Lottery is irrefutable and millions of our citizens have received an education they might not otherwise have had access to. It is no coincidence that during this same time, our state has become known as the economic hub of the southeastern United States, with an economy that continues to expand at a rate exceeding the national average.

As our economy evolves and demands specialized and highly skilled jobs, we must ensure the future viability of the Georgia lottery and its programs. I firmly believe that access to these resources will allow us to continue to educate students capable of securing employment in the many competitive fields that drive our economy.

However, with the cost of tuition continuing to rise, and lottery proceeds remaining stagnant, HOPE scholars are now receiving less financial assistance than before the Great Recession began in 2008. This alarming trend has led the legislature to study this issue in depth through the creation of the Senate Preservation of HOPE Scholarship Study Committee, which I’m honored to sit on.

One possible solution we’re considering will allow for additional gaming activities, specifically casino gambling and its presence in our state. Recently, my committee colleagues and I met with several stake holders in this respective industry to learn more about the potential impact casino gambling would have in our state.

A proposal was submitted that could provide substantial increases in funding to the HOPE and Pre-K programs. Under the proposed HOPE Preservation Act of 2015, six casino licenses would be issued across five areas in Georgia (two in Atlanta and one each in Columbus, Macon, Savannah and South Georgia areas). Combined, these casinos are projected to generate more than $288 million in annual gaming tax revenue essential for funding both our Georgia Pre-K programs and the HOPE Scholarship. That is an estimated 30 percent increase from current levels.

Furthermore, and equally significant, the new gaming operations could create more than 30,000 new jobs with over $1.1 billion in annual income earnings. These employment opportunities would be spread throughout the state, with many of them right here in District 25. Currently, we lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue each year to our neighbors in Alabama, North Carolina, Florida and Mississippi who already permit casino gambling. Simply put, these options would provide significant funding that will have dramatic effects on the students and families who benefit from the valuable programs funded by the Georgia Lottery.

To be clear, my interest lies in preserving the HOPE Scholarship and state funded Pre-K programs so our children, and their children after, have access to outstanding opportunities that will allow them better futures through education and learning. I’m ready and willing to consider all options on the table to secure these programs for our children and grandchildren.

Casino gambling appears to be one such viable option, but it is by no means the only option. In the coming months, this committee will continue to study this issue and hear alternative solutions. I will continue to keep you updated throughout this process.

If you have concerns or ideas regarding the future of this issue, please reach out to my office. I depend on your feedback as I navigate the state legislature and the different issues we address. It continues to be an honor to represent you under the Gold Dome in Atlanta and I look forward to hearing from you!