Gilmore praises GOP's effort to prevent raid on lottery proceeds intended for education

Former Governor Jim Gilmore praised the General Assembly’s Senate Republicans for attempting to block a move by Democrats in the State Senate Thursday to decrease funding for public education by re-directing lottery proceeds to fund new and expanded government programs.

“I commend Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Senate Republicans for standing tall to try to protect education dollars in the Lottery Proceeds Fund,” Gilmore said. “We all worked hard in 2000 to make sure lottery money was allocated to education and that is even more important today in troubled economic times than it was then.”

Following Jim Gilmore’s leadership Virginia voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2000 requiring the General Assembly to make certain that lottery revenues were not redirected from the Lottery Proceeds Fund and public education to other programs without the approval of a super majority of the members of the General Assembly.

“Our public education system is put at stake every time this type of maneuvering by the Democrats to take money away from our schools is carried out and it is Virginia’s children who are put at risk,” Gilmore said. “How are we to restore confidence in parents that a public education is a quality education, if we are constantly faced with having to defend the constant attempts to reduce overall funding for public education in Virginia?“

“Education resources need to get into the classroom where they can best make a difference for our children. That is why I stand by the mandate I asked for and received in 2000, requiring that state lottery proceeds be used first and foremost for education efforts in the Commonwealth,” Gilmore declared.

Cross-posted at SWAC Girl