The latest estimates from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which administers the HOPE scholarship, showed a typical student at the University of Georgia would see a 38 percent reduction in their lottery-funded award between now and mid-2015. By then, a student would have to pay $2,732 in expenses every semester. That student's HOPE scholarship would cover the remaining $2,461 in costs.
Students at two-year colleges like Georgia Perimeter College and technical schools would also have to shell out more for their educations than what HOPE pays for, according to the estimates released to the Joint Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Lawmakers and gambling supporters raised that funding gap as a reason to permit video lottery terminals at a handful of locations across the state. Right now, Georgia allows the public to purchase lottery games on paper, but not through computer terminals. Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, said the lottery will have to raise hundreds of millions more to keep the scholarship program going forward.
"It's easily done with some strategically located video lottery terminals," he told reporters after a hearing.
Rose Dasher, 20, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, said many students won't be able to afford college if HOPE awards continue to decline.
"It's not a tool to reward good students, it's a means for all people for all backgrounds to go to college," said Dasher, who paid $1,200 in university fees despite getting the HOPE scholarship this year.
Dasher's expenses were double what she paid before the cuts to the program last year.
"Eventually it's only going to benefit the people who already have the silver spoon in their mouth. Everyone should be able to go to college," Dasher said.
It remains unclear whether the Georgia Lottery will make such a move. Georgia Lottery Board Chairman James Braswell said that while his agency has the legal authority to add video lottery terminals, it would not allow them without a broader discussion with the public and policymakers.
Georgia Lottery President Margaret DeFrancisco said she did not believe the lottery system could significantly boost sales with current games alone.
"We're about at the apex" of sales, she testified to lawmakers.
State officials made massive cuts last year to the HOPE scholarship and the state's prekindergarten program, which is also funded by the lottery. They eliminated scholarships for all but the state's highest-performing students and cut 20 days from the pre-kindergarten calendar.
Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, who opposes expanded gambling, has said the cuts to the popular HOPE program were necessary to keep it from running out of money as the demand for scholarships outpaced lottery sales.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2012/1/244852