ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, November 26, 1996 TAG: 9611260097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: What's On Your Mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Q: In a recent letter to the editor, Penelope Kyle, director of the Virginia Lottery, said the law requires that lottery revenues be used for public education. Is the statement accurate? V.B., Blacksburg.
A: The statement is both accurate and meaningless.
It's a major-league curve ball, loaded with all the spin a Republican governor and Democrat-led General Assembly could put on it.
Yes, the assembly passed a law in 1995 requiring that the Lottery's $332 million in 1996 revenues be spent on public education. In reality, it didn't add one penny to the amount being spent on schools; they received their usual share of the state's general fund.
The political maneuvers over lottery profits were just an exercise so the two parties' candidates can say they voted to spend lottery profits on education.
That $332 million may look like a big deal at first glance, but it's less than 6 percent of the $6.1 billion the state will spend on grades K-12 the next two years.
The rest of that money comes from the general fund, which is supported by income and sales taxes as well as the lottery.
With the lottery money earmarked for education, a greater share of the income and sales tax revenues went to noneducation programs.
The political background: In 1995, Gov. George Allen proposed returning lottery profits to localities to use on education as they saw fit.
Democrats remade the proposal to designate lottery profits for education, but keep them under state control.
Making a point
Q: The speed limit on U.S. 11 in Fairlawn is 40 mph, but most cars seem to average 60 mph. There are a lot of restaurants and other businesses on this strip, but there are no sidewalks or a crosswalk, even though pedestrians are constantly crossing. There are many crashes and many more close calls. To whom do I address my concerns? Pulaski County? The sheriff? Department of Transportation? H.H., Radford
A: The people with clout on this issue are the county supervisors and VDOT.
How do you get their attention? First, increase your numbers and the frequency of your complaints.
If the road is as bad as it appears to you, others will sign a petition directed to the county board of supervisors and to the Department of Transportation.
You might be able to get some like-minded folks to go with you to public hearings. The Pulaski supervisors, in fact, had a hearing scheduled on road matters Monday night.
If you missed that meeting, try to be at their next session. Pulaski County's transportation engineer usually is on hand the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.
Another opportunity will occur March12, when the Transportation Department holds a public hearing on urban, primary and interstate roads in the Salem district.
The meeting most likely will be at the Salem Civic Center at 9 a.m. VDOT folks say you'll get just as much consideration if you send your comments in writing.
The impression here is that the number of people who are present and accounted for carries a lot of weight.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Call us at 981-3118. Or, e-mail RayR@Roanoke.Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
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