FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 11, 2016
LITTLE ROCK, AR – On Monday, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery celebrated mediocre returns for fiscal 2016. Total sales increased according to a report released Monday, however the Lottery failed to disclose they gave students the same low percentage for scholarships as they did in fiscal 2015.
For every dollar earned by the Lottery, the Lottery gave only less than nineteen cents to students in Arkansas. They continue to give more in prizes, contracts, and administrative costs than they do in scholarship dollars.
“The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery should be ashamed of themselves for celebrating being near the bottom in the nation when it comes to proceeds to scholarships,” said Family Council President Jerry Cox. “The Lottery continues to skew their numbers to the public while they give very little to students in Arkansas.
“The national average of proceeds to scholarships and other intended purposes is roughly 33%, while Arkansas gives less than 19% to scholarships,” said Cox. “Those who run the Lottery should take a second look at the Lottery’s numbers before they brag about how little money they give to students; ranking near the bottom in the nation is nothing to brag about.”
Family Council is an organization of over 10,000 families and churches throughout Arkansas with a mission of promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values.
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