Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana has developed a plan that would help residents of the state go to college. The plan is called the Hoosier College Promise scholarship program and was announced by Daniels in April.

This past Wednesday, Daniels spoke of additional details of the plan and also two possible sources for the funding at a meeting of officials. One such suggestion was to privatize the lottery in the state. Certain officials did not agree with this plan.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson and House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer criticized the plan to privatize the lottery. Thompson’s campaign spokesman stated: "Jill is committed to education and expanding opportunities but believes privatizing the lottery is a bad idea. It's a short-sighted approach to opening opportunities for more Hoosiers to go to college."

Daniels explained that so many children in the state do not believe they can go to college and today’s job market requires skills and knowledge beyond high school education. Daniels also stated that next year he would be asking legislature to approve the plan.

Daniels has suggested that the state could issue bonds that could be paid off with future lottery profits or privatize the lottery to earn the money. Daniels believes that the state can get at lowest $1 billion up front plus annual payments from a deal that would make the lottery private.

In 2007 a similar plan was proposed only to stop after barely passing the senate. Daniels has stated that with his new plan, the lost promise of the Hoosier Lottery can be redeemed. Daniels stated that when the lottery was created, citizens were told the money would be dedicated to education and he believes it is time to do just that by placing the funds into college aid.


- 2008-08-14