Would selling the Pa. Lottery end programs for seniors?
A NewsWorks reader has a question about a possible sale of the Pennsylvania Lottery to private interests: What will happen to the SEPTA’s free rides for seniors? WHYY’s Mary Wilson looks into it.
A NewsWorks reader has a question about a possible sale of the Pennsylvania Lottery.
There is talk of selling the PA Lottery to private interests. My understanding was that the proceeds of the Lottery were dedicated to senior programs, such as free senior rides on municipal transit systems such as SEPTA. If the Lottery is sold, will free SEPTA rides be ended?
WHYY’s Mary Wilson got back to us with this:
The Corbett administration hasn’t said privatization would mean changes to senior programs or benefits. Their argument this whole time has been that they’ll only lease the Lottery’s operation if the deal would mean more money for the commonwealth, and that money would go toward the senior programs.
From a recent op-ed from Brian Duke, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Department of Aging: “It is the commonwealth’s obligation to consider all options to ensure these services continue to be available to our most vulnerable residents.”
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