Will Public Schools Hit The Jackpot Amid Record-Breaking Powerball Sales?
FAIRFAX DISTRICT (CBSLA.com) — A billion-dollar jackpot has Angelenos lining up even those who don't usually play.
"I just decided, 'What do I have to lose?,' " said one man.
Taxpayers were told back when the California lottery started in 1985 that it would be a boost for struggling schools.
"It's helped a little," said Jamie Court, the president of Consumer Watchdog. "I think the lottery hasn't helped the schools anywhere near what it promised to help the schools."
Court is president of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group.
"When you play the lottery, play to win, but know it's the house, it's the lottery itself that's going to make the money and that the schools are only going to get a very small slice," he said.
State lottery officials expect to top $300 million in ticket sales this jackpot about 40 percent of which will go to public schools. With roughly 6.2 million students, that equates to about $19 per student from the $1.5 billion jackpot.
L.A. Unified received about $97 million from the lottery in 2014. That means about 640,000 students received about $150 per student toward their education.
"All three of my kids are in public schools and I've not seen how playing the lottery or money from the lottery comes back into the public school system at all so it's just for pure fun mostly and the chance to win a billion-dollars," said Terri Haywood, a lottery player.
But a spokesperson for the LAUSD says every penny counts.