Distribution of Funds
Illinois Lottery proceeds currently benefit three major areas: 1) the state's Common School Fund (CSF), which helps finance K-12 public schools; 2) The Capital Projects Fund, used for infrastructure improvements and job creation and 3) special causes like Illinois veterans, the fight against breast cancer, assistance for people living with HIV/Aids, and MS research. Each of the four special causes above are funded by a unique instant scratch-off game authorized by the Illinois General Assembly.
When the Lottery began in 1974, proceeds went into the state's General Revenue Fund. In 1985 a law was enacted to earmark all Lottery proceeds to the CSF. Interestingly, a similar initiative was vetoed a year earlier by then governor James R. Thompson, who said the bill earmaking Lottery proceeds to the CSF would give people the wrong impression that the Lottery would be a panacea for school funding.
The Lottery's first contributions from special-cause instant games occurred in FY2006. The first contribution to the Capital Projects Fund occurred in FY2010. In FY2012, the Lottery contributed $639,875,000 to the CSF; $65,200,000 to the Capital Projects Fund; and $3,421,368 in support of the four special-cause instant games initiated to date. The Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $17.5 billion to good causes from its inception through FY2012.
Read more about this topic: Illinois State Lottery
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