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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 36
(By Delegates Manchin and Caputo)
[Introduced
February 11, 2003
; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Directing the State Lottery Commission to honor its statutory duty
and commitment that one third of the appropriations of the
proceeds from the lottery go to senior citizens programs.
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Whereas, Senior Citizens were the first group of voters
approached to support and endorse the lottery amendment to the West
Virginia Constitution in 1984. They were promised a fair share of
the lottery proceeds and it was always the understanding that this
fair share would be one third of the proceeds, with the other
two-thirds divided equally between public education and tourism;
and
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Whereas, This commitment that the seniors believed they had has
never occurred. The most funding senior citizens' programs have
received in any fiscal year has barely exceeded 22% of the lottery
proceeds; and
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Whereas, The 2000 Census shows that West Virginia has 362,795
citizens 65 years of age or older and 302,769 citizens ages 5
through 17, with approximately 260,000 of this latter group in the
public schools. The State budget provides $5,057.17 for every
child in this age group, while allotting only $2.76 for every senior citizen age 60 or older. Adding the Lottery proceeds minus
medicaid transfer raises the amount for children to $5,304.30 and
for senior citizens to $41.35. The senior citizen allocations are
for all services, including congregate and home delivered meals,
transportation, referral housekeeping, advocacy and more for one
senior citizen for the year; and
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Whereas, The Governor's budget for the fiscal year 2003 reduces
funding for senior citizen programs, including the Silver Haired
Legislature by $1440.00 and severely decreases the budget for the
Senior Citizens Centers and Programs Line Item by $1.5 million.
This is the senior program for county senior program needs,
renovations and major acquisitions of vehicles and equipment as
well as program operation. This decrease in financial support to
seniors is puzzling in a State whose average age is the oldest in
the nation, second only to Florida in total per capita aging
population. The trend should be the preparation for increases in
the older population by adequate funding of these programs to meet
the growing demand and need for senior services, not a decrease in
funding; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
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That the State Lottery Commission honor its obligations,
promises and commitments to the State's senior citizens as required
by statute and ensure that appropriations for senior citizen
programs and services be increased from lottery proceeds so that these various programs are receiving the one third of the lottery
proceeds promised to senior citizens.