AMENDMENT 11 PASSAGE WOULD DISPOSE OF DOUBTS

Missouri voters will, on Tuesday's primary ballot, consider Amendment 11, a measure of limited actual potential but great symbolic impact. Our inclination would normally be to raise an eyebrow at a ballot issue whose modest goal is to put a better face on budgetary matters. However, Amendment 11 accomplishes at least one worthwhile thing, clearing up a persistent misunderstanding about the destination of state lottery revenues. For this reason, we endorse Amendment 11 and urge its passage.

Simply put, Amendment 11 dedicates all Missouri lottery revenue, and that generated from any future gaming activities in the state, to education. In fact, many Missourians assumed that this revenue was earmarked for schools all along. Certain campaign statements may have suggested that in 1984, when voters approved the game, but the lottery law actually directed all its take to state general revenue; from that pool of money, the lottery proceeds have helped education. There was no campaign or bureaucratic deception in the lottery's implementation, only a lingering misconception that the game didn't live up to its billing.

This endorsement comes with a cautionary note: Don't expect great things in education if Amendment 11 passes. Schools will benefit directly from $65 million in profits earned annually by the Missouri lottery, money that otherwise went directly into the general fund, a portion of which was always applied to education. Nothing in this, however, resolves the fundamental problem with earmarking, which is that elected officials in Jefferson City are in no way compelled to leave intact current general fund appropriations to schools. In getting dedicated dollars, education will probably not be allowed to enjoy a windfall by legislators who control the general fund.

It is for this reason that some educators have balked at earmarking these revenues, because the real gains may be minimal while the public believes schools are rolling in lottery loot. In a sense, Amendment 11 trades one misconception for another. We can't boast of this as a good reason to amend the state's Constitution, but at least some faulty thinking is put to rest.

We urge a "yes" vote on Amendment 11 Tuesday. Then, we urge voters of the state to thoroughly consider future ballot measures regarding education without the lingering doubts from misconstrued statements in bygone campaigns.