State governments increasingly are using revenues from alcohol, tobacco, and gambling to help pay for education and health programs, a report by a coalition of education and health groups says.
Seventeen states earmark tobacco taxes and 16 states set aside alcohol levies to pay for such services, according to the National Health and Education Consortium report.
Of the 37 states with lotteries, 15 have designated lottery revenues for education. State governments have raised $5 billion for education through lotteries since 1994. In addition, three states--Illinois, New Jersey, and South Carolina--earmark gaming revenue for education, mental health, and other social services.
Copies of “Earmarking Alcohol, Tobacco, and Gaming Revenue to Support Children’s Education and Health Programs” are available for $17 each, including shipping and handling, from the NHEC, 1001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 822-8405.
The National Community Education Association is joining WETA-TV of Washington and the National Academy of Engineering to provide educational resources that promote environmental awareness in an increasingly technological world.
The “Green Technology” project will combine a three-part television series, teacher training workshops, and multimedia materials to raise awareness of the impact of home, office, and community uses of technology on the environment. William McDonough, the dean of the architecture school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and an adviser to the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, will be the host of the series, which will identify environmentally friendly technologies.
The program will explore how innovative engineering, town planning, partnerships with business, and civic participation may reduce the damage by automobiles, electric power, water usage, and waste disposal.
Information will be provided through community groups, schools, and technology museums. On-line consultants will be available to answer questions related to the project.
For more information, call the NCEA at (703) 359-8973 or Karen Zill, WETA’s manager of educational outreach, at (703) 845-8081.
—JESSICA PORTNER & KATHLEEN KENNEDY MANZO
