Students support HOPE amendment

Around 40 college students from around the state assembled at the Capitol Feb. 8 for a rally initiated by Tech to support the Governor’s “HOPE Chest” amendment. Formally known as Senate Resolution 655, the proposed constitutional amendment protects lottery funds so as to reserve them only for the HOPE Scholarship, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs and educational shortfall reserves. The amendment was blocked in session on Feb. 2, as it failed to pass by two votes.

HOPE, or Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally, is Georgia’s premier scholarship program, rewarding eligible in-state students with financial assistance for college education. Since its inception in 1993, HOPE has awarded more than $2.7 billion to over 850,000 students attending Georgia’s colleges and universities.

“This amendment would ensure that [lottery] money can only be used for HOPE and pre-K programs,” said Chris Dempsey, a fourth-year Management major and executive director of the Georgia Association of College Republicans(GACR). “Today, HOPE faces increasing financial pressures....Proceeds from the lottery have been used for various pork projects construed as educational funding.”

The use of lottery funds for government spending solely intended to benefit a politician’s constituency in return for political support has been a problem for HOPE, according to Dempsey. Over the years, roughly $1.8 billion has been taken from the scholarship fund for expenditures like satellite dishes, computers, school construction and hometown projects, a website, gacollege411.org, for college-bound students and a new Georgia Public Television building. “It’s not that we’re opposed to other education-related spending, but this is a misuse of what Georgians originally voted for [when HOPE was created],” Dempsey said.

Currently, the Georgia Constitution has provisions that allow HOPE lottery money to be spent on capital outlay projects for educational facilities and technological training for teachers in the state’s public institutions. The new amendment moves to strike these provisions, thus preventing senators from using HOPE money for other purposes.

A different option for protecting HOPE was proposed by Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. He supports a plan that would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, followed by a public referendum vote, before program spending could be cut.

“[Taylor’s option] leaves legislators too much control to take money out of the lottery for other things. Less money means fewer people will receive HOPE,” Dempsey said. “Right now there are excess funds, but we don’t want the extra money to be spent on other things. We need to protect HOPE for future generations to make up for possible shortfalls later.”

Members of Tech’s chapter of College Republicans helped organize the rally, contacting leaders at other campuses to gather support. Students from numerous Georgia schools, including UGA, Kennesaw, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Brenau, were in attendance. About five Tech students participated, although Dempsey said more than a hundred have been active in ongoing letter-writing and phone campaigns to representatives about the amendment.

“I was appalled....I hope that our senators will be responsive to our concerns,” said Ashley Johnson, a third-year Management major.

At the rally, students were able to speak directly to some senators and make their opinions known. Dempsey said the event was very effective because of the positive press they received and the support that they showed. The rally was covered by WSB radio, 11 Alive and the Athens Banner-Herald.

“We might organize another rally when the revote occurs,” Dempsey said. “If students care about this issue, they should contact their senators and voice their opinions. The legislature will respond to voter concerns, and hopefully HOPE will be protected.”

At present, the HOPE amendment has been “engrossed,” meaning no other amendments can be made to the legislation. It will be reconsidered by the Senate later in the legislative session. If the amendment passes, it will go on the ballot for Georgia voters in November; a majority vote then will secure the constitutional change to bind HOPE funds.