I recently spoke to two knowledgeable women about the so-called "100 percent pass through" rate for funds allocated to social and educational programs.

It seems that much of the money is tied up in administrative costs and does not reach the intended recipients. One example we discussed was the California Lottery. Both women were concerned about how much of the income generated actually gets "passed through" to education. Of course, the California Lottery was intended to supplement the general education fund, not to be the sole source of income for schools. Nevertheless, the contribution and importance to education of the Lottery can still be considerable.

Another issue we discussed was how lottery money could be used to supplement low-income, inner city areas where property taxes are lower and therefore produce less revenue for the schools. I mentioned that if the Post the Finances initiative passed, we would be able to monitor all of the state's
income and expenditures for the Lottery on a daily basis. We could exert pressure to ensure that most of the money gets passed through to the schools where it will do most good.

If you have similar stories, or issues you feel might be clarified or improved by "Post the Finances," please feel free to email me at:

mozena@postthefinances.com