Lottery proceeds fund county Agencies on Aging, local senior centers, the PACE and PACENET prescription drug assistance programs, shared and free rides, the Property Tax/Rent Rebate initiative, and certain long-term care services.

The press release stated $2.2 million had benefited Clarion County through the following programs for 2006/07:

$847,000 for the Area Agency on Aging and senior centers.

$875,330 for PACE and PACENET.

$184,000 for the Shared and Free Ride Program.

$379,000 for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.

$760,499 for long-term care services.

The release went on to state that more than $21 million in lottery prizes and $1.8 million in retail commissions were paid in Armstrong and Clarion counties.

“I encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible for either the Property Tax/Rent Rebate or the PACE or PACENET programs to call my office,” McIlhattan said. “Sometimes a small adjustment in income can make a huge difference in eligibility for either of these programs.”

McIlhattan reminded seniors that PACE and PACENET are ongoing programs and continuously accept applications, while the deadline for the yearly Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is June 30. Eligible seniors should submit an application on a yearly basis.

“The Pennsylvania lottery is unique in that it remains the only lottery in the nation that exclusively targets all of its proceeds to programs for older residents,” McIlhattan was quoted saying in the release.

The lottery’s website, www.palottery.state.pa.us states that every dollar spent on lottery tickets breaks down as follows:

Fifty-nine cents toward prizes.

Thirty-one cents toward benefit programs.

Eight cents toward retail and vendor commissions

Two cents toward operating expenses.

Clarion County Area Agency on Aging Administrator Stephanie Wilshire said the lottery is a good deal for seniors because of the help offered to seniors through the PACE and PACENET and property tax/rent rebate.

“That is money that goes directly to helping Pennsylvania seniors,” Wilshire stated. “But we still wish we knew where it was all going, or who it is that is raiding the lottery.”

Iseli Krauss, president of the advisory council of the Area Agency on Aging and member of the Northwest Regional Pennsylvania Council on Aging told the Clarion News the lottery surplus stood at nearly $300 million about a year ago when the last budget was set.

“Now there is almost nothing in that surplus,” Krauss said. “What happened to that money?”

At an April 16 meeting of the Northwest Regional Division of the Pennsylvania Council on Aging at the Clarion River Lodge, chairman of the council, Helen Brown asked Pennsylvania Council on Aging executive director Darlene Sampson that same question.

“She just kept saying ‘It’s going to people who need it,’” Krauss said. “We want to know who.”

In the meantime, the Area Agency on Aging faces developing a new budget with no funding increase from the state.

Anyone wishing to receive more information on programs for seniors can contact McIlhattan’s office at 226-9000 or the Clarion County Agency on Aging at 226-4640.