Governor Hopes To Establish Endowment With Extra Lottery Money

Governor Phil Bredesen wants to create an endowment with some lottery surplus money to help financially needy students pay for college. Bredesen says he's also supportive of House Education Committee Chairman Les Winningham's proposal to earmark funds for energy efficiency in schools. Proceeds from Tennessee's lottery are earmarked for education. The main objective is to fund the HOPE Scholarship program. Bredesen also wants to lower the scholarship retention grade point average from three-point-oh to two-point-seven-five because he says too many students are losing their scholarships. The governor says this may need to be done in steps given the state's budget constraints.