Illinois budget impasse spurs creative way to fund shelters

(AP) — Illinois homeless shelters struggling to get by without state aid during the budget stalemate could get a much-needed financial boost through specialty scratch-off lottery tickets.

A bipartisan measure pending in the Illinois Legislature would create a new $3 scratch ticket and designate all the proceeds beyond administrative costs and prize money for grants to help shelters that serve the tens of thousands of homeless people statewide.

Jones said he also wants the tickets to bring awareness to homeless youth and veterans in a state where homelessness affects about 38,000 people, according to a 2014 Department of Human Services report on state funded shelters.

Specialty games that have been approved by the Legislature include support for cancer research, HIV/AIDS awareness, veteran support, Multiple Sclerosis and the Special Olympics.

The budget standoff also has sparked calls to use private money to pay for such things as the Illinois State Museum, which the governor ordered closed last October, and the Springfield and DuQuoin Fairgrounds.

At a news conference Tuesday, Rauner said transferring the state's burden to donors would allow more public money to go to human services and schools.