Say WA?
Gregoire has asked lawmakers to let state universities increase tuition by up to 28 percent over the next two years to help offset deep budget cuts.WTH Gregoire? I understand that we are in a recession, but this is a ridiculous proposal. Allowing the universities to increase tuition by 14% each year for the next two years is obscene
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Another problem is that the schools are also going to be cutting back on enrollment. It's really bad because a highly educated work force is critical to a successful economy. One reason why such large tech companies (Microsoft, Google, AT&T, T-Mobile, and many others) have a presence here is due to to the fact that we have qualified workers. These high paying jobs help the rest of the economy because they spend money and we have an economy in which consumer spending is very important. Gutting higher education through massive tuition hikes or decreasing enrollment both will have long term effects beyond the current recession.
On the other hand I do think it's worth noting that (based on my interpretation of the article you linked) was that this only applies to State Universities not community colleges, vocational schools, or other forms of higher education. So the community college students not being able to get federal student loans shouldn't be effected by this proposal. Only students at state universities will have 14% per year increase and they should still be able to get federal student loans to help. It looks like community college tuition increases are only in the 5-7% range which, while no preferable, is reasonable given the economic situation.
Another thing worth mentioning is that everything is being cut this year. Education, health care, police, fire, transportation, the poison hotline (remember the Mr. Yuck stickers?), prisons are closing (but where are the inmates going?), sex offenders are being let go early unsupervised, 13 of 121 state parks are closing, fish hatcheries are closing, 7,000 of state employees are being laid off, and the list just goes on and on.
Basically there is something for everyone not to like in this budget. Unfortunately we must have a balanced budget so the state can't spend money it doesn't have. Also, Gregoire promised Mr. Rossi that she wouldn't raise taxes in the campaign and she is keeping her campaign promise.
I'd like to see (for starters) a law changed so Washington State could run a deficit to stop nightmare budgets like this. Maybe the budget would only have to be balanced one every 10 years rather than each year. That way the change in business cycle wouldn't be so hard on everyone one or two years.
While I'm dreaming over here I'd also like to see Marijuana legalized and taxed heavily as a way of stopping these tuition cuts. Hell, the college students would probably make up most of the tax base anyway......
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