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Free community college: Coming soon to Oregon?

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

– Canton Winer, college.usatoday.com

Oregon lawmakers are currently exploring a proposal that could make community college free to the state’s residents.

If implemented, the proposal would cost Oregon between $10 million and $250 million annually…

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/09/wealth_gap_report_paints_grim.html

Our Response & Your Comments

First, nothing is free. Somebody pays for it. Second, any “proposal” that costs between $10 million and 25 times that amount isn’t one bit serious. But who ever said the crowd in Salem was serious about anything except grabbing more of your money to give it away to people who’d return the favor with their votes?

 

Third, we’ve explained in past issues how subsidizing education leads to schools increasing tuition and fees to absorb the newfound money.

 

Finally, if you want to see even bigger increases in tuition just make it free. Then you’ll have educators who want more money from legislators who can grab it out of your paycheck. It’s called “third party payment” – and the first two parties (educators and legislators) have absolutely no interest in controlling how much they take from the third, which happens, dear readers, to be you.

 

So, if you think tuition is high now – just wait ‘til it’s “free.”

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