Higher ed gravy train
Who doesn’t like free stuff? Really. And when that “free stuff” is a college education, well, what’s not to like? Except realists know there is no such thing. Someone has to pay the bill — and in this case lawmakers on Beacon Hill are lining up to give away free tuition, courtesy of you the taxpayers.
Sure, there are a lot worse things legislators have spent taxpayer funds on, but some of these latest proposals are nothing short of outlandish.
Leading the pack is Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), who testified last week on his bill to provide a free public college education for any student from a family earning less than $200,000 a year. He — or rather we taxpayers — would cover the cost of tuition, fees, housing and transportation. (What, no free iPad too?)
“Clearly it’s a bold bill,” he told State House News Service.
And there’s surely no bill too bold — as long as Eldridge is spending other people’s money.
Rep. John Scibak (D-South Hadley), who chaired the Higher Education Committee hearing, did raise more than a few good questions.
“Question number one is, how are we going to pay for this? Question number two is ... do you feel that there should be some criteria, specifically minimum GPA to be eligible or remain eligible for free tuition? Number three, should we be considering something like New York in terms of a cap on minimum income? Number four, if we’re doing tuition assistance or free tuition, should it be first-dollar or last-dollar?” Scibak said. “Those are some of the concerns that are being raised and talked about in other states.” Good questions all. Of course, many of the taxand-spenders in the Legislature ’fessed up in the course of the hearing that they were already salivating over the additional revenue that would flow into state coffers from the proposed “millionaire’s tax” — a constitutional amendment that would allow a 4 percent income surtax on those earning more than $1 million a year.
Now, that may not pass. It might not even be constitutional to earmark the proceeds for education and transportation — as the ballot question seeks to do. But, hey, why not spend money that’s not yet in the Treasury?
Others pointed to a tax on the endowments of private colleges and universities as a source of as much as $500 million to $700 million a year. It too is of dubious legality, and the fact that such private endowment funds provide scholarships to other needy students seems not to present any moral dilemma for those intent on giving away public college slots to, well, just about anyone.
Presumably those officials who believe the state shouldn’t spend money it doesn’t actually have will prevail.