Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, came to the defense of wealthy Missourians who are seeking a break defraying college costs. State budget writers, including Nodler, who is chairman of the Sneate's Budget Committee, crafted a deal which will allow families which earn more than $200,000 a year to be eligible for financial need scholarships:
“For someone making $200,000 with four kids in college, I’m not sure a scholarship opportunity for that family is inappropriate at all, particularly with the tax burden they pay,” said Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin.
14 comments:
I don't know what is in the water in Jeff City, but it sure seems to mess with your mind.
It appears to be part of a larger expansion of student aid. The federal guidelines are ridiculous, counting home equity and retirement plans as assets to be drawn down to pay for education. Nodler's point regarding the number of students in school is well taken also. This is a matter of expanding the number of students who would receive a few hundred dollars, barely enough to cover a semester's worth of books, and only if there are surplus funds available to do so.
But most importantly, what happened to the liberal idea of free college education for all students? Is this reaction an indication of how "universal" universal health care would actually be as well?
As usual the Repugs take care of the wealthy. The less fortunate, oh well, let them quit at the 8th grade, no one cares.
No, wrong, dead wrong, this funds low income students first. The last comment is just wrong. Also the income guidelines are used even if parents refuse to assist the student, so the student is penalized even if he receives no contributions from his or her parents. The aid only becomes available for higher income families when all lower income students scholarships have been funded. The fact is for a family with 4 or 5 in college at once an income of $200,000 a year won't pay the bills, even thought this family has paid a disproportionate share of the taxes the idea that their kids should be discriminated against in state scholarships is ridiculous!
what is the Sneate budget committee?
Why is any child more important than any other child? If a child needs help and meets the guidelines, why discriminate. If we start this kind of thinking, then we ought to go out and fire every govenment employee who is married to someone who makes enough to support a family. Look at the teachers in our system with spouses who are well-heeled bankers, lawyers, judges, head of industrial plants, doctors, etc. These spouses don't "need" to work...with your line of thinking,government shouldn't be giving jobs to these people...just save these government jobs for poor people or people who have no spouses (or significant others) or whose spouses don't work.
Families with incomes in the 200,000 range pay huge taxes, do much civic good and are as good as any other group.
At times, this blog wants government to be color blind, socially blind, etc. Why different in this case?
I think college funding needs to be restructured--I for one suffered because my parents would not pay for college, but my aid was based on how much they made. I don't think that scenario is uncommon, and even if one's parents DO make an ungodly amount of money, there really isn't any legal obligation for them to pay for college.
To one of the above comments: what family has 4 or 5 kids in college at the same time? Maybe two, three tops, but 5? Families making more than 200 grand are more than able to pay for their children's college education, unless they actually had 5 kids at once going to school, which might have happened once in the past 80 years. Why not take the money that would go to the wealthy families for scholarships after the lower income students received finanial aid, and give the lower income families more money instead of giving them a $2,500 scholarship for a school that costs $12,000 per year and calling it good. This is exactly like all the Republicans saying huge tax breaks for oil companies that are making billions of dollars a year a completely fair and necessary because other businesses in the US get tax breaks, too.
Regarding the 4:55 p.m. posting:
I think it's great to dream, but if I were from a "poor" family, I would not think I should go to an expensive school. When I started to college, I didn't have any money and I didn't plan on an expensive college...I went to one I could afford. If a "poor" student goes to a $12,000 school, has $2,500 worth of government funding, then the student needs to get other scholarships and perhaps a job. He/she sure wouldn't be the first one to work his/her way through college.
I know a family today with three kids in college. The parents are helping and those kids are working to supplement the scholarships and loans they have gotten.
Every child should be equal in this matter just as they should be equal in the classroom-regardless of how much money their parents do or do not have.
Going to an expensive school is not a right.If the kids can do it, great! If not, work it out some other way!
What school actually charges what it says it does?
If someone truly wants an education, they will do what it takes to get one regardless of their financial standing. And actually scholarships go unused every year because of various reasons.
Working one's way thru school is hard but worth the effort. Not only the accomplishment, but the sense of self worth which comes with it.
Scholarships for the wealthy? Frankly, I'd rather see them go to individuals from the lower incomes. For many wealthier families, a college education is a given while for lower income families, it's something which is prized and the rewards passed on to others in the family.
A College Degree ain't worth spit in today's economy anyway. Let Nodler give the Wealthy Kids a free pass at welding school.
I'm sure glad I got a college degree. I also admire people with great skills like welding. Let's hope EVERY young person, regardless of economic conditions, gets a chance to study and learn in the fields of their choices.
And I think they all will be better if they have to struggle a bit to get that education. When you put some sweat into something, you appreciate it more.
Great point. Once universal health care is in place, Randy will run headlines like "Senator: wealthy people deserve scholarships too."
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