The GOP's War On Education has been totally exposed. In Florida the GOP is moving quickly to terminate a popular college tuition program that costs taxpayers nothing. Here in Florida the GOP has veto proof majorities in both houses of the State Legislature and a wingnut Governor, Rick Scott, that will sign the legislation. More below the fold.
One of the most popular programs in Florida is the "Prepaid College Tuition" program. It lets parents pay into an account and their child is guaranteed a place in one of Florida's State run colleges. An article in the Miami Herald Today describes this valuable program:
The popular program is the nation’s largest and has sold more than 1.4 million plans since 1988, letting parents lock in present-day tuition and fees for their future students. Nearly 20 percent of undergraduate students at Florida universities have a prepaid college plan.
Why end this program? This is the GOP reasoning (from the Miami Herald Article):
Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, chairwoman of the committee, questions its long-term viability and wants to suspend future enrollment. No current participants would be affected.
“The stock market as you know the last few days has been dropping,” she said in pitching the idea. “Should the investments prove not able to take care of the promised contracts, the state of Florida is totally responsible and that means for everything that is sold, as of this moment, we are totally responsible.
There are two problems with that "reason" for ending the Program. First, they don't invest in stocks at all:
Stanley Tate, the Miami businessman who is the founder of the program, said news of the proposal “was a shock of shocks.” He said nearly all of the program’s investment portfolio are in government securities. “We don’t have stocks!” he said.
Second, and more importantly, the Program is Half a Billion Dollars in the black:
Florida Prepaid is about $500 million in the black, with $10 billion in assets covering its $9.5 billion in liabilities. Indeed, just two years ago, Lynn and other senators talked about borrowing from the fund to address budget shortfalls.
The real agenda here is to punish teachers and professors, many of whom campaigned for President Obama in 2008 and helped him carry the State of Florida. If this program is eliminated, far fewer students can go to college. This could result in cutting many professor jobs and other jobs associated with higher education in Florida. This is shameful.
For more information on this, see the entire Miami Herald Article:
GOP Wants To End Popular Prepaid College Tuition Plan
UPDATE: Tell the GOP Legislator Evelyn Lynn, who is killing this program, that you've had enough of the War on Education! Here is her contact information. All Kossacks should make their voices heard on this!
Contact GOP Rep. Evelyn Lynn
lynn.evelyn.web@flsenate.gov
District Offices:
536 North Halifax Avenue, Suite 101
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
(386) 238-3180
Senate VOIP: 40700
FAX (386) 238-3179
Statewide:
1-866-831-2665