Courtesy, Idaho Democratic Party
Crossposted on 43rd State Blues
After years of failed policies, the GOP’s “College for Kids” appears to be little more than a public relations stunt aimed at making Idahoans forget just how much the GOP has forgotten Idaho families. To a population that struggles to pay bills, GOP Idaho State Treasurer Ron Crane offers savings tips. The real world is stacked against the middle class family’s ability to save for college—and it is the GOP leadership that has stacked the deck.
Idaho’s GOP leaders have made it harder for families to effectively save money. The GOP Legislature struggles with poor ethics, fails to attract and keep high-paying jobs, and forces students to pay higher tuition rates for a college education by cutting state support. Idaho’s children enter the workforce under a mountain of debt, as the GOP works against them.
15 Years of GOP Economic Failures And Ignoring the New Workforce
The Idaho GOP-controlled Legislature stood by as younger generations suffered severely during the recession. Americans aged 35-44 have lost approximately 54% of their household worth, while taking deep pay cuts to maintain viable employment, according to a Fed report issued this summer. Young Idaho families also struggle to secure adequate health insurance, complicating economic hurdles for emerging families.
Idaho’s GOP Legislature continually slashes higher education while increasing tuition by about 5% a year. The Idaho GOP leaders now ask young families to save more even though they are earning less.
GOP Higher Education Model – Unaffordable For Most
Idaho ranks near the bottom in the U.S. for state scholarship opportunities, according to a 2012 report from Idaho’s Office of Performance Evaluations. Financial aid that exists is “drastically lower” than other states. U.S. student loan debt now exceeds $1 trillion dollars, and 60% of Idaho’s college graduates can expect to leave higher education with nearly $24,000 in loan debt in an economy that is not growing fast enough to provide jobs. Knowing these facts, the Idaho Republican Legislature continues to cut state spending on higher education forcing institutions to raise tuition rates every year.
Ethically Flawed GOP Leadership
Idaho GOP State Treasurer Ron Crane is offering financial advice to Idaho families about saving for college. This is the same man who charged $7,000 in fuel on a state cash card even though his miles were for personal use. The same man who hired limousines on trips to New York City. The same man who donated $10,000 a year in taxpayer funds to a nonprofit group that he owns—and Crane was baffled when auditors posed a potential for conflict of interest
This fall vote for an Idaho legislature that will support Idaho families. Vote for Democratic candidates.