Comments on: Free tuition, higher taxes, and the clear connection to reforms http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/free-tuition-higher-taxes-and-the-clear-connection-to-reforms/ Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:31:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: Rob wILTON http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/free-tuition-higher-taxes-and-the-clear-connection-to-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-1401 Rob wILTON Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:12:28 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1234#comment-1401 I just want to respond to Fred Akers....this wouldn't be money going to colleges directly the way it is now....this is money that will go directly to families to pay to go to college. This is a good thing not a bad thing. I just want to respond to Fred Akers….this wouldn’t be money going to colleges directly the way it is now….this is money that will go directly to families to pay to go to college.

This is a good thing not a bad thing.

]]> By: Fred Akers http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/free-tuition-higher-taxes-and-the-clear-connection-to-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-1402 Fred Akers Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:08:13 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1234#comment-1402 Does anyone think it was a bit nutty to set a goal of doubling the number of college graduates while working to double the cost of tuition through funding cuts? If you charge more for something you will likely get less of it. Anyway I think raising taxes to spend more on colleges is nutty. Somehow colleges need to become serious about controlling their costs. The UAW eventually drove buyers elsewhere with their expensive contracts. Colleges are doing the same thing now with persistent higher than inflation tuition hikes. Eventually society will find a way around them and they will have real problems. They aren't the sacred cow they think they are. Does anyone think it was a bit nutty to set a goal of doubling the number of college graduates while working to double the cost of tuition through funding cuts? If you charge more for something you will likely get less of it.

Anyway I think raising taxes to spend more on colleges is nutty. Somehow colleges need to become serious about controlling their costs. The UAW eventually drove buyers elsewhere with their expensive contracts. Colleges are doing the same thing now with persistent higher than inflation tuition hikes. Eventually society will find a way around them and they will have real problems.

They aren’t the sacred cow they think they are.

]]> By: Alma Wheeler Smith http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/free-tuition-higher-taxes-and-the-clear-connection-to-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-1403 Alma Wheeler Smith Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:23:29 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1234#comment-1403 Thank you for the positive comments on MI FUTURE. You closed your article with an observation: "Now, for that nasty funding question." Yes, Michigan has a structural deficit approaching $1 billion. We have also eliminated some programs and services that many of us consider extremely important, if not essential. That raises the "structural" deficit well beyond a billion. We may be able to eliminate tax expenditures, close loopholes and adopt "reforms" that the 94th Legislature, the Center for Michigan and the legislative efficiency commission have identified. That would probably cure our current structural deficit. But we can only spend those dollars for that purpose. They will not cover MI FUTURE. MI FUTURE is a big idea that requires bold action and $2 billion in new funding. Michigan has serious challenges. We have to use this moment to fundamentally change our ability to recover. Waiting only puts us farther behind states with a larger cohort of better educated, more highly skilled residents. They are not waiting to press their advantage. The task of eliminating the structural deficit and finding dollars to restore critical programs runs on a parallel, not overlapping, path to the financing of MI FUTURE. We can delay, but we will loose. Thank you for the positive comments on MI FUTURE. You closed your article with an observation: “Now, for that nasty funding question.” Yes, Michigan has a structural deficit approaching $1 billion. We have also eliminated some programs and services that many of us consider extremely important, if not essential. That raises the “structural” deficit well beyond a billion.

We may be able to eliminate tax expenditures, close loopholes and adopt “reforms” that the 94th Legislature, the Center for Michigan and the legislative efficiency commission have identified. That would probably cure our current structural deficit. But we can only spend those dollars for that purpose. They will not cover MI FUTURE.

MI FUTURE is a big idea that requires bold action and $2 billion in new funding. Michigan has serious challenges. We have to use this moment to fundamentally change our ability to recover. Waiting only puts us farther behind states with a larger cohort of better educated, more highly skilled residents. They are not waiting to press their advantage. The task of eliminating the structural deficit and finding dollars to restore critical programs runs on a parallel, not overlapping, path to the financing of MI FUTURE. We can delay, but we will loose.

]]> By: Amadeo Lese http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/free-tuition-higher-taxes-and-the-clear-connection-to-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-1400 Amadeo Lese Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:51:40 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=1234#comment-1400 Don't be adding any more taxes on redisential properties, my God we don't own them now, and being on pension, we pay to damn much now, and really are discriminated against for all money earners are paying into the system. Want a new tax do away with residential, farm, and business property taxes and replace it with an income tax to cover everything. Don't spend and feel the State has to payout as professional sports player receive. That is what got us in trouble, you tried to keep up with them, but lost. Don’t be adding any more taxes on redisential properties, my God we don’t own them now, and being on pension, we pay to damn much now, and really are discriminated against for all money earners are paying into the system.
Want a new tax do away with residential, farm, and business property taxes and replace it with an income tax to cover everything.
Don’t spend and feel the State has to payout as professional sports player receive.
That is what got us in trouble, you tried to keep up with them, but lost.

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