How do you make it more affordable without raising taxes?

 

Cost reductions.

I don't think all colleges should be free. I do think 2-3 in each state should be and only residents of that state should be allowed to attend free. I do believe it should be supported by taxpayers.

 

I am talking tuition, basic housing on campus and meal plan.

Well if that's the case I want a check for the tuition I paid years ago.

 

And I want all my student loans paid off.

@Voice of Reason, you were a major champion of this idea last night...So let's hear it. How would this work without taking more of my hard-earned money out of my pocket?

 

Is a free secondary education now a basic right too?

 

What else should we give everyone for free? Anyone have some ideas?

 

I know this is an overly simplistic answer, but lets think of it this way. Suppose your taxes go up $50/month. Over the next 25 years that's going to cost you $15k (not including interest you could have earned). What do you think the average 4 year college cost will be for your children when they are ready to attend? Is there not a good possibility that what we pay into the system now, would save us money in the long term?? Again, I know this is overly simplistic and is assuming a lot of things....the big one being that everyone would pay equally in the "college tax".

Would free college lessen the value of a degree?

Would free college lessen the value of a degree?

 

Great question. It could possibly but not all would attend college.

 

Now would Voc-Tech School be included in the free college?

Just getting an interest rate that is not at loan shark levels would be a good start.

 

Getting loans, that start getting charged interest the day they are taken out, at 7+% when the Government sells bonds at 2% is basically loan sharking.

And a nice check for people who paid it off already. I'll wait patiently at the mailbox for that.

 

Well if that's the case I want a check for the tuition I paid years ago.

Y'all are being greedy. I was going to give them my first batch of tuition.

I know this is an overly simplistic answer, but lets think of it this way. Suppose your taxes go up $50/month. Over the next 25 years that's going to cost you $15k (not including interest you could have earned). What do you think the average 4 year college cost will be for your children when they are ready to attend? Is there not a good possibility that what we pay into the system now, would save us money in the long term?? Again, I know this is overly simplistic and is assuming a lot of things....the big one being that everyone would pay equally in the "college tax".

 

Anything that increases my taxes, outside of me moving to a higher tax bracket, is something that I could never support.

Anything that increases my taxes, outside of me moving to a higher tax bracket, is something that I could never support.

 

Even if it saves you much larger college expenses down the road??

Even if it saves you much larger college expenses down the road??

 

There's almost no chance it would though. I'm not giving the government an interest free loan for 25 years.

Everyone gets free college. Everyone goes to college. Now what?

 

All we hear today is all of these college grads get out in enormous debt and can't find a job. Where are all the jobs for college grads going to suddenly come from?

Great question. It could possibly but not all would attend college.

 

Now would Voc-Tech School be included in the free college?

 

I think trade school is the only post-secondary education I'd offer for free. I could be swayed on that.

Nothing is free we all know that.

 

I'm not interested in my taxes going up for this.

I said this on another thread, but with the rising tuition and costs of college there are certain needed professions that will lose out on good people, because the money isn't there in the end to justify that major or college at all: education, law enforcement, social work, some health care.

 

Some may say well it will correct sooner or later. 1. I'm not sure it will. 2. What do we do in the meantime with subpar teachers and cops?

 

We have to get our best involved in some of these things instead of chasing the almighty dollar, and that may be near impossible when 24 year old kids know they will have 80K over their head before they walk out the door. They are smart enough to know what will and won't pay the bills.