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Ritter wants proposed scholarships to help 'most needy'

Ballot measure calls for ending energy tax credit

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 5, 2008 at 3:26 p.m.
Updated June 6, 2008 at 12:23 a.m.

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Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday said money from a scholarship fund headed for the November ballot should go to "the most needy" students.

Tuition has become a significant issue in Colorado, Ritter said a day after Colorado State University and Metropolitan State College raised rates by 9.5 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.

Ritter made his comments to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. The panel will decide in coming months whether to take a position supporting the scholarship plan and another ballot proposal that would expand legalized gambling to help community colleges.

The scholarships would be funded by ending a property tax credit energy companies receive. The total revenue increase would be $321 million.

The amount available for scholarships is not decided, but the CCHE estimate is between $100 million and $130 million. The rest of the money would go to projects such as transportation and environmental restoration in areas affected by energy extraction.

Opposition Thursday came from Weld County Commissioner Bill Jerke. He told the CCHE that ending the tax credit would hurt oil companies, which account for a significant amount of property tax revenue for Weld County.

Jerke said Ritter's proposal would not raise more money to support colleges; it would only replace money students now pay in tuition.

"That strikes me as pandering in a sense," Jerke said.

Support for the proposal came from University of Colorado sophomore Emily Lozow, 19.

"You and the people of Colorado have a choice. You can give the wealthiest industry in the world a $300 million gift each year, or you can invest in us, the students of Colorado, and our collective future," said Lozow, who is majoring in communication and humanities and wants to be a lawyer.

Rachel Dane, 21, a CU junior majoring in political science, said of the oil companies, "They don't need government subsidies when they're getting $4 a gallon for gas."

She said rising tuition is forcing some students to drop out.

Ritter said he was able to go to college and law school because Colorado institutions were affordable. "So to me, this is personal," he said.

Just how the scholarships will be distributed is not clear, and some details could raise debate.

For example, Ritter would like to require students to maintain a 2.5 grade-point average to be eligible. That's higher than the 2.0 GPA some schools require for graduation, including Metro.

Ritter said following his meeting with the CCHE that students can earn those grades if they work hard.

But Metro President Stephen Jordan warned the CCHE that setting a 2.5 GPA - between a grade of C and B - for scholarship eligibility could drive grade inflation or lead some students to shun difficult science and math courses. Jordan cited studies in Florida and Georgia that found those patterns.

At the July CCHE meeting, the Department of Higher Education staff will explore ways a scholarship fund might work. The commission is not expected to act unless the ballot item passes.

morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5209

A proposal to fund community colleges through expanded gambling is drawing opposition from critics of gaming.

"Gambling turned our lives upside down. This addiction stole my husband's soul," Phyllis Cipri told the Colorado Commission on Higher Education on Thursday.

The CCHE will decide in coming months whether to support either of two funding proposals that could appear on the November election ballot.

Nancy McCallin, the president of the community college system, said institutions need the money that expanded gambling could bring. She said cuts made during the recession that began in 2001 have never been restored.

McCallin said community colleges serve many students who can't afford a tuition increase.

"It's a gateway to opportunity for these students," she said.

The gambling proposal would allow voters in the three communities where gambling is legal - Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek - to decide whether to raise betting limits from $5 to $100 or some amount in between. Voters also could expand games to include roulette and craps.

The proposal needs more than 76,000 signatures by Aug. 4 to appear on the ballot, said Mark Grueskin, an attorney who drafted the measure for the community colleges.

McCallin told the commission that the cut going to community colleges from expanded gambling could be $16 million to $33 million the first year and as much as $100 million the fifth year.

But Cipri said that some people drop out of school because of gambling problems.

"To believe gambling will help students is not to see the big picture," Cipri said.

Comments

  • June 5, 2008

    4:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    "Ritter also said he would support academic requirements to be eligible for the state scholarship, such as a 2.5 GPA."

    Question: Hey Berny! Which GPA? The kid's high school GPA or their current GPA at the college?

    Maybe to be a lawyer all you need is a C average, but to be a successful college student in a non-draftdodger program you had better have at least a B average (3.0) if not a high B average (3.5)! Otherwise, you'll end up flipping burgers or worse yet teaching K-12!

    Scott

  • June 5, 2008

    4:28 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nicktaste writes:

    an investment in the lower class's education should yeild a worthwhile return

    we are talking about providing oppurtunities here

    people against increased access to education are IMO ignorant

    who knows, some of these "thugs" might go on to become successful people who contribute to the community

  • June 5, 2008

    4:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    raysmom writes:

    I guess when my husband and I were putting him through undergrad at UCD and grad at DU, we shouldn't have worked 3 jobs and had him go nights and pay high taxes on our income w/our student loan $$$ (which we paid back every penny)- we should have just claimed, "But I'm NEEDY! And now that we have some success (we own a small business and pay 50% of our income in taxes and Social Security), and are getting ready to send our hard-working, high achieving son to college, we should tell him he doesn't have to work so hard, and neither do we, and someone else will pay for it! Talk about achieving the lowest common denominator! The direction this country is headed in frustrates the living daylights out of me!

  • June 5, 2008

    4:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    raysmom writes:

    Nicktaste- Anybody can get an education in this country- no matter what "class". They just have to WORK for it! What is so wrong with asking people to want something badly enough to WORK for it? We worked for it, and you know what? The people around us who didn't, who got grants and scholarships and didn't work, have not utilized their educations and not paid back their loans. Such is the culture of the giveaway gov't. Working for your privileges is a good thing, in every way, for yourself and for your community and country.

  • June 5, 2008

    5:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    horsinaround writes:

    Guess who is ultimately going to pay for these scholarships....you and I. If they take away tax exemptions for the energy industry, they don't just absorb those losses; they pass them on to the consumer in the form of higher costs just like any other business/industry would. I agree, stop this give, give, give government and let folks work for a change. We might end up with a better society. Ritter just wants to tax, tax, tax....that's all he's about.

  • June 5, 2008

    5:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Elwood writes:

    Make it a 3.0 high school GPA and not available to illegal aliens and I would sign on.

  • June 5, 2008

    7:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Shadow writes:

    Just what does Ritter think a low income family is? I mean what is the annual income cut off? He just says low income families get scholorships. Then will he go with the people and allow citizens to be eligable or only illegals?

    Who will oversee this new tax? Who will make certain that what money goes into this program will be spent on this program and not taken away for some other entitlement program. Then how long may a student continue to recieve this scholorship? Will they be eligable to continue recieveing this through post grad schools?

    Does anyone know the answers to these questions?

  • June 5, 2008

    7:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    yaakovwatkins writes:

    I think that University of Colorado sophomore Emily Lozow might be wrong. If you add up the cash value of all of the educational facilities in the US (public and private), the real estate they own, and the higher education endowments, I think you would find that the educational system is is wealthier than the oil industry.

  • June 6, 2008

    9:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    bookwerm writes:

    This is just sick. A kid is an adult at 18 yrs old. ANY family financial obligation should end at that point., Financial aid should be TOTALLY level based on the income and assets of the STUDENT ONLY! In NO other first world country due they steal from the parent like they do in the US. Fine, if a parent WANTS to help, great.. but MOST of the parents are middle class or lower (by population), and trust me, the amount of "help" the Financial Aid system expects, and what is possible are totally different. And you can't even become a "self supporting" student anymore, unless you get married, are 25, or join the military! That is just sick. 18 and out the door, that is what our country is founded on, and that is what works.

  • June 6, 2008

    10:43 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    Raise your right hand and repeat after me: "I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies ...."

    The G.I. Bill, an excellent way to pay for your education!

    Scott

  • June 6, 2008

    11:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    coolorado writes:

    This tax subsidy was created back in the 80’s when these industries were hurting – it doesn’t make sense to keep it now that they are making billions of dollars in profits. We need to get our education plan back on track and this seems like the best way to do it.

  • June 6, 2008

    7:30 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    coloradojess writes:

    Maybe there are some kids needy. But My friend is a dentist and his wife works fulltime and he owns 2 houses + land. He gets financial aid for a college sophomore at a junior college level. That kid heads to 4 year college this fall and most of it will be paid for by financial aid. He is not needy . He has two kids. Somehow he learned how to work the system. We have one in college we are helping pay his way. We don't qualify for aid and he is working.

  • June 7, 2008

    8:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Can't we all just get along. The governmnet could collect all paychecks then dole out the money you really need to enjoy your life. This way we could assure all people are taken care of and social justice is served...Kumbaya my lord kumbaya.

    Tax, tax, tax, tax, tax, tax, tax

  • June 9, 2008

    1:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Citizen21 writes:

    This country was created out of people who did for themselves and worked for every penny they earned. I am so frustrated with the handouts. Yes, college is expensive. I worked two jobs going thru college. And I studied hard so that I graduated with honors (a 3.5 GPA)because I knew the worth of my education, I was paying my own way.

    I agree. The GI Bill is a great option!

  • June 9, 2008

    1:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Come on Denver Chamber - you've never seen a new tax you did not support or fund.

  • June 10, 2008

    10:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jennabelrios writes:

    My comments are two-fold......

    One thing that everyone forgets is that the "illegals" as you call them came here as small children. It was not their choice to come here. Their parents brought them here. It angers me to no end when I hear about the dreams and future plans of my sons best friend and know that he will not achieve them as easily as my son and others only because he parents chose to move to the US when he was an infant. Why are we making a whole section of our future pay for the sins of their parents? Tell me, what did this 15 year old boy do illegally?
    And so you have all of the facts, even if you have been here since very young, if you are an "undocumented person", as this is the correct term, if you are wanting to go to college badly enough, you still have to pay out of state tuition. How many lower income people do you know that can afford that? And if they struggle and do manage to graduate from a 4 year program under those requirements do you not think that these are the type of people we want in this country anyway? I prefer them over all of the drunks and addicts begging on our street corners for handouts!

    And finally, my son has grand plans for his future. There are two careers he wants to study, criminal law and culinary arts. We are lower income and it just seems to get lower with every rise in gas and food. Why should my son have to choose between surviving this economy or getting an education so he can do something with his life? These kids are our future leaders and decision makers. If we want a good future do you not think it wise to find as many ways as possible to educate as many as possible so that they are not forced to find other means to support their lifes? When are we as a nation going to stop allowing the rich to get richer and to hell with anyone else who falls under that category?
    The country is changing quickly due to our economic status right now and it is time we all get with it people and start fixing what is not working anymore!