Cut education a break, not its funding!

  $1.2 billion.

    That is the amount of debt Kentuckians can expect for the next two years.
    State lawmakers in Frankfort are somehow attempting to hammer out a two-year budget despite a massive deficit.
    Plans for helping the state’s finances bounce around every day. Add slot machines to casinos. Tax visitors who stay at hotels more than 30 days. And of course, rely on federal stimulus money.
    Another possible solution: Cut the funding for higher education even further.
    Higher education was cut in the state’s current budget, and since that did not cause major problems for anyone, why not do it again?
    (Apparently cutting programs, skyrocketing tuition and denying pay raises for hardworking faculty and staff are not major problems.)
    The Kentucky House of Representatives is negotiating a bill to block further cutting of higher education state funding, but results aren’t expected until April.
    For the provision to pass, lawmakers have to find $20 million somewhere else - such as the addition of electronic “games of skill,” as slots are called, at racetracks around the state.
    The bad news? Many are expecting higher education to still get at least a 1 percent cut.
    If only it were just a problem here. All over the U.S. yesterday, students and professors took to the streets to protest higher education cuts, estimated at $1 billion.
    Lawmakers should understand they are cutting the education of the young people who may (or may not) be voting for him in future elections.
    It is impossible to please everyone, but saddling students with even more debt when all we’re trying to do is get an education is not the best way to solve the state’s budget problems.
    While we may be glued to our iPhones every waking minute and “Lost” every Tuesday night, we are well aware of this issue.
    We see how it affects our families and our friends. We see our job opportunities dwindling. We get slapped with student loan payments as soon as we’re handed that invaluable degree we worked so hard to get - all because our government told us we should.
    We are the future of this state. We remember the people who slight us - and we’ll remember this.
    The News reminds readers we have state legislators; use them. Call them, write them, do whatever necessary to pass this provision. Visit “Who’s My Legislator?” at lrc.ky.gov/legislators.htm to pinpoint your local and district lawmakers.
    Or join the ranks of the thousands of people who protested yesterday and start a rally. Organize fundraisers. The only crime would be to do nothing.
    Those are our tax dollars, our income and our tuition money at work. We do have a say. How do we want our dollars spent?