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Budget gets refreshed with new pragmatic silver lining
Published:
Thursday, February 20, 2003
Again, the state of Minnesota is in debt.
The $4 billion deficit burning a hole in the state's wallet sounded an alarm. Decisions must be made in order to get some control over the financial dilema Minnesotans find themselves in.
Instead of writing another editorial complaining about how terrible tuition raises and grant cuts are, whining about the fact that college students are once again receiving the short end of the stick, it is time to turn our attention to the silver lining on this potentially dark and daunting cloud.
We commend Gov. Pawlenty for using the money we have instead of raising taxes. For far too long not raising taxes has been the fallback solution to any financial dilema. Now we are actually doing something more pragmatic with the state's money.
Though it's not the most practical strategy to raise tuition 15 percent every year, the only way to ease the state's financial strain is through money and as always with money, someone has to lose in order for someone else to gain. It's just a matter of determining who is going to be the loser. Many may argue "Why college students?"
The truth of the matter is that students are the people in the state who have the most to gain by losing money. We gain an invaluable resource: education.
Besides, SCSU is still one of the better educational bargains for your buck. SCSU received national accreddation for several of its programs and to raise the tuition bar from a great price to good price is not the worst case scenario, by any means.
So really, the dreaded Tuesday was not as dreaded as anticipated. College students everywhere will still be inclined to worry and whine about their perpetually empty pockets, but it's time to bite the bullet. It is time to accept the fact that the state is in debt and action needs to be taken. That may mean paying a bit more for our education but the money has to come from somewhere. We might as well get a good education while fixing financial troubles.
This deficit is one that touches all tax payers in one way or another and no one will get out unscathed.
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