Today's Grand Rapids Press reports that Grand Rapids Community College is backing down from its prior threats to raise tuition if the millage that failed on Tuesday didn't pass. This is typical behavior of bureaucrats and those who love to spend other people's money. How often do we hear from city government politicans that if they don't raise taxes or get more revenue sharing that they will have to cut fire and police? It's the same concept - what we call taxpayer extortion. Remember how the mafia used to require "protection" payments? The concept here isn't too different. Bureaucrats threaten that crime will skyrocket, everyone's tuition will go up, trash won't get picked up, well, you pick your poison. It's the usual argument that the sky will fall if a tax increase isn't passed.
Well, GRCC did it and the taxpayers called the bluff. And guess what. They were bluffing. The frustrating part was the sheer amount of coverage this and related GRCC issues received in the GR Press in the run-up to the election. The bias was clear.
What do the bureaucrats have to say now? "Nevermind! Just kidding!"
It's time to pass a state law to require that all tax issues be kept on only the November ballot.
The college never threatened to raise tuition. The Press story on 5/23 was followed up on 5/25 with a pseudo-retraction story (because they rarely admit when they're wrong). If you'll notice - the link you offered goes to a dead page because the Press removed the story and republished it with corrections.
ReplyDeleteThat press reporter should go back and read her own articles and get her facts straight:
"Monday, the GRCC board approved the largest single tuition hike in the school's history -- an 8.2 percent increase -- and warned it will consider an additional tuition hike next spring if a millage increase is rejected by voters in August."
- GR Press, 5/25/07
Don't believe everything you read:
GRCC PRESIDENT REACTS TO INACCURACIES IN NEWS REPORTS
August 10, 2007 Grand Rapids, MI - Contrary to some media reports, GRCC President Juan Olivarez did not “back off” raising tuition in the near future. Nor has he asked the GRCC Board to consider any action – yet – following Tuesday’s narrow defeat of the college’s second millage request.
“GRCC, like all educational institutions in the state, is waiting to find out what state legislators will allocate to us – and legislators have until September 30, 2007 to decide that,” said Olivarez. “We will have to wait up to seven weeks before we know what state funds we will be allocated.”
“I can’t make a recommendation to our board on our tuition rates until we get our state allocation,” Olivarez continued. “As president I have the right to go to our Board at any time with a recommendation on tuition or on any other matter, and our Trustees have the right at any time to make recommendations.”
Grand Rapids Community College, established in 1914, offers both liberal arts and workforce development degrees, classes and workshops. Student enrollment on the urban campus for both credit and non-credit courses is 26,000 per year.