What's Gary Smokin' Now?

There's been talk about freebies in higher education in return for a guarantee that the recipient remain in Wisconsin ten years. Come now. Ten more years of bratwurst and cow tipping? Whoa!

I've got a better idea. It isn't mine and it isn't new but it's progressive. Hold on! Here's my take...

Every human being that has graduated from a Wisconsin High School should be guaranteed a "free ride" to a Wisconsin university or technical college. That includes:

• FREE tuition
• FREE room and board
• and FREE books

Any questions?

Oh yeah. How to pay for it. Okay! Watch this...

• TAX the students

Cool. How does that work?

Joe from outer Eureka wants to learn metalworking. After one semester at the tech. he manages to learn how to drink but not much else. On Joe's next minimum wage job he contributes 5% for a couple of years to pay for his schooling.

Sally, on the other hand, goes into Nursing School at UWO, continues into post-grad at Madison and becomes a world class surgeon. When Sally finally takes a paying job she pays 5% of her pay for 20 years or more to pay for her schooling.

This would put the rich and the poor, black or white, all on the same plateau.

It would also benefit the MD who wants to work a rural area. The MD would still pay 5% of wages yearly just like his richer classmate in a large city. A social worker or a civil engineer working in a poor country would still pay 5% of wages while their much wealthier classmates in the U.S. would also pay 5%.

A program such as this would take 10-15yrs to become solvent. Who would finance the start-up? The State Investment Board.

As this program becomes solvent it would free up money for elementary and secondary schools.

To take this a step further...

I'm a great believer in doing either of two things between the ages of 6 and 70: Either a person works or is in training for work. No other answer is appropriate.

As jobs change, and/or the person's ability to do them, this same plan would guarantee free tuition, room and board, books, etc. no matter what the person's age.

Want to know more? James Jung, retired President of the Great Lakes Higher Education Corp. is a proponent of this. He was in the business of student loans. He's an expert. This is what he said in February 2003.

Please pass this link around. It's worth consideration.