"Lakeshore promise"

[Veloise]

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

[AlexPKeaton]

If it's as simple as adding a 1-1.5% tax, then why doesn't the state just do it? Maybe every state college and university could be free to Michigan residents, and maybe give reimbursements to private schools.

I guess the biggest problem with it is that it takes away some of the novelty of the Kalamazoo Promise. The nice thing about the Kalamazoo Promise is that it's helped attract residents back to the city, whereas a state-wide program wouldn't do anything to encourage inner city development. I suppose inner city development isn't the goal of the program, though it is a nice side-effect.

Perhaps the core cities need the program the most as well. Affluent suburban kids probably don't need the extra help to go to college.

If our cities can offer programs like the Kalamazoo Promise, and maybe other "value-added" programs, it might help discourage urban sprawl. Just think if the cities offered so many more amenities and services that you just couldn't get in the suburbs how much influence that might have on peoples' home-buying choices.

-nb

[Veloise]

...If our cities can offer programs like the Kalamazoo Promise, and maybe other "value-added" programs, it might help discourage urban sprawl. ...

[tamias6]

The K'zoo promise is a bold step that seems to be helping. If this nations is to convert itself from an industrial economy to an information / service base one as economists are forcasting, then one who can't afford to get a collage education has no future. I'd be willing to go as far as paying extra taxes to fund a program to get people into college, granted if it doesn't get screwed up by today's corrupt politicians.

[cjpetter]

Affluent suburban kids probably don't need the extra help to go to college.