Providing tuition is not free

Thank you for running the Our View opinion piece concerning the president's proposed free community college tuition proposal. You raised some questions. I have more.

First and foremost it isn't "free." It will be paid for with taxes or more borrowing and even more taxes. But as bad as those lines read, what makes this whole question nonsensical is there all kinds of current tax credits and deductions for both parents of college students and the students themselves should they be employed.

Second, I have no idea where the president came up with the numbers of $60 billion from the federal government and $20 billion from states, but the reality is the same students now attending will likely apply for this benefit which accomplishes nothing other than more debt.

Third, At what point do students and their parents have "skin in the game?"

Believe it or not the free ride will end, and they will actually have to take responsibility.

Lastly, what this proposal does more than anything else is create another federal and state bureaucracy staffed by more government bureaucrats that will simply duplicate and triplicate at least two other systems already in place.

As someone who worked two jobs and went to community college and university nights while raising a family, I find this proposal repulsive. No more free rides. It ain't free!

Richard Francke

Bartlett