advertisement

Attention Springfield: Do something before it's too late

Illinois has been without a budget for two years and it may be a while longer before one is approved. Representatives from both parties are in a playground standoff that harms our great state.

In the last few years, I hear friends talk about how they can't wait to get out of Illinois when they retire. Many choose not to wait for that milestone and pack their bags. Those who are already gone chide our beloved state from across the borders.

Business owners talk about how they will leave Illinois because it's such an unstable place.

Sadly, students are beginning to sing the same song due to uncertainty.

That's the residual message in all of this. Uncertainty.

Take higher education for instance.

As for Southeastern Illinois College, we have fared better than expected due to conservative fiscal management and great support from our community, but no college or university will weather well if the next 24 months are as dry as the previous 24 months.

Take for instance, the southernmost eight community colleges are around 40 percent dependent upon state funding due to a low tax base. In SIC's case, that base is in large part because of our rural population and the large tracts of Shawnee National Forest which cannot be taxed for institutional support.

Imagine 40 percent of your household or business income being swept away, for the most part, receiving only a pittance of what you should get.

Imagine the tough choices that have to be made while protecting services.

Despite the lack of state aid, SIC and other community colleges do much with little - for a fraction of the cost of a four-year institution.

According to Forbes Magazine (March 21, 2017), the price and quality of instruction at community colleges can't be beat. Plus, many jobs now only require two-year technical degrees and certificates that pay better than four-year degrees.

Recently, Time Magazine stated that the gap between salaries for people with only a high school diploma and a community college degree will only widen. And the need is there, especially for technical jobs.

Nearly 50 percent of small businesses say they can't find qualified applicants to fill open spots. Community colleges help fill these jobs and could do more with reliable, sufficient state support.

If the state doesn't pay us, we have to make cuts and look elsewhere to maintain services for our region to prosper.

Community colleges need to continue to train nurses to care for you and your loved ones and supply welders and mechanics to support local industry. And community colleges provide the lowest tuition rates for students who don't want to pay outrageous university tuition rates.

But enough is enough.

You - our representatives - must do what's right for the common good. Find common ground. Use common sense.

Do something before it's too late.