by Helen Sabin, Corvallis
This is in reply to valley residents who are complaining about others being cheap with their money and voting against the college levy. Ballots are out now.
But my husband and I taught our sons about Economics 101. They paid for their own education and both kids and adults here in the valley can do the same now without asking for taxpayer money.
Here’s how: Economics 101
· Apply for scholarships! College minutes state that scholarships are NOT being utilized.
· Go into the military and get the GI Bill!
· GO TO WORK!
1. For Valley employer who will assist with college costs!
2. For employers who will teach you the skills you need for a good-paying job for the rest of your life.
3. Do work-study programs.
If you are low-income, Summit Career Center in Stevensville will pay for your classes. Many are the kind you can use to make a career for life.
And save your pennies! Double them each day!
A PENNY can make you a MILLIONAIRE in 30 days: Compare a “magic penny” that doubles every day for 31 days, versus $3,000,000 cold cash given on day one. Notice that by day 28, the magic penny has already made you a millionaire. By day 31, the magic penny is worth a whopping $10,737,418.24! The cold cash is still $3,000,000. That’s the power of The Compound Effect.
For those against the levy, remind the college Trustees about Economics 101. They voted to make the levy PERMANENT versus DURATIONAL. If the levy were durational, the TRUSTEES must come back to the taxpayers every ten years and prove their results like the other educational institutions must do.
Use common sense, not emotion and don’t feel guilty for saying no. Cite Economics 101 to anyone who says you should vote for the levy. NOPE! VOTE AGAINST the LEVY! You did it in 2020, and you can do it again!
Alan says
I’m voting no. Tired of education passing the invoice to property owners while the rest skate free. No more.
Helen Sabin says
This is in reply to Robert Walsh, Bitterroot Star, April 27, 2022, in his reply to my posting of VOTE NO on the COLLEGE LEVY.
Robert, I will respond to only the first point in your ridiculous letter as I have better things to do with my time. You state, “…Helen Your ideas appear to be short-sided, born of a narrow brand of self-interest.”
Yes and no Robert. Yes, to self-interest and no, to short-sighted.
Hey, what does short-sided mean Robert? I don’t think I am one of those.
I have self-interest as I am NOT going to allow YOU to steal my hard-earned money. I refuse to pay for and waste my money on a mismanaged business project that wouldn’t pass a business 101 final exam.
In two years, the Trustees did NOT come up with a workable plan, a responsible well thought out budget, a path forward for the college in terms of student enrollment, student retention, courses desired, housing, advertising, hiring a new president for the college, teacher recruitment, and need from the community. And you want me to fund PERMANENTLY that irresponsibility from them and YOU?
Further, Florence was left out of the tax levy. WHY? They are a part of the valley and will benefit from having that so-called “workforce” go to work there. Please explain why they were left out of having to pay this permanent tax.
Taxpayers including me, already pay for K-12 education, adult literacy, and for many of the universities and colleges now in our taxes. We already have 30 or more in this state alone! Why should we fund another? Please explain.
In addition, there are TWO schools right here in this valley now teaching workforce skills. The Summit Career Center in Stevensville provides many of the same classes that the BC and the BVCC offer such as Certified Nurse Aide and carpentry and even some they do not, like sheet metal fabrication and medical billing and coding. Then, there is the college that teaches beauty and cosmetology. TWO SCHOOLS Robert here in the valley that are teaching workforce skills already. You forget about Trapper Creek workforce training too.
Further, one trustee told us that only 120 students are projected for the opening in 2024. With a projected budget of two million dollars that is $16,666 per student that we would be spending. Does that make financial sense? Not to me, it doesn’t.
In conclusion, the EMSI Burning Glass study “failed,” and it was a “boilerplate approach.” In its own conclusion, it stated there is LOW INTEREST in having an AA degree by students in this valley. A final point. IF there is so much interest in having a community college, why are scholarships that are FREE MONEY NOT being grabbed up by education-thirsty students? What does that tell you?
Robert, there are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. ― Soren Kierkegaard. You meet both standards! Don’t expect us taxpayers to do the same.
Gomez says
“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. “
This is rich coming from someone who still insists, beyond all fact, logic and reason that Trump won. Seriously, it’s the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. 🙂
Paulgoeltz says
Sorry but your arguments don’t work!
Robert Walsh says
Sorry to say, Helen, but your ideas here appear to be shortsighted, born of a narrow brand of self-interest, and clearly lack a ground in the facts of the matter. Here is the real problem with not having a community college that provides workforce training and education right here in the valley, something that your supposed solution fails to address or even see at all.
The workforce in Ravalli County is “graying out,” according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Across the state and across the workforce, there are not enough new workers to replace the baby boomers who are reaching retirement age. That’s the problem. The Bitterroot Valley Community College (BVCC) is a big part of the solution, backed up by research.
The lack of skilled workers in the valley is an obstacle to attracting new businesses. But the lack of business expansion results in a lack of good-paying jobs. Consequently, high school graduates must leave the valley to get workforce training and education. Then they find jobs outside the valley because the good jobs are not here. And since the workforce is the muscle of the local economy, the local economy suffers. The Bitterroot Valley Community College will help to stop that downward economic spiral.
On the one hand, BVCC works directly with businesses throughout the valley to create workforce training programs that are specific to local business needs. Graduates of those programs at BVCC will get higher-paying jobs right here in the valley. Thanks to BVCC, workers will stay in the valley and their higher wages will be spent and re-spent in the local economy.
On the other hand, BVCC will coordinate curricula opportunities, apprenticeship programs, dual enrollment placements, etc. with local high schools to provide graduates with low-cost alternatives to training and education right here at home.
There are many ways that BVCC will enhance the local economy with its PERMANENT presence. Having an educated and well-trained workforce benefits everyone, Helen, including you. No citizen lives in a bubble of self. We are all in this together.
Local training – for local jobs – builds local community. That’s what works.
Vote FOR the BVCC levy!