To all taxpayers and state and federal government elected officials:
I am writing this letter in response to the recent news that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill plans to offer free tuition to students from families with a household income of less than $80,000 per year.
I believe this announcement is the result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling against President Biden’s attempted political ploy to forgive student loan debt to certain individuals that also meet an income threshold.
I question why the taxpayers should be required to pay the tuition for students who can’t foot the bill? In 2019, UNC Chapel Hill received $543 million from the state budget. The price of a college education is crippling. I know because I was one of eight children, all of whom graduated from college. We all had school loans, which were necessary so we could go to college. These loans were paid back over a ten-year period, and we all paid the debt. Hence, you can understand my angst with President Biden’s ploy and now UNC is at the same table game!
The problem I have — and that every taxpayer should have — is that UNC Chapel Hill has concocted a very similar scheme to what President Biden was trying to do except in reverse. It’s the taxpayers’ tax dollars that fund the state and federal government. In essence, it’s the taxpayers contributing to educating individuals whose families are making less than $80,000 a year, which in North Carolina is considered to be the top earners. If UNC has such an endowment and they receive hundreds of millions annually from us taxpayers, then perhaps we the taxpayers need to pull back our support.
In closing, I’m certain there will be folks who totally disagree with my opinion. They are entitled to their opinion, but they’re not entitled to a free education at the hands of the taxpayers. Wake up, taxpayers.
Dan Hester
Troutman
Very well put, Sir!
Bitter party of one. Nothing like a selfish, self centered individual who knows how everyone’s tax money should be spent. Some of us are willing to help our fellow citizens in hopes they will also help others. Maybe just maybe the world would be a better place. Hate, crimes and disregard for others might wane; and lead to a nicer world in which we can reside without love instead of hate in our hearts.
Nobody’s stopping you from whipping out your checkbook.
Then you pay to send someone else’s child
Don’t judge me. You don’t know me. Your comments tell me a lot about you for sure.
We invest billions of dollars in our war department, but investing in a society with an education is a bad idea? Having a chance to help kids coming behind us not face the same obstacles we face frees them to take on challenges that can help everyone. I don’t have a child in grade school, but my taxes fund them. Helping children achieve their potential should be any adult’s first priority.
Interesting you make that comment. So, the billions are already there then – all you have to do is SERVE YOUR COUNTRY and your college is free.
So accurate!!!
I started paying taxes at 16 years old. I am in my 50s with student loan debts that is still being taken every month out my account. No. I didn’t stop my payments because of zero interest. Why? It’s free money. However, we can bail out the banks and wall street. But
cannot help American born citizens who have worked everyday to achieve a better life for themselves. Everyone isn’t trying to get something for nothing. But you are not complaining about tax dollars going to illegals for food stamps and free money to live on.
Ms. Charles, fyi I don’t support any of the things you seem to suggest I do. What I do support is The United States Constitution. It begins there and ends there with me. Thank you.
I am curious. Did you write a Letter to the Editor about taxpayers having to cover the cost of “loans” that millionaires and billionaires took out during the pandemic? Who do you think is paying that money back since they were told they didn’t have to? Why attack those who earned their way into college but cannot afford it without the crippling and unnecessary debt of student loans?
You are selfish and you are the reason a COMMUNITY can’t exist because of greed. You are what is wrong with this country. Of all things to be mad about where EVERYONE’S tax Dollars goes to, you are mad about education? Not about all the dumb stuff taxes already goes to?
Ms. Amanda, there are so many “dumb stuff” as you say taxpayers monies are used for. I agree with that point. I also find your assessment of me being what’s wrong with the country insulting. When you grow up you may understand this better.
As some have already stated, your logic is skewed. The same venom that you have towards people who are earning a college degree in order to benefit society cannot be used towards those who depend on social programs. Furthermore, why direct this towards young adults? Why not have the same energy towards billionaires who were bailed out with the same tax payer dollars, repaid nothing, and now have made it more challenging for those who are attempting to make their lives and communities better places.
I would rather send my tax dollars to support public universities than for vouchers to wealthy parents who already send their kids to private school, which the Republican legislature recently passed.
and you prefer that because?
Ten year repayment. Must have attended many years ago when states subsidized schools more — taxpayers probably subsidized YOUR education more than the current generation.
Amen to that!! No one paid my tuition!! Make them work for it!
Ignore the replies….very very well put letter to the editor! I’m done with free hand outs! On the other hand, we’ve all spent more $ in the Ukraine than any of this would have cost to send all this year’s graduation class to college for 4 years….who do we contact about that?
Mr. Ross, you are spot on. We live in the greatest country in the world which as a democracy, we vote for change. That is all we have which is more than most countries. Thank you.
Actually, the NC Constitution says this: “Sec. 9. Benefits of public institutions of higher education. The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State FREE OF EXPENSE.”
Imagine being the sucker who makes $80000.01 who has to pay full tuition because they made one penny above the threshold.
Why is it greed when someone wants to keep the money they earned but it is not greed when someone else wants to take it and spend it on themselves?
A quick Google search shows that you are SIXTY EIGHT YEARS OLD. Another quick Google search shows that the average cost of tuition in the mid 70s (when you would’ve been enrolled) was $600. It’s over $9,000 now. Even adjusted for inflation, kids today are paying well over 4x what you paid for public university. Much easier to pay back student loans when you also have affordable housing, too! Also, LOL @ $80k combined income for a family being “top earners” in North Carolina. Maybe back in your day!
One last thing, try to educate yourself be it just for today.
How big an annual paycheck does a North Carolinian need to be considered among the state’s top 10% of earners?
According to a report by Policygenius, it’s at least $86,970 a year as determined by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. (Source https://greensboro.com/top-10-earners-in-north-carolina-only-achieve-middle-ground-nationally/article_b55265da-1ecf-5043-b5cc-0e14d473f5c0.html)
Joe, you’re missing my point. The word your ignoring is ” free”. Nothing is free, especially when monies are taken from taxpayers and given out as free.
You think education is expensive now? Just wait until it is “free”, then you’ll see the real costs go through the roof even more. The OP is right. Education should be paid for by those getting it, or their families. We subsidize education K-12. That is enough. If someone wants to go to college, there are avenues available to them such as joining the military for 2 or 4 years. We need to stop wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing underwater basketweaving degrees that are worthless, and colleges need to stop offering them if they don’t lead to a job with enough income to pay back any loans. Perhaps the colleges and universities need to reign in their own administrative salary costs, which have contributed to the explosion in costs, instead of looking at all the government money as gravy.
Folks that disagree with the author need to just let it go. In the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Do not attempt to teach a pig to sing. It is a waste of your time, and annoys the pig.”