I think we all can agree the 7.5 percent tuition increase, approved on April 2 by the University of Missouri System (UM) Board of Curators, stinks.
For the first time in state history, students at UMKC and other UM campuses are paying more for their college education than the state is. State appropriations, decided on by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, make up 42 percent of the UM System's operating funds, while students contribute 46 percent.
As President George W. Bush's economy continues to slug along and the president's federal tax cuts continue to deplete states, there is an untapped resource which can end the funding deficits facing higher education in Missouri.
There are 11 riverboat casinos in the state, which earned over $1.3 billion in revenue during the 2003 fiscal year and are expected to make $1.6 billion in the current fiscal year, according to the Missouri Riverboat Gaming Association.
An increase in taxes on casinos, proposed by Gov. Bob Holden, as well as eliminating the $500 loss limit per gaming session, would give the state an additional $193 million annually, the Southeast Missourian reports.
But the state legislature opted not to approve these measures and offered no other alternatives to fund higher education in Missouri.
A look at contributions from the riverboats to Republican lawmakers, courtesy of followthemoney.org, shows why Republicans are afraid to tax the casinos.
As a whole, the gaming industry donated $21,850 to Missouri politicians in 2002, $14,500 of which lined Republican pocketbooks.
House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, R-Warson Woods, received $1,150 from riverboats as she ran for reelection in 2002. Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, and majority floor leader, accepted $2,150 from riverboats that same year.
The third-largest contributor to Crowell in 2002 was Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, who donated $600 to Crowell's campaign. It's hard to understand why a casino here would donate money to a politician from Southeast Missouri.
On the other side of the capitol, Republicans in the State Senate are guilty of accepting large donations from casinos as well.
Sen. Jon Dolan, R-St. Charles, accepted $5,875 from casinos in 2002, while Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, received $4,500 via riverboat casinos.
Even more troubling, some legislators who have accepted money from casinos also serve on the State Senate's appropriation committee for education, which has the most direct control on funding for higher education.
Shields is vice chair of the Senate's education committee. Doyle Childers, R-Reeds Spring, serves on the committee as well and has collected $1,150 from casinos, the third-largest contributor in his 2000 campaign.
In the House's appropriation committee for education, Rep. Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, received $1,050 from casinos.
If the lining of Republican lawmakers' pocketbooks via the gaming industry isn't enough to make you want to vote against them in November, their ability to make a joke of higher education in Missouri should be the icing on the cake.
A recent Kansas City Star article detailed the events of a debate which took place on the House floor last week, following the Republicans' sudden announcement that they believe higher-than-expected state revenue would allow for a paltry increase of $573,000 for higher education this current fiscal year, ending June 30.
During the debate, the gambling industry's pal, Majority Floor Leader Crowell, began "making siren noises into the microphone as Democrats were speaking," according to the article.
As the debate continued, Crowell continued to behave as a junior high school student would by "making flatulence sounds into his microphone."
Term limits in Missouri first took affect in 2002, allowing Republicans to take control over the State House and strengthen their hold on the State Senate for the first time since 1954.
Republicans campaigned on a change from business as usual, a promise which they have definitely delivered on, as evidenced by last week's embarrassing debacles. I bought into the Republicans' mantra for smaller government and fresh politics, a purchase I would like to return in November.
UMKC is not the most politically active campus in America, and I'm not expecting mass protests against the Republicans' robbing of higher education funding.
While there may not be a mass uprising of my peers to make sure Republicans quit placing the financial burden of college on their shoulders, I am fully confident change will come in November.
All 163 of Missouri's state representatives are up for reelection this year, 90 of which are Republicans. In the State Senate, 16 are vying to return for another four years, with eight being Republicans.
This November, send the Republicans a message and take back the funding which they took from your education.
nbarron@unews.com
