The College Fix

With “no organized opposition” and support from the full spectrum of the state establishment – government, business, labor and student groups – Oregonians soundly rejected a proposed college financial aid fund, The Oregonian reports.

The measure, pushed by Treasurer Ted Wheeler as an “out-of-the-box way” to help students afford college, would have authorized the state to borrow money that would seed a $100 million endowment and pay scholarships out of that investment.

But as of Tuesday night the measure was failing by 3 to 2, and the face of its tiny opposition wasn’t surprised:

Steve Buckstein, of the Cascade Policy Institute, emerged as the measure’s most critical opponent and submitted the sole argument against the measure in the Voters’ Pamphlet. He said he was not surprised by the voters’ decision.

“Having taxpayers go in to debt to fund some college students’ cost was not good public policy,” he said.

The measure also drew an interesting mix of support and opposition from newspaper editorial boards – The Oregonian in Portland and the Bend Bulletin, from the state’s prosperous central recreation area, urged “no” votes. Dailies in Salem, the capital; Eugene, home to the University of Oregon; and the high desert eastern Oregon recommended “yes” votes.

Read The Oregonian story.

h/t Red Alert Politics

Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter

IMAGE: Michael Li/Flickr