Op-Ed in the Seattle Times: "Higher-education cuts mortgage Washington's future."

In an attempt to close the budget deficit of more than $5 billion, deep cuts are proposed to our state’s colleges and universities. The cuts will have long-lasting and harmful effects on our state and our economy as Budget and Policy Center Board Chair Aaron Katz discussed in recent Seattle Times Op-Ed.

Katz writes, " Where once a university degree was affordable to nearly anyone because state taxpayers provided adequate support, students and their families must now shoulder more than half of the cost. Proposals on the table in Olympia will cut $500 million from Washington's higher-education system, on top of more than $770 million in cuts over the last two years...."

Last week, Legislators gave the state's public universities greater authority to set undergraduate tuition.

The Op-Ed includes findings from our recent policy brief "Undermining Prosperity: Higher Education Cuts Weaken Access, Affordability, and Quality."

Read full the Op-Ed here.

Learn more about options for a balanced approach to our state budget deficit.