State representative seeks to make education accessible through lottery
Michigan high school seniors soon could have a new incentive for wanting everybody to play the lottery — free college tuition.
Under the Michigan College Tuition Act proposed by State Rep. Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit, qualifying high school seniors would receive free college tuition at no cost to state taxpayers.
“Here in Michigan, there is a serious need for a college education to be more accessible to all residents,” Durhal said in a statement. “We need to make sure that anyone who wants to continue learning beyond high school can do so.”
To qualify for the funding, the student would have to have lived in Michigan the previous five years before graduating high school, have a 2.5 grade point average and be accepted into any of Michigan’s public or private vocational and technical schools, community colleges or universities, according to a press release.
The funds would only cover tuition and room and board. Books and meal plans would not be covered.
The student also must contribute one year of community service, including returning to their high school to mentor an “underachieving” senior.
Durhal plans to pay for the MCTA by holding three annual “super” lotteries, creating a check-box for contributions on income tax forms, corporate donations and endowments and contribution of 1 percent of all gross receipts from all Michigan casinos.
Tribe may not donate
The Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe is hesitant at the moment to contribute anything to the state.
“We used to agree to donate 2 percent of Tribal revenue on a provision of a twice-a-year audit,” said Frank Cloutier, interim public relations director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
Cloutier said the Tribe stopped donating that money when the state violated the exclusivity agreement the Tribe had by not providing any resistance to the casinos in downtown Detroit.
“The state keeps on challenging the Indian tuition waiver, so donating our revenue to help out with statewide tuition is not something we’re very accommodating to right now,” he said.
The three Detroit casinos generated $1.36 billion in revenue in 2008, according to a Detroit News article and, if they agree to Durhal’s proposal, would contribute $13.6 million to the MCTA.
$13.6 million would cover more than 1,600 freshmen taking 24 credits for an academic year under the university’s current freshman tuition rates.
The MCTA calls for creation of a “lock box,” which would keep all funding for the MCTA separate from being able to be allocated to fill state budget gaps or used for any other project.
The “lock box” would require amending the Michigan constitution, which requires a ballot initiative before the voters.
Lottery Commission spokeswoman Abbey Brewer said the amendment would bypass a state law that sends all lottery revenue to the school-aid fund.
Current high school seniors who might qualify should not expect the funds to come anytime soon. The ballot initiative constitutional amendment vote will not happen until at least the November 2010 mid-term elections.
