Fiery debate in Senate on higher ed funding

The Senate is in the midst of a fiery debate over the higher education budget, which calls for additional cuts. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, criticized minority Democrats for opposing the cuts, saying, “The electorate has placed us here as a guardian and as a watchdog over their pocketbook.”

Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d’Alene, said, “We’re talking about higher education here.” He noted that most Idaho students don’t even go on to higher ed, but those who do benefit greatly, including by earning higher salaries throughout their lives. “Tuition in Idaho is still one of the best buys in this country,” Hammond said, “and yes, they will have to pay a little more. … This all costs money and the students have to bear some of that load.” He said, “Quite frankly I’m not going to feel bad about that. They’ve got to have some skin in the game as well, and it’s good for them.”