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Money from Casino

Lansing, if they get this casino, wants to use their portion of the revenue to pay for college for every Lansing student.

"The city's 2% annual share of that money, which Bernero said would be about $5 million to $6 million a year, would pay for the Lansing Promise, a new program to pay for four-year college scholarships to any public Michigan university for graduates of the city's public school district. It would be modeled after a similar scholarship program in Kalamazoo funded by private benefactors."

This made me wonder where are the funds that Toledo is going to recieve being allocated? Are they going to the general fund and how do we change that so it goes to a similar type program? Why does Toledo never think outside the box?

http://www.freep.com/article/20120123/NEWS06/201230323/Tribe-s-plans-for-a-new-casino-in-Lansing-could-transform-struggling-city?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

created by toledoramblingman on Jan 23, 2012 at 11:31:09 am     Other     Comments: 35

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Comments ... #

That is awesome!

posted by upso on Jan 23, 2012 at 11:52:43 am     #   1 person liked this

That really is a fantastic idea. And since we have four casinos, they could even split it between the cities and the state: each city gets half of the funds they bring in to put toward this project for their own kids to go to their local universities, and the state can use the other half to support the rest of the kids in the state and the rest of the state's colleges.

posted by Johio83 on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:02:02 pm     #  

Good luck with that, the politicians had the money spent before the first brick was laid.

posted by Linecrosser on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:11:32 pm     #   6 people liked this

Actually, you're right about that. They've already started talking about how the delays in casino construction across the state has lead to budget shortfalls. Talk about counting your chickens before they've hatched. And who the F assumes a construction project the size of a casino will go exactly to plan, and doesn't factor in for any setbacks? Truly mind boggling...

posted by Johio83 on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:16:20 pm     #   1 person liked this

The deputy mayor is already complaining that delaying the opening is going to cost the city a couple of millions for the general fund.

I believe he has suggested they go around the mandated policies to hasten the opening.

Our children and grandchildren education is the last thing on politicians minds these days. Much better to sell of parts of the city to China.

posted by jackie on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:16:41 pm     #   1 person liked this

With all due respect I would prefer to see the students earn the money by working at the casino to pay for their own educations.

posted by Danneskjold on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:23:24 pm     #   6 people liked this

With all due respect that is exactly how I and my children went through school. It cost $90/Semester for up to 21 hours back in those days for me. Even my oldest put herself through college on a part-time job.

But those days are gone and cost of education, especially college, are out of sight. I have grandchildren with college debt that is overwhelming. Anything we can do to help them get education at a lower cost is fine with me.

posted by jackie on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:33:43 pm     #   3 people liked this

I agree with Jackie. It's not as easy as "just tell them to get a job" when a year's college tuition can cost as much as a car, and unemployment is high across the country.

posted by Johio83 on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:36:09 pm     #  

It's not feasible to work through college any more. I worked 2-3 part time jobs at a time while in college and still had to take out student loans (that was the late 90's) tuition is an order of magnitude higher now.

posted by INeedCoffee on Jan 23, 2012 at 12:39:33 pm     #  

INeedCoffee posted at 11:39:33 AM on Jan 23, 2012:

It's not feasible to work through college any more. I worked 2-3 part time jobs at a time while in college and still had to take out student loans (that was the late 90's) tuition is an order of magnitude higher now.

Same time frame INC and did the same.

The funding model for education is broken, but meeting greedy college's fix for money out of the taxpayer's pocket will only increase their greed.

Occupy the Dean's Office.

posted by dbw8906 on Jan 23, 2012 at 01:03:27 pm     #   3 people liked this

dbw, I was just going to say that.

posted by Linecrosser on Jan 23, 2012 at 01:39:22 pm     #   1 person liked this

Lansing, if they get this casino, wants to use their portion of the revenue to pay for college for every Lansing student....This made me wonder where are the funds that Toledo is going to recieve being allocated? Are they going to the general fund and how do we change that so it goes to a similar type program? Why does Toledo never think outside the box?

Did everybody here forget that Toledo Public Schools already has a similar program/programs for both Owens CC and University of Toledo?

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The UT Guarantee at the University of Toledo

The UT Guarantee offers 100 percent tuition and general fees for academically qualified students that can show financial need and who meet the following criteria:

· Must be a recent graduate of Toledo Public Schools
· File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial need, along with showing eligibility for a Pell Grant
· Hold a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point-average in high school
· The scholarship is good for all four years of college, as long as the recipient maintains a 3.0 grade-point-average, successfully completes 30-credit hours each school year and files the FAFSA annually.

------------

Success Program At Owens Community College

Owens Community College is now even more accessible for students from Toledo Public Schools. Tuition is free through the Success Scholarship Program. To qualify students need to receive only partial financial aid in the form of a federal Pell Grant. Owens will provide a grant to cover the remaining cost of tuition and fees for up to three years.

The objective of the Success Program is to make an associate’s degree available for all students. The program gives students a reason to stay in school and earn their high school diploma since it is available only to high school graduates. There is no grade point restriction. If students want a college education then all they have to do is complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) form. Once they qualify for any assistance then Owens Community College picks up the rest. The final step is to enroll at Owens. With over 130 programs the toughest decision is to decide what courses to take.

-------------

Two choices. 100% free for needy students who show good academic potential (UT) or no potential at all (Owens--GPA doesn't matter, but you can go there). We have to spend more because Johnny or Lucy wants to go to Ohio State or Kent State instead? Someone please explain to me again why we need a new scholarship program?

And isn't this the same board where people bitch about Lloyd Jacobs and all the money he's getting / wasting, while at the same time firing low level employees and jacking up tuition? Now, we want to give him more money on top of that from the casino...while our roads are falling apart (among other things)?

Sorry, the casino money (if there truly will be any) should be spent on other things.

posted by oldhometown on Jan 23, 2012 at 02:19:01 pm     #  

And it's not the casino's fault that it's being delayed it's the "state".

From the Columbus Dispatch

"The Casino Control Commission was told today that the state does not enough time to properly investigate casinos in Cleveland and Toledo before their proposed opening dates."

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/04/Cleveland-Toledo-casinos-delayed_.html

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 23, 2012 at 02:32:15 pm     #  

Michigan isn't the only state using gambling money for education. In New Mexico, where my daughter and family live, they use the Lottery money for scholarships for NM students. Some are full scholarship but many are smaller grants and aid.

I think we are looking at this the wrong way. It is the student who gets a grant, whatever, to attend college. All colleges are big businesses these days and till we change that nothing is going to change. But the student is deserving of some help with tuition, books, etc. And middle class families are the ones in the middle of a great big hurt on this at the moment.

posted by jackie on Jan 23, 2012 at 02:36:15 pm     #  

Why don't we address the real "issue"? That college tuition is way out of control. The cost is above and beyond what the education is really worth but since student loans are generally easy to get, the costs just keep going up and up and no one seems to care until the student graduates and is left with no job and an enormous loan to pay back.

posted by hockeyfan on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:02:47 pm     #   3 people liked this

old----The majority of Pell Grants are given to students whose parents make less than $30,000 a year so I am not sure how many people actually benefit from a program that has that as its qualification. I know our family was in the lower middle class range and I didn't qualify for pell grants. I would tend to think that more students do not qualify than those that do.

posted by toledoramblingman on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:20:23 pm     #  

Why don't we address the real "issue"? That college tuition is way out of control.

Of course it is, but any cutbacks cause political havoc and nobody (D, R, or in-between) in politics has the guts to say that not everybody needs a college education.

Somehow that blatant fact makes you "anti-kids" or "anti-education"...despite the fact that mechanics, plumbers, electricians, police officers, construction workers, etc. can make quite nice livings without the aid of a precious college degree.

College is not for everybody...and it's a shame that kids that decide that it isn't for them are a lot of times initially looked at as disappointments. My cousin dropped out of Ohio State his sophomore year...and is now approaching 50 and has been happy (and financially stable) doing all kinds of home repair and remodeling jobs for 30 years. Sometimes he does demo & construction, but other times it's just him and a toolbelt re-doing someone's kitchen cabinets.

But initially, his parents thought they failed because he didn't go for the degree. He can read, write, do high-school level math, think for himself (not exactly a easily-found commodity in many colleges), and do his own taxes. And yet, that's the path that is subtly or overtly discouraged by the "education peddlers"...

posted by oldhometown on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:23:27 pm     #   1 person liked this

OHT,

That's true but then if you decide to change careers you can be screwed.

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:38:44 pm     #  

Take me for example I got tired of the construction scene even though I was making pretty good money. It just wasn't for me anymore. It broke down my body from all the years of doing it, especially my knees and back.

So here I am at 30 some years old trying to go back to school with 5 kids and a wife that worked seconds. I would work during the day and then go to school at night and then spend most of my weekends writing papers and such missing some of my kid's stuff but I did it for them.

I wish I would have listened to my parents, especially my dad who is in construction. I should have went to college first for the degree first like he wanted me to and then went into construction if I still wanted to. I wouldn't have had to deal with all I did when I went back in my 30's.

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:45:34 pm     #  

lfrost it's the same reason that if my daughter grew up and wanted to "do hair" I would suggest she get a business or accounting degree and learn to run her own shop in case she gets tired of doing perms.

posted by dbw8906 on Jan 23, 2012 at 03:58:19 pm     #  

Dbw,

That's another reason I got out. I did run my own company and after working 10 or 11 hours a day I still had to go do bids and paperwork, which also took time away from my kids. I just got tired of the whole scene.

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:04:30 pm     #  

Toledo Casino's first job:

Liason between the Casino (the casino in ROSSFORD, mind you) and the city of toledo...

Annual salary - $150,000...
Position filled - Carleton S Finkbeiner

posted by billy on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:40:10 pm     #  

The Casino is not in Rossford. It's close but it's outside of the city limits.

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:47:44 pm     #  

Was Carty really hired? I thought their only local hire so fare was Mike Bell’s niece Shayla Bell.

posted by SensorG on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:57:22 pm     #  

In 1983 my youngest daughter qualified for a Pell Grant as I was a poor struggling single mother. She fortunately was also very bright and managed to get college, tuition and books paid for. Being a co-op engineering student allowed her to pay for room and board. But even then we barely qualified.

The very poor or very bright do well in getting help for college. But the others are just being gouged by the costs of higher education. I also blame parents who gave their children everything they ever wanted, regardless of need, so they have no real clue about what that big educational loan is going to cost.

I have a couple of grandchildren right now that have student loan payments larger than their house payments. Inconceivable to me.

posted by jackie on Jan 23, 2012 at 07:08:40 pm     #   3 people liked this

My point on not adding more public funding for colleges is that any public funds that get dumped into the system will not really lower the cost of education for the citizens. It only allows colleges to continue to raise their tuition prices above the rate of inflation and bilk the tax payer in addition to the student and eventually make it almost impossible for anyone to go to College without some type of grant or public funding.

posted by Danneskjold on Jan 23, 2012 at 07:39:31 pm     #   2 people liked this

One of the priorities of Owens, at least in the past 10 years and certainly while Dr. Adams was there, was building a new administration building. That was more important than, ya know, keeping tuition down, or paying the instructors closer to state average.

posted by anonymouscoward on Jan 23, 2012 at 11:52:36 pm     #  

Sensor, locals have been hired. My daughter interviewed several weeks ago for a management position and starts Feb. 6.

posted by shortysmom on Jan 24, 2012 at 02:07:45 am     #   1 person liked this

I think the money should go for road repair. College is highly overrated.

posted by deere1 on Jan 24, 2012 at 11:30:55 am     #   1 person liked this

Lotto is gambling and wasn't those proceeds supposed to go to education? After all the advertising and ever increasing cost to produce of course I doubt there is as much money flowing to education as the people originally envisioned.

posted by Linecrosser on Jan 24, 2012 at 12:31:22 pm     #  

Last year that was about 728,000,000 but that's divided up by 600 schools within the state

posted by lfrost2125 on Jan 24, 2012 at 12:55:26 pm     #  

I didn't find Decembers report on total sales so used 2010's. All totaled from Dec 2010 to Nov 2011 the Lottery had a total sales of 2,619.9 Million of which 748.1 Million went to the LPEF lottery profits education fund.

posted by Linecrosser on Jan 24, 2012 at 01:52:24 pm     #  

Oh found it 738,810,000.00 for 2012 transfered to the LPEF according to
http://www.ohiolottery.com/assets/pdf/about/CAFR_2011

posted by Linecrosser on Jan 24, 2012 at 02:02:13 pm     #  

I believe that when the Lottery money came in for education the state stripped that amount from their aid. The net result was zero new funds.

posted by jackie on Jan 24, 2012 at 05:00:34 pm     #  

I'm all for legalized gambling, but I would not hold my breath waiting to see that money benefit taxpayers [or college students] in any meaningful way. The gubmint won't want to put any pressure on the casino owners, lest they cease "creating jobs." We'll get what we get.

Case in point: Hollywood Casino has a contract with Paulson to supply their playing cards. Paulson is a company that makes playing cards in Mexico. If our state government had any brains, they would have written a clause in the bill mandating the casinos to buy playing cards from the United States Playing Card company, who makes them right here in Ohio.

Normally I would not advocate the government forcing one company to patronize another; but since the government is allowing these casino companies a MONOPOLY in each town they operate in, in my view they are already meddling with the free market, so why not do so to benefit a PROVEN job creator?

posted by Sohio on Jan 24, 2012 at 10:39:11 pm     #  

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