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 College Affordability in Jeopardy As Public College Tuition Soars SAN JOSE, CA, (PRNewswire), February 11, 2003 - Public higher education tuition has soared in the past year as state spending for colleges and universities has dropped sharply, according to a new report on college affordability released today. States that increased tuition were not necessarily the same states that offset those increases with additional investment in student financial aid. For example, public four-year college tuition increased in Massachusetts by 24%, while the state decreased student financial aid by 24%. In Illinois, public four-year college tuition increased by 9%, while the state cut student financial aid by 10%. In Missouri, public four-year tuition increased by 20%, while the state decreased student financial aid by 5%. "The states are responding to the budget crisis by passing major cuts on to colleges and universities -- and colleges and universities are responding to these reductions by passing on the cost to students and families," stated Patrick M. Callan, President of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. "This is all happening at a time when student financial aid is not keeping pace with increases in tuition. "The result was the worst fiscal news for public higher education institutions and their students in at least a decade, as the economic recession struck almost every state," the report noted. College Affordability in Jeopardy, released today by the National Center, highlights the nation's public two- and four-year colleges and universities, which enroll about 80% of America's college students. This report is the first to look at what has happened state-by-state to public tuition and fees, state appropriations for higher education, state student financial aid, and personal income for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (as of December, 2002). The report shows that public colleges continue to become less affordable for students and families. At public four-year colleges and universities, 16 states have increased tuition and fees by more than 10%. Massachusetts led with the largest increase, at 24%, followed by Missouri, Iowa and Texas at 20% and North Carolina at 19%. "The cumulative effect is a major assault on college affordability," said Callan. "This comes at a time when unemployment is high, personal income is basically flat, and college-level education and training is a requirement for most well-paying jobs." 'Clean Up St. Louis' Campaign Launched ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), February 10, 2003 - The "Clean Up St. Louis" is the second program in St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay's Neighborhood Life Initiatives. The campaign is focusing on illegal dumping of trash and debris. In a press statement, the Mayor stated, "My administration has made a major commitment to cleaning up our City. This past year, the City picked up 30 million pounds of illegally dumped trash and debris from the streets, alleys and vacant lots of our neighborhoods." The Mayor added that the seven police officers in the City's Environmental Investigation Unit arrested more than 700 people for illegal dumping. Based on complaints to the Citizens Service Bureau, the City has identified streets and alleys that are repeatedly used for illegal dumping. Once the clean up is complete, the area will be patroled. Violations carry fines of up to $500 and 30 days in jail. For more information on illegal dumping, citizens can contact the Citizens Service Bureau at 314-622-4800. Illegal Waste Tire Sites Targeted ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), February 10, 2003 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources estimates that more than 250,000 illegal waste tires are scattered across the state, serving as breeding grounds for harmful pests and insects and posing a fire hazard to those living nearby. The department is offering assistance to property owners in cleaning up and recycling these tires. Missouri citizens also can help by reporting illegal waste tire dumps. In a press statement, the department stated that owners who are not responsible for the creation of the illegal waste tire site may not be required to pay for the cleanup costs. The following criteria must be met before property owners can be eligible for the program:
The cleanup is funded by the state's 50-cent-per-tire waste tire fee that is paid when new tires are purchased. The waste tire fee is set to expire Jan. 1, 2004, unless it is renewed. For more information on this program, property owners may contact Dan Fester or Byron Murray in the department at 1-800-361-4827 or (573) 526-7635. Sigma Asks Missouri Court for Restraining Order Against Gaming Commission LAS VEGAS, (BUSINESS WIRE), February 10, 2003 - Sigma Game Inc. has asked a Missouri state court for a temporary restraining order to prevent the state's Gaming Commission from not renewing its supplier license. In a statement, Sigma asserted that the non-renewal was an unlawful and abusive exercise of regulatory discretion that would jeopardize Sigma and the livelihood of its 130 employees. Sigma's complaint, filed in Cole County Circuit Court, charged the Commission with violating the company's Fourteenth Amendment due process rights. It also challenged the constitutionality of Commission hearing rules that "uniquely and illegally confer upon the Commission the power to take away property without sworn testimony or due process of law." According to the complaint, "The Commission has acknowledged that the non-renewal of Sigma's license ... is being undertaken to pressure a third party lender to make disclosures that the lender has no statutory obligation to make." The third party is Aruze Corp. and its CEO Kazuo Okada, from whom the owner of Sigma's parent company, KM Inc., once borrowed $20 million to retire Sigma bank debt. "The Commission doesn't have a rule that compels Aruze and Okada to make disclosures," said Sigma CEO Jim Jackson. "We are powerless because Aruze and Okada are not employees or agents of Sigma, so our repeated pleas for disclosure have gone unheeded. Donna B. More, Sigma's attorney and former general counsel to the Illinois Gaming Board questioned the Commission's actions in the Aruze and Okada matter. "As we noted in the complaint," More said, "this Commission seems to think it has the power to suspend constitutional due process rights, inflict irreparable damage and take away property as a means to an unlawful end. "Talk with gaming regulators anywhere in the U.S. and they will tell you that their regulations must adhere to the principle of due process where people -- and companies -- have a right to an impartial hearing," More asserted. "The Commission has denied that right to our client, and presumably could do the same thing to any other licensed company or to any one of the more than 10,000 licensed gaming employees in Missouri if they are not challenged." Sigma's injunction request asserts that the Commission's decision not to renew Sigma's license is based on facts already at issue in a pending disciplinary hearing. More said that the courts have held that while an administrative review is pending, the grounds for that review cannot be used as the basis for not renewing a license. Payless Car Rental Opens at Lambert ST. LOUIS, MO, (BUSINESS WIRE), February 5, 2003 - Moving toward the company goal of doubling the number of franchise locations by 2004, Payless Car Rental System, Inc. recently opened three franchise locations servicing major international airports, including Oakland International Airport, Lambert St. Louis International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport. In an announcement, Avalon Global Group, Inc., parent company of Payless Car Rental System, Inc. announced that additional airport locations will be opening soon in the Republic of Panama and Jamaica. "Over the past three years, Payless has initiated an aggressive airport expansion plan and now operates in-terminal and off-property franchises at major U.S. and international airports," said Michael Harley, president and chief operating officer, Payless Car Rental System, Inc. "Airport customers receive the same personal service and low prices offered at our community based locations in addition to the business and personal travel discount programs." Off-property Payless Car Rental locations provide travelers easy access to the airport through convenient shuttle service. Customers have access to Payless Car Rental at some of the country's busiest airports with in-terminal counters at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport, Denver International Airport, Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. An in-terminal counter will be opening in the near future at Los Angeles International Airport. STL-News is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group as a special feature of the Saint Louis Front Page for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2008 Moore Design Group . |
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