GOP Reinforces Their Cuts to Montana’s Higher Education System

Today, the House Appropriations took executive action on a series of Democratic amendments that seek to replace some of the funding that Republicans have taken from our state’s higher education system.

Unfortunately, the Republicans put partisanship over commonsense as they rejected these amendments on a party-line vote.

What makes the Republican cuts even worse is the fact that they are unnecessary. The Governor presented the legislature with a budget that is paid for, without raising taxes on Montanans. These cuts the GOP is pushing through are a statement of their values and today their statement came through loud and clear.

Under the GOP’s education budget, Montana students will face new taxes in the form of tuition increases. Opponents of the GOP’s plan included school administrators from around the state who reminded the committee that the tuition increases would make Montana schools less competitive, and the state would likely see reduced enrollment as students are forced to go to schools in surrounding states. Unfortunately, the Republicans on the committee ignored this testimony and reinforced their education cuts.