Guinn goes to bat for scholarship plan

Wednesday, April 7, 1999 | 10:47 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn, in his first appearance before a legislative committee this session, testified today his Millennium Scholarships were "comparable to the most comprehensive middle-class tax cut this state has ever seen."

The governor defended his program from Democratic criticism that the program would help children of millionaires. "Even for someone making a good living, the cost of college can be daunting," he told a joint session of the Senate Finance and the Assembly Ways and Means committees.

"A couple earning $70,000 or $80,000 a year might be considered 'wealthy' by some, but what if they have five or six children, a mortgage, medical or child-care expenses and are trying to help all of their children attain a college education?" Guinn said in his prepared remarks.

"Now instead of lying awake at night wondering how to pay for their children's tuition, those parents can spend time with their kids, helping them with their schoolwork, encouraging them to achieve that 'B' average so they can hold that Millennium Scholarship in their hands and head off to college."

A spokesman for Guinn said this would be the only time he will testify before the Legislature this session.

The governor wants to use 50 percent of the expected $48 million a year from the tobacco settlement to provide $80 a credit for Nevada graduates going to the university and $40 a credit for students at the community colleges. The students would have to maintain a "B" average in high school.

The other 50 percent of tobacco money would go to health programs.

Democrats have countered with a plan to use 25 percent to pay up to $2,500 a year for the universities and $1,250 for the community college. They intend to impose a "means" test so the money would not go to children of wealthy families. And those who are going into health and education programs would get first crack at the scholarship money.

Democrats would assign the remaining 75 percent of the money to health programs.

Meanwhile, a coalition of diverse groups called on Guinn and the Legislature to spend all of the estimated $48 million a year from the tobacco settlement on health programs.

Bob Fulkerson, director of Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said Tuesday that Nevada ranks 50th in the nation in health care spending. "Nevada needs all the money possible to make significant change," he said.

Paul Gowins, confined to a wheelchair and a lobbyist for the Disability Forum, told a news conference, "Which is harder to do -- get health care or go to college?"

Membership in the alliance includes the Nevada AFL-CIO, the Nevada State Education Association, Las Vegas Gay and Lesbian Community Center, Latinos for Political Education and the Reno-Sparks NAACP.

Signed up to testify in support of the Guinn plan were officials from the University and Community College System of Nevada, the Nevada AFL-CIO, Culinary Union Local 226 from Las Vegas, the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association.

Guinn said only 37 percent of Nevada's high school students go on to college, the second lowest mark in the nation. And for many of them, the reason is the cost of higher education.

With a share of the tobacco money, Guinn said, "We can eliminate that obstacle and pave the way for a college education for virtually every high school graduate in our state -- not just next year or the following year, but for generations to come."

The scholarship program, he said, would also help diversify the Nevada economy by turning out an increased number of college-educated employees.

The message will go out to companies looking to locate to Nevada that the state pays for the college education of students who achieve a "B" average in high school.

"We can offer an educated work force for years to come," the governor said.