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re: TOPS Update?
Posted on 10/27/16 at 8:32 am to DrSteveBrule
Posted on 10/27/16 at 8:32 am to DrSteveBrule
TOPS days are numbered
1
Posted on 10/27/16 at 8:34 am to The Torch
TOPS and the Flood have taught me two things:
Red blooded die hard small govt conservatives sure get mad when you take away their govt money.........
Red blooded die hard small govt conservatives sure get mad when you take away their govt money.........
This post was edited on 10/27/16 at 9:51 am
Posted on 10/27/16 at 8:35 am to Amblin
TOPS should only be allowed for students to take part in majors that will put money back into the state or will have a significant impact on the state.
Education Majors
Engineering Majors
Science Majors
Education Majors
Engineering Majors
Science Majors
Posted on 10/27/16 at 8:49 am to VermilionTiger
TOPS should be a low interest loan with a forgiveness option if the recipient works five years in state in their chosen field post graduation. If you leave state you pay it back, if you don't graduate you pay it back, if your underwater basket weaving degree was a waste of money then you pay t back.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:25 am to AwesomeSauce
quote:
TOPS should be a low interest loan with a forgiveness option if the recipient works five years in state in their chosen field post graduation. If you leave state you pay it back, if you don't graduate you pay it back, if your underwater basket weaving degree was a waste of money then you pay t back.
If the state could sustain high paying jobs for its best students, you wouldn't need TOPS.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:28 am to Cosmo
quote:
But dont worry, huge Medicaid expansion for deadbeats in this state
Which is still a sham.. and not even accepting people who should qualify.. so wtf is their issue.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:37 am to lsupride87
Imagine my dismay when realizing that the demographic that on average pays a higher percentage of their earnings to the government than ANY other demographic gets pissed when their few chances of government assistance are taken away. 
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:43 am to lsupride87
quote:
TOPS and the Flood have taught me two things: Red blooded die hard small govt conservatives sure get mad when you take away there govt money.........
This dude gets it.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:52 am to therick711
quote:
If the state could sustain high paying jobs for its best students, you wouldn't need TOPS.
Kind of a catch 22, you need young talent for those jobs and jobs for the young talent. My solution would at least hold some/most of the young talent in state for 5 years. If STEM talent is abundant for five years then presumably higher paying jobs and opportunities would follow. Places like Texas had the talent that then brought the jobs and recruited out of state talent. Louisiana needs to try and retain some of that top level talent to begin bringing in the better jobs. I personally would be ok with extending the TOPS loan initiative to the top STEM students in Texas/Ark/MS with a seven year loan forgiveness plan. You can't have the jobs without the talent, keep the talent and make the jobs come to you, then you can begin reducing the program as needed to create added sustainability.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:53 am to Jake88
quote:
you're being inconsistent with your usual positions.
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 9:57 am to AwesomeSauce
quote:
Kind of a catch 22, you need young talent for those jobs and jobs for the young talent. My solution would at least hold some/most of the young talent in state for 5 years.
No it wouldn't. Most people would go to the school with the better network, get the higher paying job and come out ahead over taking a loan that requires indentured servitude in a market that pays lower wages almost across the board by profession. That's the challenge.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:02 am to therick711
quote:
therick711
What would your solution be? I am looking at the intent of the program and trying to find a way to leverage it's purpose while also recouping "wasted" funds. Good jobs won't magically pop up in an area known for talent flight.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:11 am to AwesomeSauce
quote:
What would your solution be? I am looking at the intent of the program and trying to find a way to leverage it's purpose while also recouping "wasted" funds. Good jobs won't magically pop up in an area known for talent flight.
All the pieces should work together. So the solution is a bit complicated.
I would cut the institutions eligible down (leaving the votech program separate). I would like to consolidate so we could use the money at less institutions and funnel the talent to fewer institutions (ideally one, but everyone would bitch if you did that).
I would raise the requirements. Functionally, the top third of Louisiana's high school students qualify. I would either make TOPS only apply to the top 10% or, I would have different awards that give some lesser percentage to those outside of the top 10%
I would be ok with requiring a payback if a degree isn't attained, but the program already does pretty well on that front. Only 11% don't finish with a degree (the percentage has gone down every year).
I would incentivize employers to hire products of Louisiana schools by giving them favorable treatment for tax purposes.
Finally, we need to improve the public schools in this state. Many people won't stay or won't come back because they will make the less or the same but know they have to pay to educate any children they have. Until we address that issue, we will continue educating Texas' workforce.
This is by no means comprehensive. Just a jumping off point. There are so many things that have to be and should be done to help fix what it took many years to screw up, we'd need to author a white paper to scratch the surface.
This post was edited on 10/27/16 at 10:14 am
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:13 am to lsupride87
Well it is flood insurance correct? Like you pay for it and then if you need it you get it right? That's the deal?
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:15 am to therick711
What the frick ever happened to just working a trade?? Electrician, Carpenter, Welder etc. Thats some damn good money workin on them pipelines welding. Best part.... no college required.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:16 am to jimbeam
quote:No. Talking about the people who chose not to buy flood insurance for cheap, yet had their hand out for the govt to step in.....
Well it is flood insurance correct? Like you pay for it and then if you need it you get it right? That's the deal?
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:17 am to cwarr14
TOPS as currently imagined has a votech program. Nothing wrong with working a trade. It isn't going to create any jobs, though. You probably also don't want your top intellectual talent working a trade. They can be better deployed elsewhere.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:18 am to lsupride87
quote:
No. Talking about the people who chose not to buy flood insurance for cheap, yet had their hand out for the govt to step in.....
If you want a bunch of homeless people by you, great. The reality of the situation is that if you don't give them a hand, they'll get it and much more from the social welfare system.
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:19 am to therick711
That's fine. I just find it noteworthy that people who hate govt assistance and programs, are actually for govt assistance and programs
Posted on 10/27/16 at 10:19 am to BiggerBear
quote:
Yeah, people just don't understand Medicaid expansion. It's not your fault, you can't help it.
No the problem is we DO understand Medicd Expansion, and the financial implications on this state which is already hemoraging economically right now.
The real problem is the people who support it DON'T understand it, and the people who use it DGAF.
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