Rogers: "University Budgets Have Grown At Unsustainable Rates"

On Tuesday, Cedar Falls Republican Representative Walt Rogers voted with his party in the Iowa House to approve an education budget that would cut funding for the Regents institutions, which include the , the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, by $31 million.

Today, he issued a statement elaborating on his position.

Rogers' statement, in full:

Since 1998, the budgets at Iowa’s universities have continued to grow at an unsustainable rate.  For too long that burden has just been pushed on to the backs of our students, which is not fair.  It’s time that these institutions look for efficiencies and savings in their budgets just like every Iowan is doing.  I did not support efforts by Democrats ($108 million more in spending) to once again hand universities a blank check to continue unsustainable spending while at the same time saddling our students with higher tuitions and more debt.  The people of the Cedar Valley sent me to Des Moines to protect their pocketbooks and fund their priorities.  I will continue to work with university officials, legislators and Iowans to advocate for the special circumstances of the University of Northern Iowa and develop the best solution for everyone involved.

Thanks,

Representative Walt Rogers

Representing HD 20 – Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Hudson, and Voorhies