Higher-ed priorities

Both candidates for governor need to get real when it comes to restoring funding for our state’s universities [“For candidates, little debate on education funds,” page one, June 13].

The state has cut the University of Washington’s funding in half over the past three years, leading to skyrocketing tuition for both graduate students like myself, and for undergrads.

It’s all well and good for Jay Inslee and Rob McKenna to come out with higher-education plans [“Inslee releases plan to improve higher-ed,” NWThursday, June 14], but they have no way to pay for their ideas; assuming that state revenues will have a dramatic recovery anytime soon is not realistic.

Instead, the candidates for governor need to look at new revenue as part of the solution; a modest tax to support Washington’s public universities is a smart investment in our state’s economy.

— Melanie Mayock, Seattle