What is taking place today with TOPS was bound to happen. Those who have just a little knowledge of budgeting knew it was only a matter of time. The people and our elected officials think it is a very worth while program and the sad part of it all is the mismanagement by the previous administration and the legislature.
When government is faced with choices, elected officials have the responsibility to face the challenge of those choices and act accordingly. Governor Edwards has done that in his proposed budget concerning TOPS by recommending for the next budget year TOPS financing only about 1/3 what it had been doing because of revenue shortfalls. It brings reality to the subject matter for the legislature to deal with. So lets look at TOPS as a worthy program that enables the state's citizens to have a Louisiana college education and stay and work inside the state instead of seeking employment out of state.
If it is a worthy program, the answers are there as to how to make it work. The first question to be answered is: Does the state have the necessary revenue to fully fund the program year in and year out. Enrollment is sure to increase and so will tuition so that has to be taken into consideration as the cost of the TOPS program will continue to escalate as it has done since the program was started.
If the answer is no then the legislature has to take the next step. Instead of funding full tuition how much can the state afford to have a reduced level of TOPS support. Could it be 20, 30 or 40% of tuition? Can a source of funding at that level be found year in and year out. Even a lesser level of TOPS funding will create a problem if a steady stream of funding is not found.
Those questions should have been answered before the program was even started. Reality then would have averted what the state is going through now. Edwards is trying to have the legislature prioritize its needs. The needy and the most important issues for the state and its people should come first. Edwards has taken the first step by himself by announcing his decision to delay some construction that the state can not afford at this time and which is not a priority.
There was no TOPS available while this writers children were of school age but I know what today's parents face. If I were a parent of college aged children I would settle for TOPS even if at a reduced benefit if that is the only thing the state could afford. That would still be a great help.
The legislature has to learn from the past failures so Louisiana's future will not be like the failed past. A crisis of ones own making can be corrected, reversed and a new progressive future can be charted. If the legislature works with Governor Edwards in due time they will be able to say, "we faced the bullet, did our jobs and took care of the business of the state and our people." If they can say that then needy programs like TOPS will be viable.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
