Comer-McDaniel campaign releases their higher education plan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Kentucky’s Gubernatorial race is in the final five weeks, and the Comer-McDaniels campaign released their plan for higher education on Thursday.

James Comer says as education and student loan debt continues to increase, the current system sets graduates up to fail right away.

They say their plan would include tax credits that would later reduce tuition for students attending a flagship Kentucky school to $20,000.  They say that basically cuts the cost in half, but for the student to be eligible, they must graduate in four years.

How would they accomplish this?  The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville would still get their set rates, but graduates would get a tax credit on any tuition over $20,000.  Chris McDaniel says he believes that would be paid back within five years of the student’s graduation. The graduate would have to live and except a job in Kentucky to be considered.

They also say they want universities to get state funding based on their students’ outcome, not on how many students a school attracts.

Another goal is to increase the number of technical school graduates by 10%. They say they will do that by giving employers a $2,000 tax credit after a Kentucky technical school graduate has been on the job for 2 years.

The administration says another one of their goals will be growing the middle class.