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Election brings new GOP power to state Capitols

By WTOP Staff

DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — State capitols across the country will be more Republican than at any point since the Roaring ’20s when victorious legislators and governors take office next year. That could result in lower taxes and perhaps fewer dollars flowing to social safety net programs.

A day after a big election, newly emboldened Republican state leaders already were making plans Wednesday to pursue deeper tax cuts, relax business regulations, expand private school vouchers and impose new limits on public welfare programs.

In some states, such as Kansas, Republicans will be able to do as they want, because they control both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office. In others, such as neighboring Missouri, the Republicans’ legislative supermajorities will be so large that they can essentially disregard the objections of a Democratic governor. Elsewhere, like in New York, the Republican takeover of one legislative chamber simply means a stronger say in a state still otherwise led by Democrats.

Nowhere in the entire nation did Democrats take over a legislative chamber previously held by Republicans. And Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett was the only Republican chief executive to fall to a Democratic challenger.

For statehouse Republicans, “it’s their strongest position in nearly a century,” said Tim Storey, an analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Republicans will have full control of at least 29 state legislatures, according to the conference, the party’s largest total since 1928, perhaps earlier. The GOP will hold at least 32 governorships, including newly won offices in traditionally Democratic Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts.

In many cases, the Republican victories expanded majorities won in previous elections, such as the 2010 GOP sweep. Over the past several years, Republicans already have used those majorities to cut taxes, restrict abortions, expand gun rights and limit the powers of public employee unions.

Those all remain high on the Republican agenda.

“We’re going to focus on legislation that helps small businesses, whether that’s taxes, labor or the regulatory environment,” said Missouri House Speaker-nominee John Diehl, whose Republican caucus now holds its highest-ever number of seats.

The challenge for Republicans may be to constrain their enthusiasm, lest they go further than some voters had anticipated and complicate their chances of re-election in the future.

After large GOP majorities in Kansas enacted widespread income tax cuts in recent years, the resulting budget difficulties turned Tuesday’s election into a referendum on Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s financial policies. He narrowly won, as Republicans added to their ranks in the House.

Brownback acknowledged at a victory party that “it’s a difficult time for many Kansas families” and “jobs are scarce,” but he pledged to keep the state on the route he had charted.

“Our way is holding down taxes, holding down regulations, controlling spending,” Brownback said.

Republican governors or legislative leaders in Maryland, Maine, New York, Texas and West Virginia also are already talking of tax cuts.

Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott has promised to make an expansion of school vouchers and charter schools a priority for his new Republican administration that will be paired with an even larger GOP majority in the House and Senate.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who won re-election along with an expanded GOP legislative majority, also wants to expand enrollment in a private school voucher program. His agenda includes drug tests for people seeking food stamps or unemployment benefits and more tax cuts on top of the $2 billion enacted during his first term.

In Maine, Assistant Republican Senate Leader Roger Katz said that the new GOP-led Senate hopes to team with a Republican governor to implement “sensible” changes to welfare programs, cut government spending, lower taxes and eliminate bureaucracy for businesses.

The Republican victory in Arkansas was the largest since Reconstruction, with GOP candidates sweeping the statewide offices and building upon its legislative majorities. Republicans will have to decide whether to continue a program enacted under Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe that expanded health coverage to more than 200,000 people by using Medicaid money to buy private insurance.

“With these victories by the new Republicans — many of whom have voiced opposition to that — it really puts it in some real danger,” said Jay Barth, a political science professor at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. “The big test initially is what happens to the private option.”

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Associated Press writers Alana Durkin in Augusta, Maine; Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin; and Will Weissert in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.

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Follow David A. Lieb at: https://twitter/DavidALieb

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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