Well first off, let me start by saying how I am the worst nightmare for anyone who plans on cutting the spending of education or making it hard for students to earn their inalienable right to an affordable and quality higher education. I hold steadfast to the value of education and the doors it opens for millions of individuals here in this state and abroad. Therefore, I take this issue of high tuition fees and level of debt seriously! I will draft legislation that addresses this dire issue and keeps you on the path of success without going in debt by doing so. I plan to stop the cutting of spending in education, introduce a paid 2 year tenure of college by the state, and lastly, lower interest rates. I say if you want to boost our economy and see an increase in revenue, how about you start making more money available for college students who are our future entrepreurs, egnineers and physcians. Average state spending has decreased to 23% less per student. That is about $2,026. This decrease in spending has caused tuition prices to soar, by soar I mean 28%. Tuition has been raised more than 22.7%. This is adversely effects the quality of education you are receiving in the classroom. With no money, colleges are forced to create larger class sizes, cut courses, and, and fire the best professors. Here in Mississippi, government has cut spending by 25.2%, that is $2,524.(CBPP) If you ask me that could have been all it took to save several students from taking out a loan. We have to get serious and start being fiscally conservative. We need to repeal ineffective tax deductions, exemption, and credits. We need to roll back past years' tax cuts and repeal certain tax breaks for companies operating outside of the United States. We can find the revenue, so lets get to it! Next, I would like to introduce something completely new to the state of Mississippi. I would like to promise students who in high school maintain an accumlative gpa of 3.0, perform at least 500 hours of community service, and have summer work or intern experience the opportunity to attend a public university, trade/technical school, or community college for two years absolutely free! That is right two years of college all on the state's dime! This new program would be called the Mississippi Promise: Pay it Forward. In this program, students could attend college for two years absolutely at no cost if they promise to pay two percent of their income for ten years after graduation. Not only that but, work with a mentor during college, attend a mandatory weekly study session, perform at least 20 hours of community service per semester, and maintain a 2.7 grade point average We would gather the money for this program by increasing the lottery tax, using the lottery reserve fund and increasing sales tax by .5 percent. Tax is not a dirty word unless you are referring to alcohol! We have got to get away from this mindset that taxes are Satan. We have to understand that in order to succeed later in life, we must starting paying for the success today! Lastly my plan for eliminating the high cost of higher education and the rising student debt is to address interest rates. would propose that we adjust all current interests rates and cap all interest rates at 8 percent. Moreover, students who took out student loans at one point with lower interest rates are graduating and having to pay the loans at higher rates. I say students should only have to pay the same rate for the loan as when they first borrowed. Now is the time to start rebuilding our structure for higher education. We must improve in areas of not only affordability, but also areas of quality. We as a nation must be willing to answer this crisis of educating our future generations! There is no reason why we can not provide education that is affordable to everyone. If elected I pledge to making education in Mississippi my number one priority! I pledge to stop the under funding and cutting of our education. I pledge to provide two years of college for free. Lastly, I pledge to the lower the interest rates on student loans.