1
Page 3 / McPherson County Herald / Wednesday, February 27 / 2019 !" #$%"##& ! ! " #$ ! ! " #$ ! ! " #$ ! ! " #$ A College Degree Built on a Mountain of Debt By Sen. John Thune There’s no doubt students who decide to pursue higher education at one of the many universities and colleges throughout the United States are making a significant investment in their future, but a vast majority of them end up trading their cap and gown for a mountain of debt and uncertainty. In fact, 70 percent of American college graduates leave school with a “significant amount of loans,” which total nearly $1.5 trillion collectively, according to a 2018 CNBC report. According to the same report, Americans are graduating with an average debt that’s comparable to a 10 percent down payment on a $370,000 home or the cost of a new Tesla Model 3. The average debt held by graduates is equivalent to roughly two-thirds of South Dakota’s median household income for an entire year. I’m not suggesting that getting a college degree isn’t worth it, but I am saying that the debt it potentially creates can present a hurdle for many graduates and new job-seekers while many of them are finding out for the first time what life is like on their own – paying for rent, groceries, and utilities, or maybe making a car payment, all while trying to ensure they have enough left over in their budget for their monthly student loan payments. Students who graduate from American universities and colleges are a valuable commodity, which is why I recently introduced the bipartisan Employer Participation in Repayment Act with several of my Senate colleagues, including Sen. Mike Rounds, which would create a win-win scenario for graduates and employers, and it could also help incentivize job-seekers to keep their talent here in the United States. I joined Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in leading this effort that would give employers the option to participate in a program that would allow them to contribute up to $5,250 each year (tax-free) to help pay down an employee’s student loan debt. There’s an obvious benefit for graduates, but it also gives employers a new tool and benefit option to attract or retain top-level talent. If our bill became law, the employer could either make a payment directly to an employee or send it to a student loan lender, cutting out the middle man. “Expanding employer education assistance helps address the skills gap, which is holding back both workers and employers. When employers are able to help workers pay off student debt, more people will have confidence to pursue higher education and be better prepared to fill high-skilled fields,” said Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, which highlights the many layers of support our bill enjoys. While passing this bipartisan legislation wouldn’t be a silver bullet with respect to the growing concerns over student loan debt and the rising cost of tuition in America, it would certainly help ease some of the pain. Several of my Senate colleagues, including the chairman of the committee that oversees education, who also happened to lead the U.S. Department of Education in the 1990s, are working on some ideas to address the broader issue of lowering the overall cost of education. I stand ready to work with them to find fiscally responsible policies that can help graduates overcome this debt burden and enter the workforce in a stronger, more certain position. Every Child Deserves a Home By Governor Kristi Noem Foster care is an issue I’ve cared about for a long time. Growing up, I had a foster brother who made a big impact on my family and taught my siblings and me a different kind of love, compassion, and strength I don’t know if I would have otherwise understood. We learned that family is more about what’s in your heart than in your bloodstream. And those lessons have shaped how I live my life and how I now lead South Dakota. This year, I’ve committed to using my microphone and my influence to educate people about the need for more foster families. The next generation of South Dakotans will not thrive if they don’t have a home. A place to grow up. A family to love them. Since I began highlighting the needs of our foster system, I’ve had the opportunity to hear dozens of stories from people who’ve been deeply impacted by foster care. Just this week, I learned about a family in Aberdeen who adopted a sibling set of five kiddos on Valentine’s Day. These kids had been in the foster system for more than three years. With traumatic backgrounds, their newly formed family has had to navigate some difficult situations, but as their dad said, “Family is always worth it.” Their family now has a membership of 14 with seven kids adopted through the foster system. They’re a beautiful mosaic of backgrounds, cultures, and most importantly, love. Another young woman from Rapid City told me about her family. In the last 10 years, she’s had 24 foster brothers and sisters. She said this when she talked about foster care: “Being a foster family isn’t about feeling good about yourself. It’s about planting seeds of love in kids. It’s about showing them what a family is like and what love feels like. It’s not an easy path, but it is so worth it.” I want more kids in foster care to have testimonies and families like these. I want our state to be an example of strong families who help struggling families to create a better future. But there’s a lot of work to do. Right now in our state, 80 kids are waiting for families to adopt them. In total, 924 children are in foster care. Sadly, life within the foster care system is difficult for many. More than half of kids in foster care experience at least seven school changes while in the child welfare system. The instability has a tremendous impact on their education, health, and outlook. The good news is that foster kids who are in stable homes are much more likely to graduate from high school, go to college, and have a successful future. While the staff at the Department of Social Services can raise awareness about the need, get the facts out, and debunk some of the myths people may believe, they can’t put children in a home if no one is willing to provide one. There’s a significant need. If you’re interested in influencing the next generation through foster care, I encourage you to visit fosterone.sd.gov where you can learn more, ask questions, and start the process of becoming a foster family. And if you are a foster family, I’d love to hear your story. Please consider sharing your journey with me at GovernorNoem@st ate.sd.us. I’m confident that South Dakota can be a leader to our nation in how we prioritize families and help kids who are the most vulnerable. Because every child deserves love, and every child deserves a home. NOTICE OF MEETING OF LOCAL REVIEW BOARD SDCL 10-11-13 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN That the governing body, sitting as a Review Board of the City of Leola, Leola Township, McPherson County, South Dakota, will meet at the Leola Municipal Building in the Council Room in said taxing jurisdiction on MONDAY, the 18th day of March 2019, (being the 3rd Monday in March) for the purpose of reviewing and correcting the assessments of said taxing district for the year, 2019. All persons considering themselves aggrieved by said assessment are required to notify the clerk of the local board in writing no later than Thursday, March 14th, 2019. Dated this 20th day of February 2019. Candice Kappes, Leola City Finance Officer Local Review Board Clerk “This institution is an equal opportunity provider, and employer.” Published twice at the approximate cost of $20.77. 27*6 !"## $%% !"## $%% !"## $%% !"## $%% & & & &

A College Degree Built Every Child Deserves a Home on a Mountain of Debt · 2019-02-27 · student loan debt. There’s an obvious benefit for graduates, but it also gives employers

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Page 1: A College Degree Built Every Child Deserves a Home on a Mountain of Debt · 2019-02-27 · student loan debt. There’s an obvious benefit for graduates, but it also gives employers

Page 3 / McPherson County Herald / Wednesday, February 27 / 2019

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A College Degree Built on a Mountain of DebtBy Sen. John Thune

There’s no doubt studentswho decide to pursue highereducation at one of the manyuniversities and collegesthroughout the United Statesare making a significantinvestment in their future, buta vast majority of them end uptrading their cap and gown fora mountain of debt anduncertainty. In fact, 70percent of American collegegraduates leave school with a“significant amount of loans,”which total nearly $1.5 trillioncollectively, according to a2018 CNBC report.

According to the same report, Americans aregraduating with an averagedebt that’s comparable to a 10percent down payment on a$370,000 home or the cost of anew Tesla Model 3. Theaverage debt held bygraduates is equivalent toroughly two-thirds of SouthDakota’s median householdincome for an entire year.

I’m not suggesting thatgetting a college degree isn’tworth it, but I am saying thatthe debt it potentially createscan present a hurdle for manygraduates and new job-seekerswhile many of them arefinding out for the first timewhat life is like on their own –paying for rent, groceries, andutilities, or maybe making acar payment, all while tryingto ensure they have enoughleft over in their budget fortheir monthly student loanpayments.

Students who graduate fromAmerican universities andcolleges are a valuablecommodity, which is why Irecently introduced thebipartisan EmployerParticipation in RepaymentAct with several of my Senatecolleagues, including Sen.

Mike Rounds, which wouldcreate a win-win scenario forgraduates and employers, andit could also help incentivizejob-seekers to keep theirtalent here in the UnitedStates.

I joined Sen. Mark Warner(D-Va.) in leading this effortthat would give employers theoption to participate in aprogram that would allowthem to contribute up to$5,250 each year (tax-free) tohelp pay down an employee’sstudent loan debt. There’s anobvious benefit for graduates,but it also gives employers anew tool and benefit option toattract or retain top-leveltalent. If our bill became law,the employer could eithermake a payment directly to anemployee or send it to astudent loan lender, cuttingout the middle man.

“Expanding employereducation assistance helpsaddress the skills gap, whichis holding back both workersand employers. Whenemployers are able to helpworkers pay off student debt,more people will haveconfidence to pursue highereducation and be betterprepared to fill high-skilledfields,” said Johnny C. TaylorJr., president and CEO of theSociety for Human ResourceManagement, whichhighlights the many layers ofsupport our bill enjoys.

While passing this bipartisanlegislation wouldn’t be a silverbullet with respect to thegrowing concerns over studentloan debt and the rising cost oftuition in America, it wouldcertainly help ease some of thepain.

Several of my Senatecolleagues, including thechairman of the committeethat oversees education, whoalso happened to lead the U.S.Department of Education inthe 1990s, are working onsome ideas to address thebroader issue of lowering theoverall cost of education. Istand ready to work withthem to find fiscallyresponsible policies that canhelp graduates overcome thisdebt burden and enter theworkforce in a stronger, morecertain position.

Every Child Deserves a HomeBy Governor Kristi Noem

Foster care is an issue I’vecared about for a long time.Growing up, I had a fosterbrother who made a bigimpact on my family andtaught my siblings and mea different kind of love,compassion, and strength Idon’t know if I would haveotherwise understood. Welearned that family is moreabout what’s in your heartthan in your bloodstream. Andthose lessons have shapedhow I live my life and howI now lead South Dakota.

This year, I’ve committed tousing my microphone and myinfluence to educate peopleabout the need for more fosterfamilies. The next generationof South Dakotans will notthrive if they don’t have ahome. A place to grow up. Afamily to love them.

Since I began highlightingthe needs of our foster system,I’ve had the opportunity tohear dozens of stories frompeople who’ve been deeplyimpacted by foster care. Justthis week, I learned about afamily in Aberdeen whoadopted a sibling set of fivekiddos on Valentine’s Day.These kids had been in thefoster system for more thanthree years. With traumaticbackgrounds, their newlyformed family has had tonavigate some difficultsituations, but as their dadsaid, “Family is always worthit.” Their family now has amembership of 14 – withseven kids adopted throughthe foster system. They’re abeautiful mosaic ofbackgrounds, cultures, andmost importantly, love.Another young woman fromRapid City told me about herfamily. In the last 10 years,she’s had 24 foster brothersand sisters. She said thiswhen she talked about fostercare: “Being a foster familyisn’t about feeling good aboutyourself. It’s about plantingseeds of love in kids. It’s aboutshowing them what a family islike and what love feels like.It’s not an easy path, but it isso worth it.”

I want more kids in fostercare to have testimonies andfamilies like these. I want ourstate to be an example ofstrong families who helpstruggling families to create abetter future.

But there’s a lot of work todo. Right now in our

state, 80 kids are waiting forfamilies to adopt them. Intotal, 924 children are infoster care.

Sadly, life within the fostercare system is difficult formany. More than half of kidsin foster care experience atleast seven school changeswhile in the child welfaresystem. The instability has atremendous impact on theireducation, health, andoutlook. The good news is thatfoster kids who are in stablehomes are much more likely tograduate from high school, goto college, and have asuccessful future.

While the staff at theDepartment of Social Servicescan raise awareness about theneed, get the facts out, anddebunk some of the mythspeople may believe, they can’tput children in a home if noone is willing to provideone. There’s a significantneed.

If you’re interested ininfluencing the nextgeneration through fostercare, I encourage you to visitfosterone.sd.gov where youcan learn more, ask questions,and start the process ofbecoming a foster family. Andif you are a foster family, I’dlove to hear your story. Pleaseconsider sharing your journeywith me at [email protected].

I’m confident that SouthDakota can be a leader to ournation in how we prioritizefamilies and help kids who arethe most vulnerable. Becauseevery child deserves love, andevery child deserves a home.

NOTICE OF MEETING OFLOCAL REVIEW BOARD

SDCL 10-11-13NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVENThat the governing body, sitting

as a Review Board of the City ofLeola, Leola Township,McPherson County, SouthDakota, will meet at the LeolaMunicipal Building in the CouncilRoom in said taxing jurisdictionon MONDAY, the 18th day ofMarch 2019, (being the 3rdMonday in March) for the purposeof reviewing and correcting theassessments of said taxing districtfor the year, 2019.

All persons consideringthemselves aggrieved by saidassessment are required to notifythe clerk of the local board inwriting no later than Thursday,March 14th, 2019.Dated this 20th day of February2019.Candice Kappes, Leola CityFinance OfficerLocal Review Board Clerk

“This institution is an equalopportunity provider, andemployer.”

Published twice at theapproximate cost of $20.77.

27*6

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