By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri House and Senate budget negotiators have approved expanding a needs-based scholarship to families some say are too well off to deserve receiving them.
The Access Missouri program was created last year to provide needs-based scholarships to students attending public or private colleges in Missouri.
This year, about 38,000 students whose parents earn up to about $72,000 a year are receiving the scholarships.
State Senator Joan Bray (D, St. Louis) says, though, that G.O.P. lawmakers want to expand the program to include families who earn up to $200,000 a year.
"What this program is meant to do is to make higher education affordable for lower income families and middle income families who it's becoming way too expensive for," Bray said.
Other Democrats contend that people earning $200,000 a year don't receive public benefits.
House Budget Chair Alan Icet (R, Wildwood) says, though, that what seems like a high income may not go so far.
"What gets counted as income is not what the average person would think of as income...so it's average Missourians who are having a challenge sending one (child to college)...well I know people who are sending two children to college...it's twice as expensive, if not more," Icet said.
Lawmakers have until May 9th to approve the 2009 state budget.