By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri Republican Candidate for Governor Kenny Hulshof outlined his plans for higher education today at Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
Hulshof told reporters and a group of college students that if elected, he'll expand funding and eligibility for needs-based scholarships.
And he says he'll create a funding formula for higher education that would increase with the rate of inflation, plus two percent.
"If you look back over the last nine years, and look at the rate of inflation, had we used this education funding formula, we would have had an increase in higher education seven out of the last nine years, had this funding formula been in existence," Hulshof said.
After Hulshof's press conference ended, the Missouri Democratic Party issued a press release accusing him of voting in Congress to restrict access to higher education for Missouri students.
Oren Shur is spokesman for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon.
"I'm not sure why anyone would believe Congress Hulshof will expand scholarships here in Missouri, when he's been off in Washington voting against expanding Pell Grants and other student scholarships...he says one thing out in Washington, then another when he's back here in Missouri," Shur said.
Shur also says Nixon wants to provide relief by expanding the state's A-Plus scholarship program.
The program currently provides free tuition to eligible students at community colleges only.
Nixon wants to allow those students to continue getting free tuition if they move on to a four-year, in-state public university.