Published: October 03, 2007 12:21 am            

GOODNIGHT: Making education more accessible, as well as affordable

This is the final of four “position papers” on issues that we and The Kokomo Perspective believe will dominate the fall mayoral campaign.

The theme of my campaign is “Investing in People,” and nowhere is that more important than education. Make no mistake: When I say we should invest in people, I mean just that. I expect the city to see a definite and perceivable return on its investment down the road. When Kokomo becomes a better-educated community, it will spur economic development, which in turn will create new jobs, increase income, and widen Kokomo’s tax base. This will have a direct impact on your tax bill.

Research shows that educating our citizens and creating new jobs will also help to reduce crime, taking pressure off Howard County’s ever-growing judicial system. Again, a direct impact on your tax bill. Nationwide, an average 24 percent of the population is college-educated. In Indiana that number is 18 percent, and in Kokomo it’s only 17 percent. So imagine what a powerful economic development tool we would have, if we could point to an above-average educational level. I believe we can make this happen, by breaking the generational cycle of low educational achievement. When parents don’t have a college degree, their children are less likely to want one, and for those that do, their parents are less likely to be able to afford it.

We need to foster the education of our children by promoting mentor programs, alternative schooling and early education, while also helping parents achieve their financial goals. As a working person, who is also active in the community, I’m familiar with the demands of getting to work on time, meeting deadlines, and receiving a paycheck. I also see the importance of receiving an education, so that we can not only increase our income, but also improve the lives of our families, and ultimately our community.

As a city council person, I see the impact of education on, not just the work force, but also the livelihood of the people of Kokomo. We all know that education can improve our lives. The question to be is: “How do we make education both accessible and affordable?” Our city must improve its fiscal efficiency, but it also must find better ways to serve the disadvantaged and financially strapped families of our city. This is in everyone’s best interest. We must encourage, and lift up the families that have fallen through the cracks. Previous policies focused on limited economic growth, and viewed those that struggle financially as a deficit. I see them as a potential investment. Job security and higher incomes even pay a bonus in reducing dependence on property taxes.

Here is how we can do it:

1. Child care is the single largest barrier faced by young adults with children when making decisions to continue their own education. The City of Kokomo should make Kokomo’s Early Learning Center available at low or no cost to city residents who are seeking educational advancement, whether it be a GED or college classes. By offering child care after working hours, we can give parents the time to attend classes while being assured that their children are in safe hands.

2. Dependable transportation is yet another barrier to higher education that lower income residents face. The City of Kokomo can assist through our “First City Rider” program and provide low or no-cost transportation for transportation related specifically to expanding one’s education.

3. We must build strong community based partnerships with Kokomo Center Schools, the Literacy Coalition, Labor groups, Indiana University Kokomo, and Ivy Tech Kokomo. This will bring new ideas and strategies to our plan, and assist in determining the city’s future economic and educational needs and the skills necessary to satisfy those needs.

4. It is important that we create financial incentives for adults living and working in the city who complete their GED or go back to school to further their education, and for teachers who focus on these groups.

5. We can create an economic incentive program for small and large businesses which participate in the program, so that they not only improve their business, but also take more ownership of our community and its residents.

6. The city can offer a partnership to county government to participate at all levels. If there is interest from county leaders, our entire community could benefit.

I will work day and night to make sure the families of Kokomo have access to the education they’ll need to compete in today’s global market, and not just for our children, but for adults as well. The change must start with us. And by showing determination and interest in educating ourselves, our children will learn by example, grow, and obtain the skills necessary to move our city forward.

Greg Goodnight is the Democratic Party’s

nominee for mayor of Kokomo.

        

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