Hug's at it again - 2004-02-09
Our good friend Dick Hug, a Gov. Bob Ehrlich appointee to the Board of Regents, is back in the headlines again.

But don't let Hug's awful reputation distract you from an important debate over slot machines and state educational funding sources, the most recent issue Hug has taken on.

You may remember Hug's wacky adventures of last fall. If not, I'll recap. In a nutshell, he wanted to double our tuition to magically transform Maryland into an "elite" school. The "logic" was that the higher price tag would give the general public a perception that we were the Bentley of public universities.
Read the full story at The Diamondback

Gambling a solution for California? - 2004-02-09
With the fiscal woes of America's biggest state hanging over Arnold Schwarzenegger like a Hollywood steadi-cam, the governor's vow to become a revenue "collectinator" is facing key tests.

First is a stop-gap measure going to voters next month: a $14 billion bond measure. But beyond that, the question is how to bring the budget into balance for the long haul, and the governor's promised effort to bring in more gambling revenue is emerging as a key part of that debate.

The ensuing battle could alter the face of rural and urban California for decades. At issue: Negotiating the "fair share" for the state's 104 Indian tribes to pay the state in gambling revenue, and whether nontribal businesses such as racetracks should be allowed to run slot machines.
Read the full story at Christian Science Monitor