Education for foreign wealthy, unemployment for local grads

Your article ["State grants tuition break for foreign professionals," page one, June 22] regarding the new state bill to grant tuition breaks for foreign professionals and families really disturbs me.

Most of the recipients are well-paid foreigners, filling jobs our young professionals are unable to find when they graduate with staggering debts from the same universities doling out the breaks to the least needy.

Recently, The Times reported that special work-study tuition plans for nursing students were being canceled ["UW program gets pricier; one student's cost up tenfold," page one, June 6] even while some students were in mid-program. They now face drastic tuition increases. The University of Washington's reason was that funds were short even if it meant dumping quality nurses on the street.

Yet, our Legislature and governor have the money for people who don't need it, who have good jobs, drive good cars and whose homes aren't being foreclosed.

Take a look around any Northwest town the next time you get a chance and see the shops and stores shut down. Go to the malls and look at the empty big-box stores and the vacant storefronts. Look at the rising foreclosures all around our neighborhoods and the exploding unemployment ranks.

Then explain to your children why America is being given away from under them.

-- John Decker, Sammamish