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Va. General Assembly could be headed for gridlock

By WTOP Staff

Hank Silverberg, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Thousands of cars remain stuck in gridlock on Northern Virginia roads and the state’s economy is still recovering, but the race for governor may now stall progress on dealing with both.

When the Virginia General Assembly convenes Jan. 11, the Senate will have 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans. That leaves the deciding vote on many issues to Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.

Now that Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, also a republican, is running for governor, likely candidate Bolling may be looking over his right shoulder on many votes, unwilling to alienate the conservative wing of his own party.

George Mason University professor and political analyst Steve Farnsworth says as a result, social issues may dominate the 2012 legislation session.

He says there will be a lot of discussion on charter schools and whether to expand them, and there will be more discussion on abortion.

“I think there will efforts to see what further restrictions can be put in place with respect to abortion procedures and abortion clinics,” says Farnsworth.

That could distract lawmakers from other issues including transportation spending.

“I think we will also see an unwillingness to spend much in a way to deal with the gridlock that plagues Northern Virginia day by day,” he adds.

The politics gets even more complicated by the Presidential race. Bolling has been actively helping Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign in Virginia while Cuccinelli has been getting tacit support from the Tea Party.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, who has reached his term limit, avoided a primary with Bolling in 2008 by announcing his support for Bolling’s run in 2013. He has already expressed disappointment in Cucinelli’s decision to run.

Cuccinelli was among the first state attorney generals to file suit challenging President Barack Obama’s health care reform law.

That lawsuit that could play a key role in the 2012 Presidential race. The U.S. Supreme court has agreed to hear Virginia’s challenge to the federal health care law and a decision is likely to be announced next year just as the Presidential race begins to heat up.

Cuccinelli had not intended to announce his candidacy so early. He confirmed his plans after an email to his staff outlining his intentions, became public.

Cuccinelli has an appearance slated for Fairfax County on Monday where he will teach a criminal justice class at Westfield High school. He has been otherwsie keeping a low profile since his intentions to run were made public.

A statement from his office says the event is closed to the media and he will not be available before or after the event for interviews.

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(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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