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Development, Pension Reform At Top Of Chamber Priority List

By WTOP Staff

B-CC Chamber Chair Andy Shulman speaks at last week's Chamber Legislative ReceptionBethesda business leaders hosted county and state officials last week to launch an annual legislative agenda that pushes for more smart-growth development, bus rapid transit and state pension reform.

County Executive Isiah Leggett, county council members, state delegates and senators were at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Legislative Reception on Wednesday, held at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club.

The Chamber’s priorities include approval or ongoing support of new zoning in Chevy Chase Lake, the Bethesda Central Business District and White Flint II — the area wedged between Montrose Parkway and the border of the city of Rockville.

The Chamber, which represents about 550 businesses and 45,000 employees, also supports a BRT system, implementation of the Purple Line along the Georgetown Branch Trail and a zoning ordinance rewrite that provides for a more streamlined development process.

“We want to support our schools, we want to support all of the social services our county provides and if we want to continue to do those things at the level we have done in the past, we have to look at how we can afford to do that,” said Chamber Board Chair Andy Shulman, a commercial real estate broker. “There are many places in Montgomery County where you can have the suburban house with the white picket fence. I’m attracted to both lifestyles. But we have to increase the economy to do that.”

Many of the Chamber’s issues are ongoing ones — improvements to the Bethesda Metro Station, maintaining Bethesda’s Parking Lot District and the Suburban Hospital expansion plan.

One that Shulman emphasized was what the Chamber calls “responsible county and state budgets,” that deal with the structural deficit and the state’s teacher pensions.

“That can’t be corrected with a simple tweak here or there each year,” Shulman said. “For years, we’ve asked leaders to really deal with these problems, to look at the teacher pension issue between the School Board, the County Council and the state. It’s all very intertwined and it’s not a system that’s working as well as intended.”

In 2012, the state shifted part of the cost of teacher pensions to counties, which Montgomery County leaders protested.

Also on the agenda is support for the recently submitted recommendations of the county’s Nighttime Economy Task Force, a group chaired by Chamber Board member Heather Dlhopolsky.

“We want to reduce the barriers of entry for many different businesses that attract young people to the county,” Shulman said. “They can’t all grow up here and be educated here and then leave for D.C.”

PDF: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber Advocacy Agenda

Photo via B-CC Chamber of Commerce

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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