Opinions are mixed among coal producing counties concerning a proposal to use coal severance monies to fund placement of the private University of Pikeville into the state system. A bill outlining the proposal was filed in the Kentucky legislature last week.
As a state school, the University of Pikeville, which has about 1,100 full-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs, could reduce tuition from $17,000 to $7,000 a year, making a college education far more affordable for students in a 12-county service area that would extend from Middlesboro in the south to Inez in the north.
The funding source would be coal severance tax revenue that’s earmarked for multi-county economic development projects in the region; the proposal asks for $6 million the first year, then $13 million the second year and ten years to follow.
Some judge-executives in the affected region are adamantly against the use of coal severance funds for the college, while others support it.
Judge-Executive Randy Thompson said Knott County has not received any money from the multi-county fund, despite requests for several projects.
“We’ve asked for money to purchase property for an industrial park near the Sportsplex, to attract businesses, we requested funds…
See this week’s newspaper for more
Find the Troublesome Creek Times at local stores in Knott and surrounding counties or subscribe to the Times at (606)-785-5134