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Republicans propose repurposing Evergreen toward health‑care workforce, warn against property and payroll tax hikes
Summary
Leaders said shrinking enrollment has made Evergreen costly per student and said a bill to pivot the institution toward health‑care workforce training was released; they also listed property‑tax increases, payroll taxes and B&O hikes as their top tax concerns.
When asked about a measure to redirect Evergreen's mission toward health‑care career training, Republican leaders said falling enrollment and high per‑student costs justify considering a repurposing to produce nurses, physician assistants and other intermediate health‑care providers.
"With the decline in enrollment it's become... our most expensive university in the state for students and not really delivering on its original mission," a leader said, and described the proposal as an effort to repurpose the campus to address workforce shortages.
On taxes, leaders named property‑tax increases as the immediate worry for families, and cited payroll taxes and a possible B&O increase as threats to jobs and innovation. They urged citizens to watch for proposals and signaled political opposition to new or broadened tax measures.
