Alaska News

Bill aims to ease debt load on Alaska students

Seven Democrats pre-filed a bill on Friday aimed at cutting loan debt for Alaska students, according to Josh Edge of the Alaska Public Radio Network.

The measure would cut the principal of a loan 2.5 percent a year if the student stays in Alaska or moves back to Alaska after graduation, according to the Alaska Student Loan Corporation.

"We believe that money should never be a barrier to college, to job training, to vocational education, but in Alaska, the student loan rate hovers around 7 percent, when at the same time you can get a used car loan for 2.5-3 percent," said Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, one of the sponsors.

If the legislation passes, Alaska's Student Loan Corporation is expected ask for a state appropriation from to help fund student loan reduction, Gara said.

Nationwide, student loan debt is about $1 trillion dollars, second only to mortgage debt in America.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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