This morning, the presidents of Idaho's three community colleges – the College of Western Idaho, the College of Southern Idaho and North Idaho College – give their budget pitches to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee; you can watch live here. First up today is CWI President Bert Glandon, who told JFAC that the Treasure Valley's fast-growing community college has connected students with more than $53 million in grants, scholarships and student loans. “Nearly 40 percent of aid applicants reported family income at or below the federal poverty threshold, and 77 percent were eligible for Pell grants,” Glandon said. “Students coming to CWI need an affordable solution that does not turn them away.”

Responding to questions from lawmakers, Glandon said, “We have proprietary schools all around us that offer similar programs at 10 times the cost of what we're offering. … We cannot rely on the rich only being educated. We must rely on building people from the ground up and building opportunities for those. The American dream is built around there's opportunities for all.” He said, “What you're seeing at CWI is truly the American dream come true. You're seeing people who had no opportunity, had no hope, didn't even believe they would move on – and now they believe in themselves.”

Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, JFAC co-chair, said, "It's a miracle and I can't imagine Treasure Valley without it, because we had the same miracle in Magic Valley with CSI." She said she doesn't begrudge the property taxes she pays for her area's community college, which she said is less than she pays to support the local landfill.