House Speaker John Boehner will have two guests from Springfield in the House gallery Tuesday night for President Obama's State of the Union address.
Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin will be one of Boehner's guests. She expects the president to address the critical role a community college plays in today's higher education landscape.
"Community colleges are being highlighted for their affordability and for their ability to connect the workforce with the skills they need to get jobs," Blondin said. "So, regardless of what proposals are put forward, I just think that it's going to be great to hear about what we need to do as we move forward. I'm really looking forward to it."
President Obama is proposing federal and state funding for two years of free community college for students working towards a degree. Boehner calls the plan a $60 billion tax burden, and his staff created 13 GIFs of Taylor Swift to mock the president's proposal.
Another one of Speaker Boehner's guests tonight will be Jamie McGregor, a VP with McGregor Metalworking in Springfield.