Although it is undeniable that higher education institutions in Michigan have been suffering from budget cuts ­— universities were victims of a 15 percent cut last year — the Michigan 2020 plan is not the right way for the state to help students with the ever-increasing costs of tuition.

Democrats are basing this new plan on the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship, a program providing full college tuition to students who have spent their K-12 years in Kalamazoo Public School through the funding of anonymous donors.

It appears they are forgetting the main difference between the Michigan 2020 plan and the Kalamazoo Promise — where the funding is coming from. The Michigan 2020 plan would be funded by closing loopholes in the business tax system, not through the help of private donors.

The Kalamazoo Promise isn’t compelling the city of Kalamazoo to hand over millions of dollars, like the new initiative is asking the state to do.

The plan also sounds similar to the Michigan Promise Scholarship, a past grant for Michigan high schoolers who had scored a Level One or Level Two on the Michigan Merit Exam and would continue through college if the students maintained a 2.5 grade point average. The plan was signed into law in 2006 by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

However, as a by-product of a projected $2.8 billion state deficit in 2010, the Michigan Legislature broke the Promise in 2009, seeing the program added to the deficit.

The Michigan 2020 plan likely will have even less success than the Promise Scholarship. It’s unlikely the 2020 plan will make it through the Republican Legislature and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

State Republicans already have stated that they think the proposed method of funding of the program — closing tax loopholes — would cause harm to Michigan businesses.

For the first time in years, the state ran at a budget surplus for this fiscal year. With the state appearing to be heading in the right direction, it is not the time for unreasonable proposals that could derail the path the state is on. The program would throw money blindly at students in Michigan, and that is not something that the state can afford to do right now. There are other ways to give money to public universities and ease tuition rates for students rather than handing Michigan K-12 students money the state might not have later.

The state should find a place for higher education in the state budget instead of proposing unrealistic plans and programs to make college affordable for Michigan students. Consistent funding and keeping tuition rates the same — or hopefully lowering them — are much more affordable ways for Michigan to make college less of a financial burden on students.