Sewage for scholars |Addressing a brain drain

A look at Akron’s proposal to lease its city-owned sewage system to a private contractor:

Plan could raise $200 million, which would be used to finance college scholarships for Akron’s public high school graduates.

Plan would subsidize any remaining tuition after other scholarships and grants that a student gets.

Plan backers favor a 30-year residency requirement to maximize return on investment.

Students who receive a scholarship would sign a contract and agree to pay Akron the equivalent of the city’s municipal income tax rate for up to 30 years on future income if they chose to live and work elsewhere, said Rick Merolla, Akron’s service director.