Bond Question 6 on Tuesday’s ballot had several things working against it.

It was the last bond question listed, it was on the back of the ballot, and the wording has been criticized for being too vague.

Question 6 asked voters to approve $9 million for improvements to the state’s university and community college systems. But ultimately, the lack of Question 6 to pass says more about Maine voters than it does about the construction of the ballot or the wording of the question.

Voters approved $74 million in borrowing for things like roads, jobs, research and development, and conservation but decided that another $9 million was too much.

Considering the other borrowing that was approved, $9 million was a drop in the bucket. Maine cities and towns routinely approve bonds almost that large. Our fear is that the state does not recognize the value of its higher education system – or of a college degree, for that matter.

Only about one-quarter of the state’s population has a bachelor’s degree. Maine’s economy has been able to support workers with only a high school diploma with good paying and secure jobs. From the water and the woods, workers have been able to firmly plant themselves in the middle class. But the timber and mill industries face an uncertain future, and pollution, a disappearing working coastline and stressed fisheries – facing increased regulation – threaten commercial fishing. No longer is a good life ensured for those who are willing to work for it.

The economy in the United States demands a creative, adaptable and educated work force. College doesn’t guarantee success, but it prepares students who are willing to work for a lifetime of learning. It can inspire, and provide the critical skills necessary to be an effective communicator and be successful in a technology-dependent world.

Despite a growing student population, Maine’s university and community college system do not expect increased support from the state. They’ve already been warned that flat funding is on the way, and increased pressure on other parts of the budget could threaten even that.

But if the state is serious about attracting entrepreneurial spirits to Maine, about educating its students and securing its economic future, then lawmakers need to find a way to give the universities and community colleges the support they need.

We don’t expect the Legislature to find the entire $9 million in the General Fund, but we do expect it to find the funding to keep the roofs from leaking and the heat on.

If the state expects its community colleges and universities to produce the state’s next class of business, political and social leaders, then it needs to value its institutions of higher education. That means opening the wallet.