PORTLAND, Ore. — Nothing sparks consumer demand like the word “free,” and politicians in some states have proposed the idea of providing that incentive to get young people to attend community college.

Amid worries that U.S. youths are losing a global skills race, supporters of a no-tuition policy see expanding access to community college as way to boost educational attainment so the emerging work forces in their states look good to employers.

Of course, such plans aren’t free for taxpayers, and legislators in Oregon and Tennessee are deciding whether free tuition regardless of family income is the best use of public money. A Mississippi bill passed the state House, but then failed in the Senate.

The debate comes in a midterm election year in which income inequality and the burdens of student debt are likely going to be significant issues.

“I think everybody agrees that with a high school education by itself, there is no path to the middle class,” said State Sen. Mark Hass, who is leading the no-tuition effort in Oregon. “There is only one path, and it leads to poverty. And poverty is very expensive.”

Hass said free community college and increasing the number of students who earn college credit while in high school are keys to addressing a “crisis” in education debt. Taxpayers will ultimately benefit, he said, because it’s cheaper to send someone to community college than to have him or her in the social safety net.

Research from the Oregon University System shows Oregonians with only a high school degree make less money than those with a degree and thus contribute fewer tax dollars. They are also more likely to use food stamps and less likely to do volunteer work.

A Gallup poll released in February found 94 percent of Americans believe it’s somewhat or very important to have a degree beyond high school, yet only 23 percent of respondents said higher education is affordable to everyone.

As at four-year universities, the price of attending a community college has risen sharply because of reduced state support and higher costs for health care and other expenses. The average annual cost of tuition nationally is about $3,300, and books and fees add to the bill.

It’s cheaper than university, but expensive enough to dissuade someone who’s unsure whether to pursue higher education.

In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam wants to use lottery money to create a free community college program for high school graduates. It’s central to the Republican’s goal of making the state more attractive to potential employers by increasing the percentage of Tennesseans with a college degree to 55 percent by 2025.

If approved by the Legislature, the “Tennessee Promise” would provide a full ride for any high school graduate, at a cost of $34 million per year.

Meanwhile, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill March 11 ordering a state commission to examine whether free tuition is feasible. Among other things, the study will determine how much money the program will cost, whether the existing campus buildings can accommodate extra students and whether to limit free tuition to recent graduates.

The commission will also look at California, which offered no-cost community college until the mid-1980s, when a state fiscal crisis contributed to its demise.

The findings are due later this year and will help lawmakers decide whether to pursue the idea in 2015.