Why? Because the money going into the general fund at Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) is wasted. That school doesn’t need it.

We know this, because UMKC hired Chelsea Clinton to give a speech there for a gala luncheon to celebrate the opening of a women’s hall of fame on campus – which is a gimmicky and inane thing to have on a campus in the first place – and paid her $65,000.

What did UMKC get for their money?

The schedule she negotiated called for her to speak for 10 minutes, participate in a 20-minute, moderated question-and-answer session and spend a half-hour posing for pictures with VIPs offstage.

For $65,000. For more money than the average American makes in a year.

Exactly what does Chelsea Clinton have to offer for 30 minutes of speaking and another 30 minutes of selfies and posed shots?

Primarily, she offers a $210,000 price break off what her mom was going to charge the school for the same service. Rather than look for somebody who would actually bring something to the table, instead they went out and found the worthless member of that family, the one with zero political cache’ or influence and threw $65,000 at her.

Just looking at the Washington Speakers’ Bureau website and plugging a $40,000-and-up rate into the search engine, we found a number of people who probably could be had for not a lot more than 65K if not less who would be a good bit more interesting than Chelsea Clinton.

How about Madeleine Albright, for example? Or Geena Davis? Or Joan Lundin? Or Doris Kearns Goodwin, the famous historian?

At the Premiere Speakers Bureau, we found out that Eleanor Clift can be had for $25,000.

Or other prominent women speakers who can be had for less than 34-year old Chelsea Clinton. Like Gloria Steinem ($30,000), Cokie Roberts ($40,000), Tina Brown ($50,000) and Lesley Stahl ($50,000).

We could go on and on.

$65,000 for Chelsea Clinton, who has done absolutely nothing of note, is beyond ridiculous. Perhaps she could regale the crowd with the story of her in-laws, the Mezvinskys, who bilked investors out of millions of dollars before the pater familias of the clan, former congressman Ed Mezhvinsky, spent five years at the federal prison camp at Eglin Air Force Base. Or her parents, who are much better at bilking people and other crimes, seeing as though they’ve not been caught yet.

So if you’re a Missouri taxpayer, your money is being poured down a hole. You ought to demand it stop.