Tuition freeze bill survives committee
By: Ellen Walrath
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: News
A bill aimed at keeping college costs down is making its way through the Capitol.
The College Affordability Act, authored by Assemblyman Joe Coto, was passed in the Assembly Higher Education Committee with a vote of 4-1 March 25 with two committee members not voting.
The bill has the same effects as an initiative students are gathering signatures for and would freeze tuition for five years.
"People who are signing say, 'Hey, why don't you go to the legislative route?'" said Chris Vaeth, campaign director for Tuition Relief Now.
Tuition Relief Now members have been frustrated in the past with attempting to get tuition control through legislature, he said. But they decided to give it another chance.
The bill, written after a request by Tuition Relief Now members, would freeze university fees in the University of California and California State University systems at their current levels for the next five years, then tie fee hikes to inflation. It would supplement funding for the systems through a 1 percent tax on incomes in California of more than $1 million.
The CSU system opposes the bill, said Andrew Martinez, legislative analyst for CSU Chancellor's Office.
The system is already underfunded and facing further cuts this year, he said. Money raised through the new tax could be used for financial aid instead of freezing fee hikes.
The bill ties the CSU trustees' hands because if the state makes deep cuts to their funding, they couldn't make up the losses with higher fees, he said.
"What kind of outs does this bill have, or the initiative have, should there be a bad budget year and that third leg of the stool gets taken away?" Martinez said.
Freshman Justine Oden is surprised at the opposition, she said.
"Don't they want more kids to come to college?" she said. "I wish they would support us."
The bill goes next to the Tax and Revenue Committee and, if passed there, to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, said Armando Chavez, legislative aide to Coto. Those hearing dates have not been set.
Junior Sam Garrow understands compromises are likely as the bill moves through legislative committees, he said. He hopes the bill's supporters keep their goals clearly defined.
"Don't make any sacrifices that will hurt students in the long run," he said. "And if that's financial aid instead of lowering tuition, that's fine as long as it's a step in the right direction."
Although the bill made it past the committee, volunteers will keep collecting signatures to get the initiative on November's ballot.
"We don't care how the law passes," he said. "We'll take it through the ballot or if a bill passes (the legislature)."
Ellen Walrath can be reached at
ewalrath@theorion.com
The College Affordability Act, authored by Assemblyman Joe Coto, was passed in the Assembly Higher Education Committee with a vote of 4-1 March 25 with two committee members not voting.
The bill has the same effects as an initiative students are gathering signatures for and would freeze tuition for five years.
"People who are signing say, 'Hey, why don't you go to the legislative route?'" said Chris Vaeth, campaign director for Tuition Relief Now.
Tuition Relief Now members have been frustrated in the past with attempting to get tuition control through legislature, he said. But they decided to give it another chance.
The bill, written after a request by Tuition Relief Now members, would freeze university fees in the University of California and California State University systems at their current levels for the next five years, then tie fee hikes to inflation. It would supplement funding for the systems through a 1 percent tax on incomes in California of more than $1 million.
The CSU system opposes the bill, said Andrew Martinez, legislative analyst for CSU Chancellor's Office.
The system is already underfunded and facing further cuts this year, he said. Money raised through the new tax could be used for financial aid instead of freezing fee hikes.
The bill ties the CSU trustees' hands because if the state makes deep cuts to their funding, they couldn't make up the losses with higher fees, he said.
"What kind of outs does this bill have, or the initiative have, should there be a bad budget year and that third leg of the stool gets taken away?" Martinez said.
Freshman Justine Oden is surprised at the opposition, she said.
"Don't they want more kids to come to college?" she said. "I wish they would support us."
The bill goes next to the Tax and Revenue Committee and, if passed there, to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, said Armando Chavez, legislative aide to Coto. Those hearing dates have not been set.
Junior Sam Garrow understands compromises are likely as the bill moves through legislative committees, he said. He hopes the bill's supporters keep their goals clearly defined.
"Don't make any sacrifices that will hurt students in the long run," he said. "And if that's financial aid instead of lowering tuition, that's fine as long as it's a step in the right direction."
Although the bill made it past the committee, volunteers will keep collecting signatures to get the initiative on November's ballot.
"We don't care how the law passes," he said. "We'll take it through the ballot or if a bill passes (the legislature)."
Ellen Walrath can be reached at
ewalrath@theorion.com
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