Speaker Karen Bass

We have to come to the conclusion that the master plan is dead, since Prop. 13 is not going to be revised, or that working people dont want to pay more taxes for anything.

your mean

no just kidding

Student fees will increase and students will pay $2,500 more towards their tuition beginning next fall 2010 at UC campuses. Student fees increases will help UC campuses' financially to pay for its expenses.

Student fee freeze has affected students and faculty members at UC campuses statewide, as UC students and faculty members are facing unfair circumstances because classes at UC campuses has been cut off, staff members were laid off and library hours were cut short.

Student will however paid a little more for a better elite education at UC starting fall of 2010. According to Fox News, "An institutional system is business for higher learning and most university's cost of attendances is over $30,000 a year." ... Read More

University of California Student's Association recommended a student fee freeze in 2007. But giving thoughts of classes being cut off, staff members being laid off and shortage of library hours; there needs to be a student fee increase because the University of California has been cut short of government funding.

Research

Students borrow money and then face unmanageable debts when they finish college. The increase of tuition has tripled within the last 10 years and federal school grants have remained stable; budget cuts have cut roughly 50 billion dollars out of the education system during the past years. (U.S. College students buried under debt by Marcy Gordon; October 1, 2007)

Not enough efforts have been made to increase the budget of education; instead, Washington cut billions of dollars from the general government educational funding.

Today, college education is business rather than an institution for higher learning; private corporations with high interest loans have invaded American lives. College education is an investment for American society to prosper in economic orders as well as political.

The problem is that almost every college graduate has to repay $19,000 – $100,000 in college loan debts. Looking at the current job market for college graduates, the average salary has dropped dramatically within the last couple of years. (In debt before you start, Sandra Block of USA Today; June 6, 2006)

Students end up paying 25% of their earnings to student loans and other loans obtained during his or her college experience. Students have limited choices for owning a house, their marriage lifestyle, vacations and dining out.

College graduates usually seem unable to manage the debts created by school loans and the government system. The college education system became a business rather than an institution which guarantees a good workforce. The average college graduate with a Bachelor degree makes a earning of less than $20,000. (MSN Money, Liz Pulliam Weston, How much college debt is too much)

Young Americans go to college hoping for better a position in a job market and possibly a higher salary earning. Instead, young Americans have large amounts of debts before they even finish college. Making college affordable or even better, free, would encourage young Americans to attend college or higher institutions of learning.

25 years ago, the Pell grant covered about 77% of college expenses; today, only 40% is covered by Pell grants and the remaining 60% comes from loans—only a few percentage that parents fully pay for their children’s college fees. (Elana Berkowitz and John Burton of WireTap Magazine)

18 years old students are now forced to borrow thousands of dollars to pay for higher education either though a private loan or government guaranteed loans with high loan interest rates. In any case, students should not have to borrow money for higher education or be forced to get loans with interest at such a young age.

Students believe higher education leads to higher salaries, but more education actually also means more loans and more debt; debt excesses over $100,000 to some people who graduated from the nation’s best Universities like Harvard or Yale. It is crucial for the government to offer some form of free higher education program. Nearly 38% of college graduates get into the fields of teaching, and teacher salaries are unable to pay for college debt and a comfortable lifestyle. (In debt before you start, Sandra Block of USA Today; June 6, 2006)

The problematic

The system in which my problem arises is the education system, and in particular the lack of government support and corporations finding ways to generate profits by offering loans with interest to students. Many students and parents are forced to take out private and government loans with interest. The loan amount can reach amounts of over $20,000 – $100,000 depending on the college the student decides to go.

Personal Comment

If we truly believe that people in America should be top in their economic games and political orders, it is wise to invest fully in the Education Department and even expanding the department into more agencies.
Education is an investment for the countries; any country that invested in the education of the nation’s children has a good economic system as well as revolving political system.

Final Recommendation

It is unnecessary to abolish the Department of Education, but instead the most effective public policy would be to add an amendment to our Constitutional rights guaranteeing a free education.

It is necessary to form a Constitutional right guaranteeing every citizen the right for a free high learning education, provided by the government without need to seek loans. We need to not decrease the budget of education but instead make an effort to make it number one on our nation’s agenda when it comes to discuss or debate in Congress. Education is a right.

Reference upon request

Wilshire UMC has been my home church since 1967 (even though I'm now in Sacramento)! I hope the Town Hall meeting went well. I liked the suggestions attributed to you about UC fee hikes in the Sac Bee this morning. Minority students and families will suffer from these hikes and I can't wait to read the results from the new study on rate hikes.

Where is the Speaker's statement on her vote for the UC Fee hike? The comment that she couldn't vote no because that would make her a hypocrite (because of 2009 budget cuts she supported) begs the question of why she supported those cuts in the 1st place and why she voted to deepen California's debt with the $11 billion water bond. Speaker Bass, it's time to stop this. No more "negotiating" with the GOP and the Guv, take a stand for CA.

Right on!

Why did you vote WITH Republican UC Regents to raise fees at University of California? What will it take to OPEN the BOOKS?

Will this legislation entail more testing of our students, or tying teacher salaries to these tests? If so, I am against it. Our obsession with testing is not only discriminatory, it is creating a generation who have learned only to regurgitate "correct" answers.

As the LAO report stated the longer we wait to start on solving the issue the decissions become much more difficult. We know we have a problem over the next 19 months why wait until the next fiscal year. SHOW LEADERSHIP AND START WORKING ON SOLUTIONS NOW TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECSSIONS. We need leadership and hard choices made totoday not after the ... Read Moregovernor throws a round of things we will not accept in Janruary 2010 or July 2010 or November 2010 when we can get an agreement. Be a leader, show leadership!

As I told you on Yom Kippur - RAISE MY TAXES! Not the Sales Tax or fees, but the Income Tax. Those of us still working in good jobs, and especially those making money without working for it, should pay more. I am willing to pay my fair share. Not all Californians are greedy and short-sighted.

And all the people said, "Amen!"

I wonder how the U.S. government would have treated 2 North Korean journalists if they had crossed into the United States without permission...

ah Felicia that makes no sense at all...

Now that the Honorable Congresswoman's helped kill off her poor constituents by offing the public option, what will the Insurance monopoly give her for her birthday?

Will it be as generous as the gits you can expect for selling out billions of dollars to the Bechtel family (and the 600 uber-wealthy families who own Westlands Water District) when you used your Democratic ledership to push through Arnie's pet water bill?

You failed to win the fight for oil depletion tax: nbet cost 1-2 billion. You pushed through 2 billion in corporate tax cuts. Now you've given away $11 billions to the richest Californians.... Read More

Have you no shame?

Of course not. That's why you and Diane are such pals.

Thanks so much for selling us out, Karen.

Stay tuned right here Farell, next time there is an event I'll be sure to post it here.

Crystal Stairs was in the house! Because we fully understand that child care keeps California working! Thanks Madame Speaker for creating the opportunity.