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GUEST COLUMN |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Josh Shapiro |
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Legislative surplus should be used to offset state university budget cut
By State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery
Following Gov. Rendell’s request that Pennsylvania’s 14 state universities cut 4.25 percent from their current state appropriation to deal with our Commonwealth's budgetary shortfall, I have received numerous letters and phone calls from Pennsylvanians concerned that education is taking an undeserved hit during the current economic crisis.
I share those concerns. Each year, students are forced to pay increasingly high tuition costs at Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities. While our state system schools have been able to keep tuition increases at or below the rate of inflation the past four years, schools will likely have to raise tuition to cover a $22.4 million cut to their appropriation and the impact of the tough economic times. If schools were to raise their tuition 4 percent to offset the cuts, students would be charged $214 more than the current base tuition rate of $5,358. With the addition of room, board and books, many students who wanted to earn an education in their home state will be forced to take on imposing loans, postpone their degrees or look elsewhere.
Such a prospect is disheartening, especially when a viable solution exists. Instead of asking our state schools to forfeit their appropriation and potentially have to raise tuition, the General Assembly should use the legislative surplus accounts controlled exclusively by the House and Senate leaders to cover the schools’ full appropriation.
The legislative surplus currently contains $210 million, according to the most recent audit. I have long advocated for a return of the surplus to taxpayers. Pennsylvania’s underfunded colleges and universities are the right kind of investment of those dollars.
The legislature has no reason to hoard $210 million while our constituents are struggling. The General Assembly has more than enough funding to stay afloat through this economic crisis; unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s college students don’t have the same luxury. We owe it to the future of our Commonwealth to invest in our youth.
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