By snoadmin
The Los Angeles Times along with the University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences recently released the results of a poll, which found that Californians would be willing to pay more taxes if the money went toward public education.
According to the study, 64 percent of voters whether they are Republican or Democrat, would not mind an increase in taxes as long as the money went toward public education.
With tuition rates at an all-time high and another nine percent tuition hike on the horizon, clearly something needs to change. This study proves that people young and old are aware of the problem, and realize that education should be a higher priority.
The problem with the idea of raising taxes in order to fix the education budget is that there would have to be regulations making sure that the money is going specifically to education, and toward things that matter. It would be a waste if they raised taxes and the situation did not change.
In the 1960s, Cal State schools were virtually free, and a public college education was available to almost anyone who was willing to put the time and effort toward it. Now most students struggle to finish college on time due to reduced classes, and are rewarded with massive debt as soon as they do.
Forty-three percent of CSULB students who arrive here as freshmen took out loans to pay for school; most of these students will be required to start paying off those loans within the first six months after they graduate.
Earlier this year, an initiative called “Oil Extraction Fee To Save Education” was proposed. This would charge oil companies a 15 percent “extraction fee” every time they drill in California. Extraction fees have already been implemented in both Alaska and Texas, and they bring in billions of dollars each year.
The initiative to use the extraction fees to save education would make sure that the money goes toward public education, and that the big oil companies don’t try to avoid the fee. A penalty fee would be implemented if any company dodged the fee.
If taxes were to be raised to benefit education, regulations like these would have to be put in place to make sure the money goes where it is needed. The money would need to be used to pay for the things that our tuition pays for right now. This way, tuition could be lowered and students could afford to pay for school. If the money doesn’t go toward lowering tuition, then we would be paying the same for school while also paying more taxes.
This poll proves that people are aware of the education problem and are willing to do something about it. This is a good start, but more thought needs to be put toward how the money would be taxed and what it would be spent on.
The proponents of the oil extraction fee had the right idea when they put restrictions on where the money would go. Raising taxes is too abstract of an idea, and we need a more concrete plan if we are going to solve this education crisis.
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