California’s Assembly Leader Aims To Slash College Costs

Excerpt from Holly Quan's article.

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – California’s Assembly Speaker John Perez wants to cut college costs by two thirds, and funding the plan by cutting corporate tax breaks to raise a billion dollars each year.

Perez was expected to introduce his plan in Sacramento Wednesday.

It looks to reduce tuition and fees at the state’s colleges and universities for middle class families with incomes less than $150,000. By eliminating a corporate tax break, the state would have enough to offer a $4,000 break to CSU students, and $8,100 in savings for UC students.

KCBS’ Holly Quan Reports:

This comes as other lawmakers are pushing plans to give students relief on fees and textbooks. Amy Laitenen is a policy analyst with the DC think tank Education Sector, and a Cal grad.

“Higher education is supposed to be a public good, at least in part, and it’s increasingly becoming a private good. States need to figure out whether they want to maintain it as a public good or not,” said Laitenen...