Finally – Community College fees do not go up

With the passage of Proposition 30, and a quarter cent sales tax increase, millions of dollars are heading to our school budgets. For community college students that means there will be no fee increases this semester.

Santa Barbara City College President Dr. Lori Gaskin says, “Over the past four and a half years, our enrollment fees for the California community colleges have increased by 130 percent.”

In his recent budget speech, Governor Jerry Brown said, “that’s
an investment in education and that’s the social program that I think will give us the biggest return.”

On the first day of the new semester Gaskin said, “We’re extremely delighted that the proposition from the Governor is that there’s no fee increase. We need to settle out . We need to get our students on a very solid footing.”

One student said she’s on a tight budget but if Proposition 30 failed
it would be devastating for her roommate. “She was even gonna go back to Los Angeles where she lives because she wouldn’t be able to pay anything,” said Savannah Scilley.

Students can now plan their future easier, both academically and financially.

“I would have been really worried about that especially in the further education cuz those fees would have gone up as well, and that would have been outrageous, ” said Jacob Hallett.

One student said she was encouraged to vote by her teachers, especially to keep education fees down.

“Like all our teachers told us about it and like this directly effect you you’re stupid not to vote for it,” said Miranda Bradberry.

The college says it also plans to add on line and in classroom courses with the new funding.

KEYT NewsChannel 3 Senior Reporter John Palminteri has our story.