In an election next week, the Council Of Graduate Students is asking its constituents to support an increase in taxes for the 2001-02 academic year.

If passed, the tax would increase to $7.25 for the fall and spring semesters, up 50 cents from its current rate. The tax is collected from graduate students every semester.

The summer semester tax would stay at its current rate of $4.50.

Sam Howerton, COGS, said the tax is its sole source of funding.

COGS is MSU’s graduate student government.

“It really does help COGS provide services,” he said. “We’re asking to compensate for inflation and things like that.”

Howerton said COGS’ track record speaks for itself.

“When people look at what COGS has provided over the past 20 years it would be very difficult for anyone to believe that their money is not being spent wisely,” he said.

“It’s going to pass.”

But COGS Vice President of Graduate Welfare Marco Meniketti said confidence in the referendum isn’t an excuse not to vote.

“We want as many graduate students as possible to vote,” he said. “We need the taxes in order to be a viable student government.”

COGS is required to put a referendum before its constituents every three years. Usually, the government only requests a renewal of the current tax rate. The last time COGS requested an increase was in 1994.

“An increase is needed because costs are going up,” Meniketti said.

Amelia Shelton, a rehabilitation counseling graduate student, said the increase was reasonable.

“I could afford another 50 cents to help the cause,” she said. “The majority of students benefit from the council.”

Kari Parks agreed. The agriculture extension education graduate student said the increase is more than fair.

“They make sure that we get things that we need,” she said. “I guess I can just help them back and give them an extra 50 cents a semester.”

Graduate students wishing to vote can cast their ballot between Monday and March 30 through the COGS Web site at www.msu.edu/~cogs.