ASMSU’s Student and Academic assemblies voted Thursday night to increase its student tax by $3 per semester. The move paves the way for the tax increase to appear on a universitywide ballot in mid-March.
The university’s undergraduate student government now charges $13 per semester. The ASMSU tax appears on undergraduate students’ tuition bills.
To take effect, the proposed tax increase must be approved by Student Life and then needs a simple majority vote on the universitywide ballot.
Academic Assembly passed the increase 13-12 and Student Assembly passed the increase 10-4, with one representative abstaining.
Academic Assembly Chairperson Matt Clayson said a student tax increase could be good or bad, depending upon how it’s spent.
“A lot of people put a lot of hard work into this issue, and as an organization, we’ve done a lot to really trim costs and use money as wisely as possible,” said Clayson, who supported the increase. “A student would be paying a lot more for the services ASMSU provides than the tax increase.
“We’ve reached the point where you can’t cut back any more, and we either have to cut back on services or increase the student activities fee.”
A $3 tax increase will inject a projected $121,650 into the organization’s $870,000 budget. Assembly members said the increase still would be lower than the semesterly $21 tax by the Residence Halls Association.
The ASMSU increase would be the organization’s first in three years, when it increased the student tax from $10 to $13 per semester to fund the Red Cedar Log, MSU’s yearbook. The remaining $10 is distributed to other ASMSU divisions. The organization’s $10 base tax has not been increased in six years.
Tori Treadwell, vice chairperson for student programming, said money from the tax increase would be given to Student Legal Services, Programming Board, Funding Board and the class councils.
Others said some money should be spent on organization advertising.
Josh Minor, Academic Assembly RHA representative, said he wanted to know more about how the money would be used.
“In a sense, this is taxation without representation,” said Minor, who opposed the increase.
Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services, suggested the organization not raise the student tax more than $3. June worked with the group to come to the tax increase proposal.
“Hopefully, they will show some physical constraint when budgeting,” June said. “They have in the past, and I’m confident they will do it again.
“There shouldn’t be any significant increases. A couple of dollars over a few-year period makes sense. The general rule, overall, is that the university is trying to keep costs down. ASMSU should consider that.”
Some representatives debated a $5 increase, but brought the amount down following June’s advice.
Danielle Cormier, Student Assembly College of Arts and Letters representative, said she favored a $5 increase, but voted for the $3 hike.
“If you raise it once, you won’t have to raise it again for a long time instead of more frequently,” she said. “My idea is long-term.”
Jesse Blazo, a general business administration and pre-law junior who was studying in the Union on Thursday night, said he would pay a tax increase because he thinks the services ASMSU provides are worthwhile.
“They are there to help us, and defend our rights,” Blazo said. “(A few) dollars isn’t that big of a deal to help out a program that helps us.”
