ASMSU is requesting a $3 tax increase from undergraduate students when polls open March 12-16.
The undergraduate student government’s leaders say the increase is needed to serve students better. A $3 tax increase would inject a projected $121,650 into the organization’s $870,000 annual budget.
“This year everyone is taking a cut in the budget,” said Joe Mignano, ASMSU Student Assembly external vice chairperson. “We are not reaching our full capacity if we are running on a short budget.”
ASMSU’s Funding Board, Programming Board, Student Assembly, Academic Assembly and executive staff projects all would use the money from the increased tax, Mignano said.
If the tax is raised to $16, it would be the organization’s first increase since 1999, when the $10 tax was raised to $13 per semester to pay for 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.
“It’s essential to pass because the demand is there in a lot of areas,” Mignano said.
A referendum to raise per semester taxes for The State News to $5 and the University Apartments’ Council of Residents per semester tax to $3 also will appear on the ballot.
Academic Assembly External Vice Chairperson Jeanette Lantzy said the money will allow the group to host more events.
“We should be able to bring more than one big concert to campus a year,” Lantzy said. “If students want big names at good prices, we need a tax increase.”
Jennifer Deschoff, Funding Board chairperson, said she will agree with the proposed tax increase if Funding Board is allocated $96,000, the maximum amount allotted to fund at least 32 of ASMSU’s registered student organizations each semester.
“No (registered student organization) would be turned away because of a lack of funding,” said Deschoff, who plans on requesting the maximum budget for next year.
Lynn Carlson, an astrophysics and philosophy senior and president of the Spartan Handbell Choir, said she would vote for a tax increase if the undergraduate student government is managed more efficiently.
“Having these funds available to students are a great source,” said Carlson, adding that the handbell choir did not receive ASMSU funding because of extensive paperwork. “Getting through all the paperwork and red tape is almost not worth it.”
Communication freshman Kimberly Eure said she won’t approve the increase.
“It’s a good cause and I do appreciate their services, but it’s bad timing,” Eure said. “The tuition has been increased, so ASMSU should have a gradual increase by starting out asking for just a $1.”
