Legislature faces ridicule for latest tuition increase
Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, agrees with most university and college boards of trustees around the state - Michigan needs to reinvest in higher education. Tuition hikes are a direct result of the Legislature's unwillingness to take an interest in the schools, Schauer said. About $26 million was cut from higher education during the 2006-07 school year, Schauer said, and it's not likely to be restored. At an MSU Board of Trustees meeting in July, the trustees agreed tuition hikes directly correlated to a lack of state aid. Universities need to hold the Legislature accountable for tuition increases, Trustee Faylene Owen said at the meeting. With uncertainty about how much schools are receiving, boards are forced to raise tuition to plan for the worst, Schauer said. "That really has forced universities to sort of throw a dart at the dart board without having guidance from the Legislature," he said. A solution to the state's budget crisis, Schauer said, could be a minor increase in the income tax and a broadening of the current 6 percent sales tax to certain high-end luxury services. "The combination of those two things would get us pretty close to where we need to be," he said. The Democrats have no reason to talk about raising taxes, said Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. Marsden said Democrats are continuously spending money the state does not have. "The Democrats continue to push for tax increases, but they refuse to accept any support for reforms in government," he said. Until the spending is dealt with, the Republicans and Democrats will have a stalemate, Marsden said. "We don't have a taxing problem, we have a spending problem that needs to be dealt with first," he said. Schauer said the Republicans are "stubbornly adhering to a failed ideology." "We need to step up to the plate and get our budget balanced and quickly in a way that invests in the universities and in colleges, and invests in our work force," he said. When universities cut programs, Schauer said, it makes Michigan less competitive in the job market. Marsden agreed it was unfortunate that higher education had to make some sacrifices. "We certainly support and agree that higher education is essential to moving Michigan into the 21st century," he said. He said the Republicans support an increase to higher education if possible, but won't be able to discuss specifics until they know how much of a state deficit they are dealing with. Schauer said he hopes the state listens to what Gov.