Budget Woes

By: Darah Patterson
“Oh…Oh…Oh my God! A lot of students will suffer because of this…the budget issues is something I never thought of until recently..”

You never really appreciate something until its gone. People tend to get involved and do their research when the action/bill/policy they don’t want to happen or pass is a wink away from being passed. We as students need to get more actively involved in what’s going on in our country because most of it directly affects us. We are adults now, whether you live at home with your parents, by yourself, or in the dorms. We must know our state representatives. Even if you aren’t a Pennsylvania resident because policies will affect you either directly or indirectly.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Facilities has estimated that the cuts will increase tuition by 33%, may lead to staffing cuts, decrease in research funds, and more.
Seventy percent of the students I surveyed admitted that they didn’t feel adequately informed about the higher education cuts, 57% of the students surveyed didn’t know that the reason the fifty percent cut to higher education is a proposed solution to decreasing the $4 billion state deficit.
Most students also were unaware that Corbett refuses to tax gas industries, the state’s largest industries, because he feels that taxing these big gas giants would hinder the growth of the natural gas drilling in PA and prevent the state from becoming the national hub of the industry…Of course this has nothing to do with the $1 million campaign donations he received from the gas drilling industry.
Higher education isn’t the only thing that is getting cut though…if that makes you feel any better. Public school funding is also facing cuts. So the little five-year- old kindergartners, the elementary school kids, the middle school-ers, and the students that are looking college right in the eye, will all feel the sharp blade of Corbett’s budget plan. The state subsidized insurance program adultBasic has been thrown into the waste basket…
…but let us look on the bright side: $200 million in tax credits will be given to businesses if they choose to follow federal law on depreciation of equipment and assets. Which means big corporations will be able to write off 100% of equipment purchases…The $60 million state film tax credit, which attracts movie directors to Pittsburgh, won’t be cut….at all. Tom Corbett’s budget plan is based on his promise not to raise taxes…genius, a simply geeenniiuuss plan…lets cut funding for schools and give money to business…so we’re increasing the unemployment population and increasing businesses who will fall because no one can afford their products.

Corbett’s proposed 50% higher education cuts are the highest in the Nation. One of the lowest cuts is TN with a 1-2% cut, Missouri and Georgia face a 7% cut, 10% for Colorado and New York, 17% for Texas, from 16-26% for Maryland, and 18% for Califorinia.
Corbett says that he is “determined that Pennsylvania not lose this moment. We have the chance to get it right the first time, the chance to grow our way out of the hard days.” The smartest and most full proof investment that anyone can make is in education.
Student and Parent Suggestions
“Maybe states should demand the $3 billion a yaer in Military aid to Israel to go to US education”
“Dang I need to hurry up and graduate.”
Bintou Mariko, a Pitt Sophomore said, “Education is the primary resource to being succesfull in the US.”
An anonymous Pitt Junior wrote, “Dearest Corbett, do you want us to go to college? Because a lot of people won’t go if you do this!!!”
“Stop filling your pockets Republicans!!”