To: Governor Tom Wolf
Gov. Corbett Restore Funding for Higher Education
Governor Corbett: We urge you to restore the funding you cut to Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities.
Why is this important?
Pennsylvania faced a tough budget situation, and college students understand that everyone needs to do their part. However, students are all too aware of debt. Student debt in this country is at a record high. There are many opportunities to make up Pennsylvania's debt without forcing more debt on students.
While gas drillers risk our environment, you refuse to consider a severance tax or impact fee that could help pay for the environmental costs of drilling as well as funding other vital programs like higher education.
Despite the dire predictions and calls for fiscal responsibility, Pennsylvania ended the fiscal year with a surplus of around $700 million. The total cuts to the entire higher education system were around $250 million. By using less than half of the surplus Pennsylvania could have preserved it’s higher education funding.
Furthermore, you passed a tax cut for businesses that would cost at least $200 million and could cost up to $800 million. In addition, your budget increases funding for prisons by over $150 million.
These ideas are just a few of the many options you can take to restore funding to the higher education system in Pennsylvania.
While gas drillers risk our environment, you refuse to consider a severance tax or impact fee that could help pay for the environmental costs of drilling as well as funding other vital programs like higher education.
Despite the dire predictions and calls for fiscal responsibility, Pennsylvania ended the fiscal year with a surplus of around $700 million. The total cuts to the entire higher education system were around $250 million. By using less than half of the surplus Pennsylvania could have preserved it’s higher education funding.
Furthermore, you passed a tax cut for businesses that would cost at least $200 million and could cost up to $800 million. In addition, your budget increases funding for prisons by over $150 million.
These ideas are just a few of the many options you can take to restore funding to the higher education system in Pennsylvania.