University of California students should be better informed. Where have they been for the last year or two as California’s economy went into the tank and the Governor and state Legislature refused to raise any taxes to balance the budget? What, exactly, do they expect UC President Yudof and the Board of Regents to do? Print money?
Students should be protesting the fact that Californians refuse any tax increases — alcohol taxes, commercial real estate taxes, and corporate income taxes to name a few — that could close the yawning budget deficit and save the world’s greatest university system from this historic decline. A quarter a drink alcohol tax alone could raise $3.5 billion a year.
Students should be protesting against the people of California — including their parents and themselves — who always seem to want something for nothing. Either we raise taxes to balance the budget or we dismantle the greatest system of higher education ever created — UC, CSU and California community colleges together — along with all our other social services.
The Legislative Analyst says that California will run $20 billion deficits through 2015, at which time there will be little left of our great state. Why don’t UC students aim their protests at the people and politicians who refuse to raise taxes and save California?