Letter: Fix Budget, Prevent Tuition Hikes

Much of the coverage of the need for a special budget session of the Maryland legislature has focused on the political machinations of its leaders. That's understandable.

But we should not ignore the impact on ordinary people if the legislature fails to finalize the budget. Major victims will be thousands of middle income college students from every community in Maryland.

The budget package proposed by Governor O'Malley and already endorsed by both houses of the legislature caps tuition hikes at 3 per cent for this fall at all the public 4 year campuses.

If the budget package is not finalized soon, students from College Park and Morgan to Frostburg and Towson (and Maryland's nine other public colleges) will face big tuition hikes, probably 10 per cent or more, this fall. I know, from the five years I served on the board of the University System of Maryland, big tuition hikes will force thousands of middle and low income students out of college.

That is unacceptable. It's time for the legislature to come back into session, finalize the state budget, and keep college affordable for hardworking Maryland students.

Sen. Jim Rosapepe

Rosapepe (D-21) served on the USM Board of Regents from 2001-06 and now serves on the Senate Education Subcommittee.