Kerry presents plan for funding higher education

Presumed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry thinks he
has the answer to making college more affordable.

To achieve this feat, Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, has
proposed a $25 billion financial aid package that would go to
states, and $50 billion that would go toward a college tax credit
program.

Kerry discussed his proposals with student journalists from
across the country in a conference call Tuesday, as a part of his
campaign to reach out to college students.

Kerry said it is important that the federal government look at
college affordability, especially with recent numbers suggesting
that numerous students were unable to attend college this year
because of rising tuition costs.

“Over the last three years, college tuitions have
increased by about 28 percent, even after taking inflation into
account,” Kerry said. “That has meant that remarkably
220,000 students were priced out of college this year ““
220,000 who would have gone to college but didn’t.”

Kerry’s recent proposals would help fund higher education
by distributing the $25 billion among states to ease their higher
education costs.

In the tax credit proposal, students would receive an
approximate $4,000 in tax credits to help relieve the expenses of
tuition.

The Bush-Cheney ’04 campaign said Kerry’s claims
about funding for college affordability were invalid.

To refute Kerry’s statements, the Bush campaign provided
statistics about the proposed 2005 fiscal budget, in which Pell
Grant money will be increased by $856 million and financial aid
money will increase by $4.2 billion.

Based on the increases to Pell Grants, an additional 1 million
students would receive money from the grant program, which would
not have to be repaid.

This means that funds for higher education are increasing, but
it still might not be enough to make college affordable for
low-income students.

“More and more students are graduating from high school,
so the number going to college is going up,” said Sandy Baum,
a senior policy analyst from the College Board. “This does
not say how many are not going to college.”

The Bush campaign did not provide a direct answer to
Kerry’s proposals for improving college affordability.

Kerry’s proposals might be beneficial for students, but
could also feasibly have minimal impact, depending on the manner in
which money will be allocated.

“It could potentially help a lot of people a little bit,
or a little people a lot,” said Maureen Laffey, president of
the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs.
“I would have to look at the program requirements, but any
money is good … just so long as it is earmarked for needy
students.”

But the money isn’t necessarily allocated for needy
students, as one of the grants is directed to the states and the
other is for college tax credit.

When students who are dependents receive tax credit, their
parents or guardians are able to write off about $1,500 from their
income taxes.

But because the money is deducted from their expenses instead of
being granted to them, Baum said, tax credits may not make a
difference for most needy students.

“The most important thing is to put money where students
need it most,” Baum said. “It is impossible to improve
the college tax credit program in a great way; it will help
middle-income students.”

In the conference call, Kerry was not specific as to where the
funds for his proposals would come from, mentioning that cuts would
possibly be made to service and state aid programs, though he
reiterated his commitment to Pell Grant funding, health care and No
Child Left Behind, an act aimed at ensuring quality education for
students in elementary and secondary education.

Kerry’s lack of specifics did draw concern that current
programs already providing financial aid for students would be cut
back to fund his proposed programs.

“If he’s gong to find that money from current
programs already out there, that is not going to help
anybody,” Laffey said. “The bottom line is, they need
more money if they want to help low-income students.”

The conference call was a part of the College Campus Tour, which
concludes on Friday. The purpose of the tour is to encourage
students to vote.

Kerry also touched on the subjects of social security, fiscal
responsibility, the possibility of a draft, and the importance of
student voting.

He said he would guarantee that social security funds would be
available through the rest of this century, and that he would
ensure there was no military draft because he would conduct
“more sensible foreign policy.”

Arguably his most distinct point was the importance of the
student vote.

“We have a direct choice ““ a choice between common
sense and failing economic policy,” Kerry said. “It is
a stark choice, and we want students to recognize their power in
deciding.”

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