By Amanda Rodarte
The California Education and Resource Reinvestment Act Senate Bill 241 will benefit all college students in California. SB 241 will increase tax rates in oil companies to fund higher education.
The bill would require that every oil company that pulls resources from Californian grounds or water would pay a 9.5 percent extraction tax.
Education has been a much needed and neglected resource in the state of California and SB 241 might just be the solution.
As a college student in the process of transferring, it has been a long journey full of frustration.
Due to financial issues, I am forced to work in the daytime and attend class in the evening.
It saddens me to see such a small selection of electives and courses for evening classes.
By neglecting its students, California has made it more difficult for students to continue a sturdy pace without obstacles.
According to the Board of Equalization, the bill would generate about $2 billion a year and would be split between CSUs, UCs, community colleges and the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Thirty percent of the money would go to higher education and seven percent to parks and recreation.
Students need a proposition that will give us the needed classes and lower rates for education.
Chevron is spending approximately $14 million just to fight SB 241.
This is why this proposition must pass. It would only affect big oil companies that would be forced to pay higher taxes.
With past and ongoing budget cuts, colleges are in need of alternative funding.
Having attended ELAC for the past three years, the budget cuts have been apparent.
Math and English classes are insanely crowded with students desperate to add classes.
The class options at ELAC have decreased, leaving students with no other alternatives other than to hope that maybe they will get classes they need the following semester.
Student services such as tutoring have decreased and minimized the available lab hours to students.
Last winter the Academic Senate stated, “There is one counselor per every 2,200 students. This provides proof that alternative sources for funding are much needed.
We must work together and urge the legislation to take action to continue with our education.
Many students have chosen to attend community colleges because of financial issues.
If rates increase, many students will not be able to pursue a higher education and it will ruin their dreams of earning a degree.
If passed, SB 241 would become effective in 2015 and can save students from dropping out from school.
I urge students to sign the online petition at senate.ca.gov, rally or write a letter to the State Senate, and express the needs we have as students and the importance of the bill passing.
If SB 241 passes, students can have more opportunities in school.
The expansion of classes will give students more variety and the ability to pursue their education.