Peninsula Daily News and The Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire has asked lawmakers to let state universities increase tuition by up to 28 percent over the next two years to help offset deep budget cuts.
Also in her proposal: An increase in tuition at Peninsula College and other community and technical colleges by up to 7 percent
The request, made to Democratic House and Senate leaders today, is a change from the temporary surcharge Gregoire had initially sought. That surcharge would have been on top of the current 7 percent cap but would have been temporary and removed after two years.
“I’m asking our families and students to sacrifice a little bit,” Gregoire said, noting that recent increases in aid through Pell Grants and tax credits would “ease any of this increase in tuition.”
Under Gregoire’s current proposal, four-year universities would be authorized to raise tuition by up to 14 percent each year for the next two years. Community and technical colleges would be authorized to raise tuition by 7 percent per year.
“This recession will end, but in the meantime we cannot damage our universities and colleges,” Gregoire told reporters today.
Victor Moore, Gregoire’s budget director, said that after the two years, the university cap would revert to 7 percent, but the new base tuition established by prior increases would stand.
Lawmakers are trying to fill a roughly $9 billion budget deficit. The House and Senate both rolled out their cut-heavy budget proposals last week.
The House cut deeper into colleges and universities, while state senators took more from K-12 programs.
House Democrats propose a $683 million reduction in higher education, significantly higher than the Senate Democrats’ proposal of a $513 million cut.
Under the Senate proposal, public four-year institutions could raise tuition a maximum of 7 percent a year, and community and technical colleges could increase tuition by up to 5 percent each year. The House authorizes a higher tuition increase cap — 10 percent — for public four-year institutions, while community and technical colleges would be authorized to raise tuition by up to 7 percent each year.
When Gregoire released her budget proposal in December, the state was only facing a $6 billion projected deficit, and she proposed a 7 percent tuition hike for four-year schools, and 5 percent for two-year colleges.
“We’re in a crisis,” Gregoire said. “We should not resort to a second-class education system because we’re in a recession.”
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said Gregoire’s proposal is a “subject of negotiation.”
Brown said that the Senate has some concerns, including any liability effect on the state’s prepaid college tuition plan.
Randy Hodgins, lobbyist for the University of Washington, said that the governor’s proposal was a good one.
“Do we like raising tuition? No. Do we think it’s an acceptable and much-needed alternative given the state of the operating budget? Absolutely,” he said.
Hodgins said that while the higher tuition won’t help prevent all of the enrollment cuts the university is facing, it will help keep more slots open, as well as helping the size and number of classes the university can offer.
Gregoire said she also asked lawmakers Tuesday to consider temporarily lifting the school levy lid for the K-12 education system.
Gregoire said that 75 school districts across the state would benefit from lifting the lid, which would allow the districts to collect up to $68 million a year in property taxes for local school districts.
Under state law, most school districts can have local levies account for no more than 24 percent of their total budget.
She said the additional money would provide “critical relief” to school districts that are facing deep budget cuts.
“The voters have already voted to pay these levies; we should lift the artificial cap and let the money go forward to maintaining education for our schools,” she said.
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On the Net:
Gov. Chris Gregoire: www.governor.wa.gov
Washington state Legislature: www.leg.wa.gov
List of counties with excess levy capacity: www.governor.wa.gov/news/20090407.pdf
