Chosen
03-29-2009, 10:05 PM
In-state tuition for state’s illegal immigrants does not add up
By: Emily Monske and Kristen Wall /The Daily Cardinal - March 26, 2009
In the current economic times, UW universities cannot afford to provide illegal aliens with in-state tutions, as it would allow all out-of-state residents to receive the same treatment
By Kristen Wall
and Emily Monske
College Republicans
During this past fall’s elections the theme among the Democratic candidates was “change.” However, at least at the state level it has just been more of the same. Gov. Jim Doyle, in this year’s state budget, introduced legislation that would grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants attending schools within the University of Wisconsin System. This provision is raising more red flags than usual, however, because it is the fourth straight year Doyle has done so.
This stipulation has been struck from the budget the past three years due in large part to the fact the Republicans held the majority in at least one of the two state Legislative bodies. Supporters, mostly made up of representatives and senators from the far-left wing of the Democratic Party, hope that with the new Democratic majority in both the state Assembly and Senate, it can be steamrolled through. This statute has yet to gain the support of more moderate Democrats, such as Rep. Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater, who is the chair of the committee on colleges and universities.
Fortunately, there was a federal law enacted in 1996 that conflicts with this heinous provision. This law prohibits states from providing any post-secondary education benefit based on residency to illegal immigrants unless they provide the same benefit to any U.S. resident, regardless of where they live. This means that residents of all 50 states would be granted in-state tuition, which is something our university cannot afford and should not be asked to shoulder. There is a reason that citizens of the state of Wisconsin are rewarded with lower tuition than everyone else: It is because we pay Wisconsin state taxes used to fund our universities. Not only do illegal immigrants not pay Wisconsin taxes, but they do not pay taxes at all. Why should our state be rewarding people for illegal activities when we cannot even provide enough financial aid for those students who are legal residents of Wisconsin? That is a question that Doyle and the far-left-wingers in the state Legislature have yet to answer.
Not only does Doyle want to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, but he has also included in the 2009 budget a tuition increase for everyone whose parents make over $60,000 a year to cover the state deficit. This just goes to show how Doyle cares more about illegal immigrants than he does the legal residents of this state who have the unfortunate problem of having parents who are successful. Apparently, these days, making $60,000 a year qualifies you as rich.
We admit that most illegal immigrants, at least in Wisconsin, are just trying to make better lives for themselves and their children. And though we are all about fairness, we only support being fair to those who abide by state and federal immigration laws. Only when these people follow the laws governing our nation and fulfill Wisconsin state residency qualifications should we be willing to grant in-state tuition to them. Why should we allow these illegal immigrants to take the place of fully qualified legal Wisconsin residents?
With an already dismal economy, Wisconsin residents have had to tighten their belts in all aspects of their lives, including financing higher education, and it is likely that private scholarship foundations are experiencing the same problems. This provision, along with the increase in tuition, will only serve to hurt Wisconsin residents and force students out of an already brain-drained state.
http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/22586
By: Emily Monske and Kristen Wall /The Daily Cardinal - March 26, 2009
In the current economic times, UW universities cannot afford to provide illegal aliens with in-state tutions, as it would allow all out-of-state residents to receive the same treatment
By Kristen Wall
and Emily Monske
College Republicans
During this past fall’s elections the theme among the Democratic candidates was “change.” However, at least at the state level it has just been more of the same. Gov. Jim Doyle, in this year’s state budget, introduced legislation that would grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants attending schools within the University of Wisconsin System. This provision is raising more red flags than usual, however, because it is the fourth straight year Doyle has done so.
This stipulation has been struck from the budget the past three years due in large part to the fact the Republicans held the majority in at least one of the two state Legislative bodies. Supporters, mostly made up of representatives and senators from the far-left wing of the Democratic Party, hope that with the new Democratic majority in both the state Assembly and Senate, it can be steamrolled through. This statute has yet to gain the support of more moderate Democrats, such as Rep. Kim Hixson, D-Whitewater, who is the chair of the committee on colleges and universities.
Fortunately, there was a federal law enacted in 1996 that conflicts with this heinous provision. This law prohibits states from providing any post-secondary education benefit based on residency to illegal immigrants unless they provide the same benefit to any U.S. resident, regardless of where they live. This means that residents of all 50 states would be granted in-state tuition, which is something our university cannot afford and should not be asked to shoulder. There is a reason that citizens of the state of Wisconsin are rewarded with lower tuition than everyone else: It is because we pay Wisconsin state taxes used to fund our universities. Not only do illegal immigrants not pay Wisconsin taxes, but they do not pay taxes at all. Why should our state be rewarding people for illegal activities when we cannot even provide enough financial aid for those students who are legal residents of Wisconsin? That is a question that Doyle and the far-left-wingers in the state Legislature have yet to answer.
Not only does Doyle want to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, but he has also included in the 2009 budget a tuition increase for everyone whose parents make over $60,000 a year to cover the state deficit. This just goes to show how Doyle cares more about illegal immigrants than he does the legal residents of this state who have the unfortunate problem of having parents who are successful. Apparently, these days, making $60,000 a year qualifies you as rich.
We admit that most illegal immigrants, at least in Wisconsin, are just trying to make better lives for themselves and their children. And though we are all about fairness, we only support being fair to those who abide by state and federal immigration laws. Only when these people follow the laws governing our nation and fulfill Wisconsin state residency qualifications should we be willing to grant in-state tuition to them. Why should we allow these illegal immigrants to take the place of fully qualified legal Wisconsin residents?
With an already dismal economy, Wisconsin residents have had to tighten their belts in all aspects of their lives, including financing higher education, and it is likely that private scholarship foundations are experiencing the same problems. This provision, along with the increase in tuition, will only serve to hurt Wisconsin residents and force students out of an already brain-drained state.
http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/22586