Texas Tuition Promise Fund

Ever since the Texas officials suggested the tuition rates lock program last year, it has been getting popular. By enacting this policy more and more high school graduate will have a chance to go back to either two years colleges or four years colleges in Texas. People who enroll in this program do not have to worry about tuition hike in the future. State Comptroller Susan Combs hopes that this incentive will encourage more family to participate in this program.

The program was initially started in 1996, now has 119,000 active accounts. The state stopped adding more accounts in 2003 amid concern that the fund is not keeping pace with the tuition hike. Public universities and colleges whose tuition outpaces the fund will bear the cost difference for the participating students. Now, UT-Austin allocates $8 million dollars to overcome the budget shortfall. Kevin Deiters, director of the educational opportunities and investment division of the comptroller's office, believes that this gives incentive to keep colleges cost down.

I believe prepaid college tuition program is a very effective way in facilitating many middle class families to send their kids to colleges in the future. Last five years college tuition is increasing at the rate of 10 percentages. We can predict that the tuition rate in the future will be unaffordable for middle and poor economic group. Good colleges and universities will be just for rich people. Therefore, by freezing tuition at current price is very sensible way of putting the cost down. This program also encourages parents to take responsibilities of their children’s education.

Comments on Vote NO to Proposition 2

Ever since the issue of Proposition 2 was brought up in Austin City, we have been hearing “ye” or “Nay” uncountable times. It was a good article from JBT's Blog Bleeds Burnt Orange. Everyone has to be very clear what Proposition 2 is all about. Proposition 2 forbids the city from offering tax incentives to developers and prevents the city from honoring its existing agreements to pay rebate sales taxes. In her blog, Julie brought up a good point whether or not we should support building Domain, a large size mall her in Austin.

I agree with what she says about finding everything we can think of: decent shops, decent restaurants, without having to travel New York. It does help Austin City by increasing employment. The only concern I have for not approving Proposition 2 is risk of losing small business and existing mall because of high competition. Overall, the city will wind up with same number of employee and giving away someone else business to the new one. Therefore, before we vote against Proposition 2, we have to think about the long term consequence of the local businesses that have been giving services to local people for decades.