The Cal State Long Beach Democrats have been advocating for the Middle Class Scholarship Act, which would potentially cut college fees for middle class students by two-thirds.
California State Assembly Speaker John Perez introduced the petition as a solution to budget cuts and tuition hikes.
“It’s important for this petition to be passed,” said Victoria Chung, vice president of the CSULB Democrats. “College fees can be decreased by two-thirds if a person’s parents make $150,000 or less. This applies to all CSU and UC students.”
If the bill is passed, about 150,000 Cal State University students will receive the Middle Class Scholarship and save more than $4,000 per year.
Additionally, more than 42,000 students from the University of California system will save up to $8,000 per year, according to the Middle Class Scholarship website.
Jamie McLaughlin, president of the CSULB Democrats, said she is hopeful this petition will be passed and will help several students with the college funding.
McLaughlin and Chung said they want CSULB as a whole to be more politically involved and promote acts, like this, that will help the student body.
“The issues that students need to be more aware of are that politics matter,” Chung said. “College students everywhere are being pushed aside and getting funding cut because no one fights for their own education.”
The act will be funded by eliminating a $1 billion corporate tax loophole that enables out-of-state corporations to lower the California tax bill, according to the website.
“The head chapter of the College Democrats of California made it their priority that all the other clubs within the state knew about this act,” Chung said. “It would make college a lot more affordable.”
The club has been asking students to sign the paper and online petition to help promote the act’s visibility.
Besides helping the bill pass, the club has been successful in putting together other programs, such as the Move to Amend the Constitution on campus, and endorsing local politicians, such as Al Austin of the 8th District of Long Beach.
“It sounds like a good idea,” said Michael Martinez, a sophomore biology major, who signed the petition. “Several students from low income families are not able to afford college. We definitely need help to make it more affordable.”