The Daily Campus

Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: Commentary

In her budget proposal Wednesday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced sweeping across the board cuts in an effort to address the ever-growing, multi-billion dollar budget deficit facing our state. The proposal calls for layoffs for more than 400 state employees and the closure or absorption of nearly two-dozen commissions and state agencies, among other cost-saving measures. Rell has made it explicitly clear that she does not want to raise taxes - an approach vehemently opposed by many Democratic members of the state legislature who want "every option on the table."

UConn, a state institution, is not immune to such cuts: Gov. Rell's proposed budget includes a 5 percent cut in state funding to UConn and a one-year "freeze" on all construction projects at UConn. Some cuts were expected; some had even estimated that Gov. Rell might cut UConn's funding by as much as 10 percent. However, at a time when the University is growing at an unprecedented pace, our state legislators must remember their sworn obligation to represent us to the fullest extent possible. A cut of 5 percent will likely yield a tuition increase in the range of 12 to 15 percent next semester, an enormous and unacceptable increase over a one-year period.

We are all familiar with how serious the current economic crisis is; thousands of graduating seniors are currently seeing first-hand how poor the job market is. Hundreds of other students have parents who have recently been laid-off, making UConn tuition and fee bills difficult, if not impossible, to pay.

Now the General Assembly will debate and negotiate with the governor to produce a workable state budget. Democrats will likely push for fewer cuts and increased taxes, while the governor is expected to propose an early retirement ("golden handshake") program for thousands of state employees, as well as ask for additional concessions from state employee unions.

Fortunately, our local representatives (State Rep. Denise Merrill and Senate President Pro-Tempore Donald Williams) are both high-ranking members of the General Assembly who have our best interest at heart. Rep. Merrill, chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Williams met with the Daily Campus Editorial Board in late-October, and both emphasized how strong of a priority they consider higher-education. Merrill reaffirmed that stance when she told The Daily Campus last week that higher education is her "number one priority." Now it is time for our elected officials to produce results, and get a budget passed that minimizes the financial impact on UConn students and their families.

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