“These kids are paying into a fund that they cannot access.”
That was the message when dozens of community advocates from across Connecticut joined at the Capitol last week to call on legislators to do what’s right and call two institutional aid bills up for a vote that would help all motivated Connecticut students pursue their dreams of a college education.
But with two days before the legislative session ends, the bills still have not come up for a vote, putting those dreams and futures on hold while stifling the growth of our state and economy.
The bills, HB 7000 and SB 17, would help undocumented immigrant students afford college by making them eligible for institutional aid, a specific form of aid that taxpaying undocumented students have actually already paid for through their own tuition payments, but are restricted from accessing.
This not only disservices the ethical standards of our state, but it neglects a vested interest Connecticut has in making its 105,000 undocumented immigrants a stronger part of our economy. Legislators should see these bills as a smart investment in Connecticut’s economy, especially given our state’s fiscal constraints. Immigrant students who graduate college will contribute more to our tax base, while helping to grow businesses and create jobs.
The non-partisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that undocumented individuals in Connecticut already pay over $124 million in state taxes. According to a 2009 RAND Corporation report, completing a college degree raises lifetime tax contribution by at least $68,000.
The Fiscal Analysis Office has already determined that this bill comes at zero cost to the state and its educational institutions ― this is simply a costless way to help keep families in Connecticut and grow our economy over the long term.
Over the last several years, college enrollment numbers in Connecticut have been declining. If this trend continues, we run the risk of losing our talented workforce, further deepening our fiscal crisis. Making matters worse, New York just passed a bill that allows all students to attend the state’s public colleges and universities free of charge with only one year of residency in the state.
The time to act is now.
Passing this legislation would grow enrollment and increase the tuition base, again at zero cost to the state. Instead of forcing our colleges to cancel yet more classes due to lack of enrollment, we can allow more students to enroll and provide the tuition base for a higher education system that is vital to our economic development. It’s time for legislators to put people over politics.
Passing these bills would strengthen our economy, bolster our higher education institutions, reinforce Connecticut’s progressive tradition, and demonstrate responsiveness to public will.
All of Connecticut’s higher education institutions support equalizing institutional aid. Dozens of community groups and legislators in both parties have agreed.
What’s left now is for legislators to do the right thing. We call on our legislators to act by supporting HB7000 and SB17 in these final days of session.
The writer is the communications director for the Connecticut Working Families Party.
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