Democrats poised to offer two years of free community college

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | December 18, 2018 | By Melody Gutierrez

[Oldeconomybuyer]

California community college students could reap the benefits of Democratic dominance in the state Legislature, with lawmakers pushing for the state to cover the cost of two years of tuition for students who commit to enrolling full time right out of high school.

During the 2018 midterms, the free-college mantra of Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders became a key campaign promise for liberal candidates in congressional and state races. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom pledged during his own campaign to make the first two years of community college free in California, as did some of his Democratic challengers.

“This is about strengthening the middle class,” said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles, who partnered with Assemblymen David Chiu, D-San Francisco, and Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, to pass a bill last year making the first year of community college free for full-time freshmen.

The two-year savings for a student taking 12 units a semester would be $2,208. That could mean the difference between having to take out more loans or pick up extra hours at a job. But it also costs taxpayers millions a year.

[al_c]

“Free” ... yeah, right. What kind of new tax will they come up with for this “free” benefit?

[al_c]

Quit pampering them in High School with SJW and Sexploitation classes and they won’t need community college.

My kids are doing great in high school ... even taking some dual credit courses. But that doesn't make college any more affordable.

[mad puppy]

It sounds so obviously good on the surface, who could possibly oppose this, right?

But ‘free’ is NEVER free. It only covers tuition; not fees; not transportation; not books; not housing; not food.... which means the truly poor still can’t go.

You ever notice that when something is handed to you, you don’t place any value on it? When you PAY for it, however, you put value on it. You take it seriously. That is why you have kids in HS that do not give 1 flying @#$%@ about it.

Also, will students be allowed to go to ANY CC in Calif for free, or only the CC closest to them? IOW’s, is there school choice or not? Asking for a friend.

[BBB333]

“Community college use to be free in calif. All you paid was books and parking”

AMEN! I remember those days...funny, what happened to the free secondary college?

[LegendHasIt]

If it is ‘free’... then obviously the teachers, administrators etc are donating their time and energies, the facilities are being donated, the utilities for lighting the classrooms and keeping them at a comfortable temperature being donated, the books being donated. etc, all voluntarily.

What? They are not??

Then it ain’t free.

[lastchance]

I suggest that all be required to take remedial math. Not only the students but the legislators too.

[AlaskaErik]

Cali used to have free CC back in the 80s. But then they realized they couldn’t afford it.

[caltaxed]

CC in California is nearly free now (for the student).

I took a class a couple of years ago and it was a couple hundred bucks out of pocket.

[alternatives?]

Will they teach them how to read and write?

[ExTexasRedhead]

At the rate of California residents “leaving” California, the hacks in the State Assembly can pay the bills themselves along with their illegals and Marxist buddies.

[ronnie raygun]

2 years free of social justice programs, women’s rights, #tag me too, safe places, white privilege, racist studies, immigration encouragement and support, no borders yeah I got it right

[yoe]

Democrats poised to offer two years of free community college

Jobs? Illegal immigrants do the low wage jobs...free education further crippling our young people i.e., expecting something for nothing.

[Retvet]

Pay for it starting with their salaries.

[luv2ski]

They have gone completely crazy in CA. Sanctuary state, free services for illegals, free CC and a high speed train that cost a zillion dollars. I know there are a lot of very wealthy people there (like Silicon Valley and Hollywood) but where on earth are they going to get the money for this? Takes Santa Claus to a whole new level...

[Sooth2222]

They are printing money?

[muglywump]

How about offering yutes two years of free tuition at technical/trade schools?

[LouAvul]

Idiots. When I was there it was $10/unit. That was basically free. The biggest cost was the books. Kids would enroll in classes, fill up the slots, then not attend because they were bored with the class and it only cost them $30 to quit. That left a lot of students who needed the class out in the cold.

Then the idiots in kommiefornia decided they were broke and could no longer afford to subsidize college to that degree. And the cost went up.

But now they have another bunch of clowns who want to make it free? Typical. kalifornia.

[RedStateRocker]

My local JC was exactly that. Did a complete vocational welding program, plus theater arts (techie side) as well as drafting.It was inexpensive back in the day.

Utterly agree - subsidizing technical and trade classes heavily would be a good investment of *community* taxpayer funds. It should be a local decision, and when it has been it has worked out really well. The local car dealers sponsored a program to teach hybrid and electric car mechanics; pretty much everyone got hired before the class ended. The welding class I was in, the guaranteed way to get your 6 units of ‘A’ was to get hired before class finished!

[thescourged1]

I could actually get behind this. Better than a useless 2-year degree in sociology or some other garbage.

I don't think this free community college fantasy is going to go anywhere anyway. Look at who the target market is.

[hinckley buzzard]

So how many marginal students will now opt for CC whereas before they took jobs or job training, As we know, what ever you subsidize, you get more of. I doubt they have thought through the impact this idea would have on changing peoples’ behavior, and not necessarily in a good way.