Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) (AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) – Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday that people mistakenly believe he is proposing free college for all, when in fact he is proposing free tuition at public colleges and universities.



“I am not proposing - and very often it gets misunderstood, I am not proposing free college for all. What I am proposing is free tuition at public colleges and universities. That is what I am proposing,” Sanders said during the CNN TV One Democratic presidential town hall in Ohio.





“As dean of undergraduates, I am very, very much aware of the impact on our students of escalating costs in higher education, particularly our disadvantaged students,” sad Wayne Carlson, the dean of undergraduate students at Ohio State University, the site of the presidential town hall.



“I, myself, am a first-generation low-income student, and I financed my way through college using federal grants and forgivable loans. I know, senator, that you are proposing free college for all. I don't quite understand how that's possible. Senator, is there room for compromise on this issue?” Carlson asked.



“Well, Wayne, I am not proposing - and very often it gets misunderstood, I am not proposing free college for all. What I am proposing is free tuition at public colleges and universities. That is what I am proposing, and I am also proposing to substantially lower the outrageous level of student debt that millions of people in this country are currently carrying.



“Now why am I doing this? I am doing this because today in many respects a college degree is the equivalent of what a high school degree was 50 years ago. The world has changed. The economy has changed. People need more education,” he said.



“And that is why I believe we should make public colleges and universities tuition-free so that anybody in this country who has the ability, who has the qualifications will be able to get a college degree, regardless of the income of his or her family,” Sanders said.



“Like you, I came from a family that didn't have a lot of money, first generation to go to college, but I want every kid in this country who is in the sixth grade or the fourth grade to understand that if he or she studies hard, does well, they will be able to go to college regardless of the income of their family, and we are going to pay for that,” he added.

Sanders said he would pay for his $70 billion a year plan by imposing a tax on Wall Street speculation.



“I will tell you how we are going to pay for that. You know, I have been criticized. This is an expensive proposition. It is $70 billion a year, but, you know, some of you will remember that back in 2008, Congress bailed out Wall Street after their greed and illegal behavior nearly destroyed our economy,” he said.



“I believe we should impose a tax on Wall Street speculation,” he said. “If we could bail out Wall Street, now it is Wall Street's time to help the middle class of this country.”