Advertisement Free tuition proposed for community college students in California Plan would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars Share Shares Copy Link Copy

There's a big push in California to offer free tuition to all community college students in the state."It's probably the smartest thing we can do because it will keep people in school," Sacramento City College student Markese Pierce said. "It makes people want to further their lives and their future.”Fellow student Erica Hernandez was quick to agree.“We live on our own now, so it would be a lot easier if we didn't have to pay for school,” she said. “We could go for free."But, offering free tuition for California's more than 1 million full-time community college students is expensive."There's no such thing as a free lunch -- and there's really no such thing as a free education," Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon Coupal said.Coupal said students should have a financial stake in their futures."Having to pay for the credits that you achieve at community college gives these people some skin in the game," Coupal said. "And, actually (that) makes sure they take it a little bit more seriously."Sacramento City College student Rosa Rodriguez agreed."Some people just sign up for school and then they just don't finish it for some reason - they're not dedicated as much as other people."California community college tuition fees are in the $1,100 range per year -- among the lowest in the nation. But, adding in housing, transportation and books can bring the bill to $18,000 or more."A lot of us don't have 10 to 15 thousand dollars a year to spend on college and a lot of our parents don't either," Sacramento City College student Ansen Steele said. "So, I think it would definitely help a lot.”At the state Capitol on Wednesday, a public hearing sought to find ways of paying for a free education, which might include some federal funds.But, lawmakers know they'll also have to hold students accountable."They'll have to maintain a certain GPA probably," State Sen. Marty Block, D-San Diego, said. "They'll have to maintain adequate progress towards a degree. We're hoping this will encourage students to not just start -- but finish college."About 65 percent of community college students currently pay no tuition at all, thanks to Cal grants and other stipends. But, it would cost taxpayers an estimated $420 million to cover the more than 400,000 students who are currently paying for community college."I don't see this as a cost so much as an investment." Block said. "We're really going to see in the end a lot of return for the investment."?