Dear Madam/Mr. President:

In your first year of presidency, you should focus more on free tuition schooling due to the fact that great paying jobs require college degrees because college is expensive and students have a harder time paying off their debt, result in not having a great paying job. Many students dreams become limited, having to pay an arm and a leg and much more to get the education they need. Not only can it better their life, but it can better the U.S. in being more involved in civic duties.

If college becomes free, there would be successful people helping our society get bigger and better. People who do not go to college are more likely to be unemployed and placed under financial strain on society according to Procon.org. College graduates have lower poverty rates. Tuition can keep on increasing over the years and loans, scholarships, and grants will be more difficult to receive which only allows higher privileged children to attend college.

States have relied on large annual tuition increases for decades. Tuition has risen 40 percent in the past 10 years at four-year public colleges and universities (NPR). Children in any family with an annual income of $125,000 a year or less can go to a public college or university tuition-free. That proposal also substantially reduces student debt" (NPR).

Four-year public colleges had an intake of $58 billion in tuition. Since 2011, those four-year public colleges received more in tuition and fees than from all state sources combined. Currently, the federal government spends $31 billion on federal grants and work-study to all institutions, not just four-year public schools (Procon.org).

Some might argue the high cost of college tuition has everything to do with guaranteed student loans. Believing that if guaranteed government student loans were to have never existed, then college tuition today would be half of what it is. Also, too many students earning degrees makes having a bachelor's degree less in value (Procon.org). But being a student that wants to attend college looks at the big picture. Tuition. It has risen quicker than income, making it difficult for the average American to pay for college without incurring debt.

If Las Vegas can spend billions of dollars to build a new stadium for the Raiders and tax people who stay in the hotels charging $1.25 apart from their hotel bill per night to go towards the stadium, why can’t the U.S, which contains 324 million people in 2016, impose a tax fund that would only cost $2 a year? Many American can’t pay for college without incurring debt because tuition has risen quicker than income, but with an occupation tax we could save 648 million a year and the money would go towards college funds and free tuition schooling. This would help the less fortunate or even the families that can barely afford to qualify for a chance to better their life and not be in debt. I think the we should follow Omaha’s restaurant tax so we can profit the money to make college debt free. I also understand that it brings a worry and anger to the owners of the restaurant, making them feel they would lose business because people wouldn’t want to pay more than the price should be, also angering families who eat out. But people will always go out to eat and that’s why this tax was made, the people of Omaha knew that this was a safe way to give the money back they didn’t necessarily need.

Sincerely,

Savannah R.