Protesting against the Regents is seriously misguided. Students should be protesting the fact that Californians refuse any tax increases -- alcohol taxes, commercial real estate taxes, and corporate income taxes to name a few -- that could close the yawning budget deficit and save the world's greatest university system from collapse. Blame the people of California, who always seem to want something for nothing. And, who are always moaning, without really knowing anything about the state's various tax and fee structures, that they're already paying too much. You get what you pay for Californians. As Pogo said: "We have have met the enemy, and he is us!"

Protesting against the Regents is seriously misguided. Students should be protesting the fact that Californians refuse any tax increases -- alcohol taxes, commercial real estate taxes, and corporate income taxes to name a few -- that could close the yawning budget deficit and save the world's greatest university system from collapse. Blame the people of California, who always seem to want something for nothing. And, who are always moaning, without really knowing anything about the state's various tax and fee structures, that they're already paying too much. You get what you pay for Californians. As Pogo said: "We have have met the enemy, and he is us!"

I agree with the above post.

The reason we were able to get away with low taxes for so long was because we got massive federal funding during the Cold War. That began to end in the early 90s, but we didn't have any leaders in Sacramento who were smart enough to plan for the future. Well, now the future is here.

The 2/3 rule to pass a budget or raise taxes must be eliminated. Furthermore, we should impose an oil severance tax just like Alaska and Texas do. Unfortunately, our sorry excuse for a Governor won't tax his oil company buddies, but he will tax college students who have little or no income.

Arnold has been such a total disaster for this state. Anybody who voted for him should be taxed at the rate of 100%!

Everyone who did or did not vote for Arnold already gets taxed at the rate of 100%.

I wonder if the Kennedys are embarrassed that Maria brought that trash into the family.

Get away with low taxes? We are the highest taxed state in the nation in most categories! And with Prop 13, property taxes have risen at 500% the rate of population and inflation, as it resets with new sales. So that's a myth, too.

SPENDING has risen, people! Our budget 5 years ago was $25 billion less than this year. We could close the gap by SPENDING less on silly stuff and sticking with the basics: Education, safety, etc.

When Sacto threatens to cut education, why don't we demand what else can be cut? Why don't they cut EVERYTHING, then fund the basics, then ask us if we want to fund guaranteed pensions, bloated staffs, etc?

Even all this said, UC is still among the cheapest state school in the nation AFTER the increase. I'm just shocked at how little we know about how much tax money we have and how much we are wasting in these responses!

Hello! Residents don't PAY "tuition" for undergraduate school. They pay "fees" only. Their total payment for fees has been under $8500 per year, and most of them don't pay the fees anyway.

The Democrats spent like drunken sailors while the economy was booming, now everyone wants to blame the Republicans for the problem? Sorry, I hate the Repugs as much as anyone, but that makes no sense. So how much has the legislature cut its own staff and salaries and slush funds? It's so much easier to cut education and health care because then the citizens yell and scream for more taxes. LESS SPENDING is what Sacramento needs.

Hello! Residents don't PAY "tuition" for undergraduate school. They pay "fees" only. Their total payment for fees has been under $8500 per year, and most of them don't pay the fees anyway. You or your family need to earn more than $70k per year to get stuck with ANY payments. So who is complaining?

I just wanted to thank you for this post.