Thread: MA-Immigrant Tuition is Low on List; Other Issues Take Prior

Lawmakers: Immigrant tuition is low on list; Other issues should take priority with governor

The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)
November 19, 2010
By Nancy Reardon Stewart

BOSTON - In-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants may be part of Gov. Deval Patrick's 2011 agenda, but many South Shore lawmakers say it doesn't belong there.

Several newly elected lawmakers - both Democrats and Republicans - from the region said they have no desire to tackle the issue when the new session starts in January.

"We've got many challenges and some real opportunities for further economic development," said state Rep. Thomas Calter, D-Kingston. "I don't understand why the governor would choose illegal immigrant tuition as his top priority."

At a luncheon attended Tuesday by about 100 immigration advocates, Patrick vowed to push for the in-state rate, which is lower than what out-of-state students are charged, and to implement remaining reforms from an advisory panel's 2009 list of 130 recommendations.

State residents pay $6,909 in tuition and fees at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, compared with $13,198 for out-of-state residents. The in-state rate at University of Massachusetts at Amherst is $11,732. The out-of-state rate is $23,628.

The recommendation to offer in-state tuition rates to illegal-immigrant students has drawn loud criticism.

It's also something that Patrick supported throughout his first term as governor.

Tackey Chan, a Quincy Democrat elected as state representative in the 2nd Norfolk District earlier this month, said he does not support the governor on this matter.

Chan said illegal-immigrant students should not be denied access to public schools or higher education, but offering them the better rate is a different story.

"They can go, but they have to pay the full tuition rate like everyone else," Chan said.

One of Chan's soon-to-be House colleagues, Geoff Diehl, also opposes the tuition plan.

"There are savings to be realized if we eliminate funding of programs for illegal immigrants," the Whitman Republican said. "My district was very strongly in favor of eliminating waste, especially in this area."

Diehl isn't alone in believing that the governor's take on the issue doesn't jibe with public opinion.

"I think the governor is completely out of touch with residents of the commonwealth who have clearly spoken out on this very definitely," said state Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth. "Even House Democrats voted against it."

Hedlund was referring to a House budget amendment this past summer that would have implemented several crackdowns on state-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, including making the in-state tuition rate off-limits to them.

Many Democrats crossed party lines to vote for the package, but it failed by four votes.

A similar amendment put forward in the Senate by Republicans was approved, but it was removed from the budget later by a conference committee.

Both amendments would have prohibited illegal immigrants from being eligible for the in-state tuition rate.

"You have a combination of Democrats in the Legislature who think it's a bad idea and Democrats who probably like it but feel it would be damaging to them," Hedlund said.

Calter said Wednesday that he's "not far from where the Republicans are."

"There are people on both sides of the aisle who have a clear understanding of the work ahead of us," Calter said.

"I don't think it's a political or ideological divide as much as it's perhaps a different point of view on what our priorities are."

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 23&start=7

And yet they just voted this moron back in