Thread: Illegal immigrants may be able to pay in-state tuition in Florida

Illegal immigrants may be able to pay in-state tuition in Florida

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/24779880/...ion-in-florida

Going to college could become less expensive for illegal immigrants living in Florida.

A proposed law is gaining a lot of support in Tallahassee. It would allow certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

The choice was easy for Joey Pazzino. Going to school at Edison State College means the Florida sophomore pays in-state tuition: $3,000 per year instead of $23,000.

"It's a big difference," Pazzino says.

Now state representatives want to give illegal immigrants living in Florida the chance to pay the in-state rate, saving tens of thousands of dollars.

"Especially if they're trying to better themselves in life, I really think everyone should have the opportunity to get their education," Edison State sophomore Courtney Gaines says.

The bill (HB 851) has stipulations: students in the state illegally could be eligible as long as they live in Florida for three years, graduate high school here and go to college within two years of graduating.

--To view the full bill click here

"Education is really important. It builds our country so why not?" Pazzino asks.

Some hesitate about the idea. Asking, should people here illegally get the same rights as people in Florida legally?

"If they become citizens, they're welcome to everything we have here in the United States. That's America," Fort Myers resident Greta Storrs says.

It's the view of several residents and what some students like Courtney Cootware agree with.

Cootware says she wants people to get citizenship before benefits. "That shouldn't be allowed, at all because they're not legally here," the Edison State sophomore explains.

The bill has support in the house. It's a different story in the senate where lawmakers haven't even looked at the bill.

Another giveaway that gives preference to a population that does not mind demanding things, that will only draw more illegal alien families, facilitate more Democrat voters, and leave the citizens with the fallout from all the damage that illegal aliens bring.

Kathleen McGrory, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Friday, February 21, 2014 5:29pm

Senate President Don Gaetz opposes a bill that would extend in-state tuition rates to undocumented students.

But that doesn't mean it won't get a hearing in the Senate, he said in an interview with the Times/Herald this week.

“The issue will be very likely debated in the Senate," Gaetz said. "Where I goes, I don’t know.”

Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, is expected to file a bill next week that would allow some undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates.

Gaetz said the upper chamber is divided on the proposal. He said a proponent had conducted an informal poll, and determined that 18 senators support the measure.

The president's vote is "no," he said.

That's partly because his district in northwest Florida includes several military bases. And children of military families cannot access in-state tuition at Florida colleges and universities if they are residents of other states, even if their parents are stationed in Florida.

“I don’t know how I explain to them that... we will subsidize families who didn’t play by the rules," Gaetz said.

The bill has the support of House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

Gaetz, who has been singing a lot of Kumbaya with the speaker these days, joked that it might be the only proposal on which he and Weatherford disagree.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-bu...grants/2166801