Thread: N.J. Assembly comm. OKs bill to allow in-state tuition

N.J. Assembly committee OKs bill to allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition
Monday, January 4, 2010
BY LISA FLEISHER

2 Comments

TRENTON -- A bill that would allow illegal immigrants who are New Jersey residents to pay in-state tuition was Monday moved out of an Assembly committee after hours of emotional testimony.
Opponents of the bill say it goes against federal law and would deprive state colleges of the money that out-of-state tuition would bring in, but supporters counter that it would bring paying students to the school who otherwise would not have attended at all.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee voted 7-4 to move the bill to the full Assembly and was scheduled for debate in a Senate committee Monday.
If the bill is passed by the full Legislature and signed by the governor, immigrants in the country illegally would be eligible for in-state tuition if they have attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years and received a diploma or equivalency.
The Office of Legislative Services, a nonpartisan body that works for the legislature, said the bill would not cost the state money, but some legislators say they cannot see how that is possible. Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Morris) said it was "naive" to think so, and Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington) said he had spoken to university presidents who said it would have a fiscal impact.
Dozens of students stood in front of the Assembly Committee today to show their support and testify. A few would not give their full names, and the press were asked not to photograph their faces.
Cid Wilson, the vice chairman at the board of trustees at Bergen Community College, said the bill would not cost colleges like his more money.
"If anything, there will be a benefit to the colleges," he said, because many of the costs are larger, fixed costs that do not increase with each additional student. He said the "large amount" of undocumented students at the college have shined and excelled, and pay taxes through rent, sales and income tax.
Supporters said the students should not be punished for their parents' decisions.
One of the bill's sponsors, Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), argued that this was simply making the tuition rates equal for students who had lived here as long - or longer - than other students who receive in-state rates.
"I think this bill is about fairness and opportunity," she said. "We are not giving anything away. We are just making it equal."
Opponents also said it was about fairness - to the people in the country legally.
"A kid from South Philly or a kid from the South Bronx, who happens to be a citizen, is going to pay higher tuition than someone who is here from, say, Saudi Arabia, and not here legally," Merkt said. "I don't know how a legislator, who has taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, can say we're going to ignore federal law and provide a subsidy to youngsters who are here in violation of the law."
Ten states -- including New York, Texas, California and New Mexico -- allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition.




http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/0 ... ition.html

Does Christie have to sign this?

NJ is bankrupt and couldnt afford this even if we wanted to...lol

Ten states -- including New York, Texas, California and New Mexico -- allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition.

This is a disgrace for our country. Just more rewards to people who have broken our laws. How do you stop the ILLEGAL ALIEN INVASION when they are offered more benefits and opportunities then the American citizen recieves?

Here in NY the budget crisis is reported about in the MSM every day with absolutely no mention of the costs of IAs.

That's why NJ Senate Committee is "rushing this bill" through the assembly because they know that Corzine WILL SIGN THE BILL and CHRISTIE WILL NOT SIGN THE BILL!!!!!!!!!

How long do we have before this bill can go to the whole body for a vote?

W

Opponents of the bill say it goes against federal law and would deprive state colleges of the money that out-of-state tuition would bring in, but supporters counter that it would bring paying students to the school who otherwise would not have attended at all.

The supporters have their heads so far up their anal regions, they're not getting enough air. This is the first step for illegal aliens, they will go after financial aid next, whining that they can't afford in-state tuition either. NJ cannot afford this travesty, the entire country cannot afford this travesty. IMO it is a violation of federal law.

Here's a link to the text of the bill http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bi...500/194_I1.HTM .
You can see the information about the sponsors and the vote by going to the page http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillsByNumber.asp and entering bill number A194.

Tuition break: Start shouting
January 5, 2010

Comments(92)Recommend(6)
With just a week to go in the lame-duck legislative session in Trenton, a bill that would provide in-state tuition rates at New Jersey public colleges for children of undocumented immigrants was approved in Senate and Assembly committees Monday.




If you think, as we do, that it's an outrage to provide taxpayer-subsidized college educations to the children of immigrants who are in this country illegally, you better let Senate President Dick Codey, D-Essex, and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., D-Camden, hear about it quickly. The bill could be voted on as early as Thursday in both chambers.
Every Democrat on the two legislative budget committees supported the measure. Every Republican voted against it. The best chance of killing the bill is in the Senate, where the Democrats can only afford one member to break ranks if the Republicans all vote against it. Start calling and e-mailing the Senate Democrats, letting them know how you feel about providing yet another entitlement to illegal immigrants. Tell them you've had enough.
If you need extra motivation to pick up the phone or turn on the computer, here are a couple of quotes from Democrats who supported the bill Monday that might inspire you to act:
Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Bergen: "We're not talking about free tuition. We're talking about in-state tuition. It almost makes it sound like we're giving something away. This is equal, fair opportunity."
Sen. Brian Stack, D-Hudson: "It's not about in-state, out-of-state. It's about people at the end of the day. Documented, undocumented, it really doesn't matter. They're in this country. We should be helping them. We should be working together as one large family and doing what's right by people."
How more out of touch could these people be? A statewide Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll in March found that only 20 percent of those responding favored extending in-tuition rates to illegal immigrants. Nearly twice that number said the state's public colleges should shut their doors entirely to undocumented residents. That should be the issue if there is any debate at all surrounding tuition and illegal immigrants — not whether they should be eligible for taxpayer-funded tuition breaks unavailable to out-of-state students who are U.S. citizens.

Documented, undocumented, it really doesn't matter? Obviously, it doesn't to Democratic politicians pandering to their constituencies. But it sure as hell does to American citizens, to immigrants who followed all the rules in becoming naturalized and to those whose ancestors came to this country legally. Not only is the bill a slap in the face to all of them, it will make New Jersey even more attractive to illegal immigrants — those who are here already and those sure to follow them.



That's the last thing New Jersey and its overstressed government budgets need. A 2009 Pew Research Center study found that New Jersey has the fifth largest number of undocumented immigrants in the nation — an estimated 550,000. Of the four states with more, only one — California — has a higher percentage of illegal immigrants to total population. New Jersey's share is 6.3 percent.


http://www.app.com/article/20100105/OPI ... t-shouting

National RED ALERT!!!!Please join in!!!!!

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-184114.html