In a surprise, show-and-tell statement to the press on Thursday, Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford proclaimed that he supports raising university tuition rates next year.
Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said the average college student in Florida pays as much for a cell phone every year as for tuition.
The average student in Florida, what they actually pay out of pocket at major universities, I believe all universities, is about the same amount of money as they spend on this every year," he said, holding up a smartphone.
"Now we talk about how we value education in our system and how we value education as a society, but our students and our parents are spending as much money on a cell phone every year as they do in paying for tuition for their child or for themselves to go to a university in Florida. That system long-term cant work.
He says Florida ranks 48th in the nation in the cost of tuition, so he supports raising tuition 6 percent next year.
Thats the position of the Florida House right now in its proposed budget. The Senate is proposing no increase at all.
Were more than willing to negotiate with our friends in the Senate and the governor," said Weatherford, "but we think to just take tuition off the table and ignore the fact that were ranked so low, and ignore the fact that our students are spending more on cell phones to some extent than they are on tuition is not right.
Florida has raised tuition for 17 consecutive years and over the last several years, it has increased 15 percent a year.
Weatherford says thats why the House is not pushing for a double-digit tuition hike.
He calls 6 percent a responsible number, but concedes the House is willing to negotiate with the Senate and Gov. Rick Scott, who opposes higher tuition.
Dave Heller is a Tallahassee freelance reporter/videographer.
