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Assemblymember to Host Town Hall About Affordable Higher Education

Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski will talk about the Middle Class Scholarship Act at CSU East Bay on May 17.

The following is a press release issued by the Office of Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski:

Fremont – Maintaining access to an affordable higher education will be the focus of a Town Hall hosted by Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 17 in Room 102 in the OLD Student Union at California State University, East Bay in Hayward.

Wieckowski, a co-author of the Middle Class Scholarship Act introduced by Assembly Speaker John Perez, will describe how the legislation would reduce the cost of attending college by two- thirds for students at a CSU or University of California campus with family incomes of less than $150,000 who do not already have fees covered. 

It is estimated that CSU families would save more than $4,000 a year and UC families would save more than $8,100 a year. Community college districts would receive additional assistance to alleviate costs for their students. 

Each local district would have discretion to allocate the funds to best meet student needs, such as providing grants to cover books and transportation or expanding the use of fee waivers.

“All Californians deserve access to an affordable higher education, which is vital to the future economic success of our state,” Wieckowski said.  “This legislation keeps the door to higher education open for middle class families and will allow students to strive to reach their full potential.”

The scholarships would be paid for entirely by closing a $1 billion wasteful corporate tax loophole that allows out-of-state corporations to elect to lower their California tax bill.

Reducing student loan debt is a priority for Wieckowski. 

Earlier this year, he carried legislation to create a student loan default risk index and prohibit colleges with high student loan defaults from receiving Cal Grant funds. The bill demanded more accountability from for-profit institutions that are the worst offenders in saddling students with excessive loan debts.

“Student loan debt is now over $1 trillion in America and our students will be burdened by it for years to come,” Wieckowski said.  “It puts a drain on our economy.  The documentary “Default” tells the stories of borrowers from different backgrounds and how they are affected by the private student lending industry.”

Wieckowski will be joined at the forum by Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett.

The forum and documentary screening will be preceded by a 12:30 p.m. student rally at the Agora Stage featuring live music from a local DJ, free food and prizes.

  • WHO: Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), and Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro)
  • WHAT: Town Hall on the Middle Class Scholarship Act and Documentary Screening
  • WHERE: Room 102, OLD Student Union, CSU East Bay in Hayward
  • WHEN: 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 17, 2012
Milan Moravec May 13, 2012 at 01:22 am
University of California Berkeley, charge higher instate tuition. . UCB Chancellor Robert J Birgeneau is outspoken on why elite public universities, like Cal, should charge Californians more. With Birgeneau’s leadership UCB is more expensive (on an all-in-cost) than private Harvard and Yale. Chancellor Birgeneau’s ‘charge more’ tuition to Californians makes Cal. the most expensive public higher education in our country!
Birgeneau ($450,000 salary) likes to blame the politicians, since they stopped giving him every dollar expected. The Chancellor’s ‘charge more’ instate tuition skyrocketed fees by an average 14% per year from 2006 to 2011-12 academic year. If Birgeneau had allowed fees to rise at the same rate of inflation over the past 10 years they would still be in reach of most middle income students. Increasing funding is not Cal’s solution. As a public university UCB is to maximize access to the widest number of instate students at a reasonable cost with a mission of diversity and equality of opportunity. Birgeneau’s and Provost George Breslauer’s ($306,000 salary) ‘charge more’ instate tuition denies middle income Californians the transformative value of Cal’s education. Chancellor Birgeneau’s tenure is a sad unacceptable legacy. Opinion to: UC Board of Regents marsha.kelman@ucop.edu and Calif. State Senators and Assembly members.
sadiehinton May 13, 2012 at 04:10 am
I have been a student at one of the High Speed Universities online since August 2009 and it has been an answer to my prayers. Their assessments and papers are NO easy task, so for those who say online schools are ""dummed down"" are highly mistaken.
Mona Taplin May 13, 2012 at 01:21 pm
There is a lot of truth in what Milan Moravec has written.
Ron May 13, 2012 at 01:54 pm
First, everyone must remember that Wieckowski is running for re-election.
Second, he's a BIG SPENDING Democrat right along with his "no limits spending" associate Senator Corbett. Third, He and Corbett (along with the rest of them) will promise to "GIVE" you anything for "FREE" to get your vote, even if it kills the economy and a future fiscal recovery. Their primary objective is to get re-elected! Fourth, he and his associates will give you your OWN MONEY back for your vote! What's wrong with that for the rational voter? Fifth, what isn't he/they telling you? Always ask a politician what's on the other side of the coin! They constantly only push "their version" of what's going on. It is impossible to make an informed decision on "soft facts." Sixth, young minds (yes, even in college) are easily impressed and often go with whatever "feels" good instead of what is RIGHT TO DO. That's why the liberal Dems have so much success in colleges. The students have zero responsibilities (more or less) in the real world (who works these days while going to college like we used to do years ago?), yet they want those who do have responsibilities (like a real job and who pays the bills/taxes) to yield to their "wisdom" in life (what?)! Seventh, remember, NOBODY gets anything for "FREE" until a business has made a profit. Eighth, if one repeats a lie over and over again (and with a big fan fair) it becomes a "fact." Hitler was a master of this in the 1930's!
Edward May 13, 2012 at 04:20 pm
Prsident Obama already instituded the "Americans Opportunity Learnung Credit" on the Federal Income Taxes that accually gives the middle class students a TAX CREDIT up to $2,500.00 per student for four years. 40% of this credit is available without having paid any Federal income tax at all. The rest is deducted from owed taxes. You musr earn under $180,000.00 per married couple or $90,000.00 for a single parent. This TAX Credit is availble for the first 4 years of the student's College education. 11 million students and parents of students applied for this tax credit in 2010. When using Community Colleges and taking 3 years in a community college with a few classes at one of the State Colleges, as you are allowed to do after compleating 30 units of Community College work, you can accually get back everything you pay out for the first 90 semester, transferable units the student takes and then pay only 75% of the fourth year of instruction at a California State College since the Federal Government will give you a tax credit of $2,500.00 that fourth year. The problem is getting the casses you want and need for the student to Graduate and compleat their Major in 4 years. A lack of classes and teachers has made a degree take more than 4 years in California.
Milan Moravec May 13, 2012 at 05:39 pm
Send a email, phone, write to your Calif Senator and assemblymember. Ask your friends to do the same
THANKX!
Brash Brazen May 14, 2012 at 03:27 pm
Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski was elected by a large margin & has been an able & talented legislator. Unlike the conservative minority who complain constantly about those Democrats elected by & representative of the majority of their neighbors,most of his constituents are quite happy with his efforts on their behalf. Obviously if over half the voters agreed with Ron there'd be a Republican representing us & there party seems to be shrinking instead of growing here. The agenda of right-wing zealots & bible based bigots has repeatably been revlled & rejected by local voters & these people become angrier & more marginalized every passing day ! Re-elect Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski !!
Nadja Adolf May 25, 2012 at 05:48 am
BTW, check out AB1544, the new law that our wonderful Assemblyman signed on to, the one that gives illegal aliens who remain in the state work permits so they can stay here. One reason the state is broke is because of the expense of educating, housing, and providing medical services to the American born children of illegal aliens, AKA "anchor babies."
Note that a lot of the private scholarship funding in this state now goes to illegal aliens at the same time that Cal-Grants for citizens and legal residents have been drastically cut. For some reason, I'm just not impressed by Mr. W's "ghetto walk" through our neighborhood just before a primary election. Indeed, I will suggest that the middle class he is now so valiantly helping is ignored except right before an election.
Nadja Adolf May 25, 2012 at 05:56 am
Real conservatives loathe Neocons and others who want their religion and narrow minded views made part of public policy - and that includes fanatical agnostics and atheists. We also loathe those in government who are more concerned about the well being of illegal aliens than of citizens.
For example, I don't care how many children you have or don't have, as long as you don't expect me to feed and clothe them for you. Real conservatives also wonder why extreme liberals are so excitable and full of hate and invective. Maybe you need so more pot, Brash/Summer/Nancy.
Nadja Adolf May 25, 2012 at 05:58 am
Unfortunately, most state colleges won't accept three years of Community College credits - and $2500 a year doesn't even cover tuition at the UC.
The other problem is that many community colleges lack courses for quite a few major fields.

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Zoneil Maharaj (Editor) June 18, 2013 at 02:47 pm
That's great to hear! We have a full list of locations in Newark, via Newark Unified, here:Read More http://newark.patch.com/groups/schools/p/newark-unified-offers-free-summer-lunches-for-community-children
James Nelson June 16, 2013 at 09:03 pm
Geoff, I did not know that Fathers could be part of the PTA, too. Just did some research about theRead More PTA and am now a little wiser on the Subject. Since your a member of the PTA, have you thought about registering your School with the Coke Rewards program? They allow members to donate points to Schools and out of every school in Newark the only one registered with them is St Edwards. Basically people go to the MyCokeRewards website and input the codes found on the caps and receive points then can use those points to redeem rewards or donate supplies to Schools. It's an interesting Program, if you have some time you should check it out! It's a way to lessen the burden of limited funds for the next school year.
Rob Sorensen June 16, 2013 at 09:28 pm
I'd suggest working thru the Principal at NMHS with less speculation. I too was involved with PTA,Read More Newark Schools Fdn, Jaycees and other non-profits. Best practices are that the one handling, depositing money not also be the one keeping books. A great volunteer shouldnt be put under suspicion without there being group neglect. By-laws and an active Board can cleanup this miscommunication. The school Principal is the MOD.
Dan June 17, 2013 at 07:40 am
I agree 100% with CT
Mona Taplin June 15, 2013 at 06:23 pm
Good response Teddy, and truth.
Bong Sativa June 17, 2013 at 05:57 am
The more likely explanation is that the vast majority of Newark Police officers lack the requisiteRead More aptitude & agility necessary to fill shopping bags with groceries & didn't want to do anything to further embarrass themselves while under the scrutiny of the bewildered shoppers like James.
Teddy June 17, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Bong Sativa maybe you can meet Officer Indica.
Shimadog June 15, 2013 at 10:10 am
Could it be that, because busloads of inner city non resident children jam the place, someone wiselyRead More decided to make the hours available to Newark taxpayers first?
Audrey June 15, 2013 at 10:27 am
Yes they are walking as I write this! but it is not to late to sponsor them! please!!!
Mona Taplin June 13, 2013 at 04:03 am
This probably sounds heartless, but it sounds like this house should be condemned before a tragedyRead More occurs. I doubt if any organization can bring it up to code because of the cost. It's really sad to see this happening to a working person in this country.
Adam Moe June 13, 2013 at 09:47 am
I'm not sure if your mom will qualify but there are lines of credit out there that she can get as aRead More home owner. It will require her to have the income to pay back small portions at a time. Not trying to make it harder just trying to help. See about it online or let me know more and I'll see what I can do to help.
Teddy June 16, 2013 at 07:00 am
Mona Taplin you are right on re: all your remarks.
Tony June 16, 2013 at 05:33 pm
Thanks James!, You know it's amazing when somebody puts their own personal time to learn andRead More understand something and then you share it... I would have been more then glad to explained myself in more detail face-to-face because I may learn something myself but like a marriage you don't get on here and start posting every little detail about you and your wife and I'm not going to get on here and start posting every little detail about my past employer`s. So to whoever flagged me you could have simply posted a disagreement and I'm open-minded and can admit when I make a mistake...I would've simply deleted my post if you could've proved it wrong.
James Nelson June 18, 2013 at 07:58 am
Tony, You are an upstanding individual, glad you joined the Patch! ;)
James Nelson June 18, 2013 at 08:11 am
I would also like to point out that I have on two other occasions asked this Mike Bucci guy the sameRead More question and each time I am Ignored. If this is what us Newark Residents can expect from an aspiring Politician then he can keep his day job! We already have enough Status Quo people in our gov failing to answer the simple questions.
James Nelson June 5, 2013 at 09:11 pm
Landline? That's like so 15 years ago! People still do home telephone services? Wow!
Dina Murtaza June 9, 2013 at 08:41 am
Yes I have a cell phone and a landline when I am working. Lots of people have it as a 2nd phone.Read More Found out the people working on the lines accidently cut off the phone lines.
Audrey June 6, 2013 at 05:36 pm
have they been claimed yet anyone know??
Anna Locke June 7, 2013 at 09:17 am
UPDATE! Just got a call this morning from a neighbor of the man who owned them. The gentleman diedRead More Mon or Tues and the poor dogs hadn't been well taken care of for years - slept outside, no affection, etc. Long story short - the neighbor wants to adopt them! YAY! <3
Anna Locke June 5, 2013 at 01:35 pm
Make sure to post on Facebook. He may have a microchip...hopefully. You can take him to CentralRead More Vet to check. Good luck! I just found two at the Lake Monday evening.