Rally for Higher Education in Frankfort

Hundreds of students from many colleges and universities crammed into the Capitol rotunda this afternoon to speak out against tuition increases and decreasing funding for higher education. 

  

Students from Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray, Eastern KY University, Western Kentucky University, the University of Louisville, and the University of Kentucky, amongst others brought students out in a strong show of solidarity, supported by KFTC members from Lexington.

Students made made their basic message to legislators clear - "Don't balance the budget on the backs of the students!"  But who's backs *should* we balance the budget on, how, any why? 

People had a range of ideas, including cutting funding from other areas, increasing the cigarette tax, or expanded gambling, . 

But KFTC student members, friends, and many others were pushing for comprehensive tax reform in the form of HB 262 or similar legislation to make the tax system more fair, while at the same time generating far more revenue to support such worthy causes as funding higher education.

KFTC members had dozens of good conversations with students about HB 262 and passed out over a hundred factsheets relating the bill to the tuition problems they knew all too well.  Members also used the massive student rally as a backdrop in conversations with several legislators, illustrating the great needs we have as a state.