Rally Held to Protest Fee Increases

Wednesday, students, faculty, and members of the community all came together to protest the budget cuts and the fee increases that are being followed by teacher furlough’s in University classes.
The rally opened with a song written by David Bradfield, and revised by Peter Baird for the rally, called the Furlough Blues.
The song got everyone in the mood for listening to speakers from various parts of the campus and the community. Students, teachers and ASI leaders all spoke on their feelings about the budget cuts and the now teacher furloughs.
Many were very passionate about the cause and gave moving speeches that they crowd was very wrapped up in. Some in the crowd went on and on with the lead mantra of “when they say cut back, we say fight back.” Some were so enthused by the mantra that they kept going even after the speaker who started it was done. Some in the crowd even started into the mantra themselves, even without the speakers help.
One of the other mantra’s was a little troubling though, and many in the crowd were so wrapped up in the chanting that they most likely did not stop to think about the implications of what they were saying.
They started chanting, “Tax oil, not students.” While at face value this looks like a wonderful thing, until you actually stop and think about what you are saying. Three people in the crowd actually did stop and think about what the chant implied. Three, out of the 200 hundred or so that were in the audience. That is an awfully low number especially for a crowd in a higher education arena.
Let’s break down what is being said here, “tax oil, not students.” Sacramento State is known for being a commuter college. So that means that many of the students drive their cars into campus from 5, 10, 15, and up to 50 miles away, some maybe even farther. Now, what fuels those cars? Gas, which comes from oil refineries. Every student needs gas to fuel their cars. If you end up taxing oil, the tax will automatically pass itself down to the end consumer, in this case the students, not to mention the teachers, and everyone else who drives cars. It is a nice idea, but not a very productive one. You end up taxing the students no matter what.
One of the community members put it in the terms of taxing the oil tycoons that have exorbitant amounts of money do to success in the oil industry. He said that we should charge them for the oil they have taken out of the California soil. Nice thought, but the cost will still transfer to everyone who buys gas.
While the idea behind the rally was solid, the focus was on stopping the budget cuts.
A question that comes to mind is how we are going to stop the budget cuts. Here is a concept that was not introduced at the rally.
Sure they said they want to stop the cuts, but they do not want fees increased. Rally organizers handed out the numbers of the Chancellor, and of President Gonzalez so that students and teachers can complain to them about the fees and furloughs. Complaining only gets you so far though. Eventually you have to come up with alternative solutions.
How are we going to stop fee increases and budget cuts if the State is still spending money like they actually have it?