Franken stops at Coffman to pitch tuition tax credit

The day before primary elections, U.S. Senate hopeful Al Franken stopped at Minnesota’s education epicenter to pitch a plan to help students afford college.

The Democrat’s “Ticket To Success” tax credit would mean $5,000 per year, for up to four years, for students in middle-class households.

Each student in a family earning up to $200,000 annually would qualify for the break, which could go toward both public and private education institutions, as well as graduate school and community college.

Franken approximates that nationwide, his proposal could help up to 10 million students.

The $48 billion price tag would be paid over five years by rescinding the Bush administration’s tax cuts for Americans earning more than $1 million per year.

But former teacher Priscilla Lord Faris , Franken’s challenger in today’s primary, noted her familiarity with the education system and said his plan wouldn’t work.

Instead, Lord Faris said, it’s more reasonable for legislators to cap how much students can borrow — in effect, capping how high tuition costs can climb.

“I am very, very concerned about the amount of student debt,” she said. “Of course it would be wonderful if you could get credits for your tuition, but that’s pandering in my estimation.”

And even though a tax credit would provide some much-needed fiscal relief, especially in this economy, University graduate student Josh Axtman agreed that a senator’s efforts may be better placed elsewhere.

“Making tuition cost less would take down a bigger barrier,” he said. “Anytime you’re dealing with [tax] credits, it’s a break you have to wait for.”

Axtman finished his undergraduate work at a less expensive school before he decided on the University for his graduate studies.

“Finances were definitely a consideration,” he said, adding that even though he sandwiched a few years of work between his schooling, he still hasn’t paid off his undergraduate debt.

“It’s frightening, sometimes, watching that number add up,” Axtman added.

But as a first-year student just entering the University, Emily Larson would welcome Franken’s initiative.

Larson, a member of a student organization supporting Franken’s campaign, spoke before the Senate hopeful at Coffman Union and mused about her mounting college expenses.

Her stepfather, John Dreshar , also favored Franken’s proposal.

He noted the costs associated with his two college-student children, and that he has four more heading to campuses in coming years.

The struggling economy, Dreshar said, has left the construction worker with sparse job opportunities.

“I’m a little nervous about it,” he said, “on top of all the other problems.”