Assemblyman Scott Wilk

Local Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, has co-authored a bill proposing to freeze tuition for all students in public colleges and universities.

If passed, Assembly Bill 67 would last seven years, in conjunction with how long Californians will be taxed because of Proposition 30.

“It’s only fair to the taxpayers, and is a way to hold Sacramento accountable,” Wilk said.

Although Proposition 30 ensured schools would not face another decrease in their budgets, for now, additional revenue the state will make from the increase in taxes does not legally have to go back to the schools, he said.

This will force legislators to use the money the way it was advertised to voters, Wilk said.

“It impacts everyone equally,” Wilk said. “Sacramento will then fulfill their commitment to the people.”

Since 2007, tuition at College of the Canyons has doubled and budget decreases have greatly affected its ability to add classes, said Wilk, who was once a COC board of trustee.

People with a college degree can make $1.1 million more in their lifetime than people without one. Wilk added that it can also affect their lifespan.

“This morning, I was at the California Health Care Foundation, and they showed a study a that said a bigger predictor of life expectancy is zip code,” Wilk said. “If you have money, you live in better places and acquiring higher education is easier, affecting your ability to get a job, to live healthy and live a longer life.”

If people want to show their support for the bill Wilk encourages them to contact Gov. Jerry Brown since he was a focal point for moving Proposition 30 forward.

“It remains to be seen if they’ll move the bill or not, if not we’ve had discussions about moving forward with a ballot initiative,” Wilk said.