Soon, Congress will be voting on President Donald Trump’s tax scam, which will essentially disadvantage everyone but the wealthy. The idea that this bill could get passed is frightening coming from a middle class family and especially as an undergraduate student.

Just like many of my peers at Syracuse University, we hope to further our education by going to graduate school. I was always told that receiving a higher education is one of the most invaluable experiences. However, the potential devastating effects of Trump’s tax scam will clearly make getting a master’s or doctorate degree too costly.

A document that has circulated Carnegie Mellon University’s campus this month shows just what could happen to graduate students should Congress pass this bill. Tuition would become a taxable income, taking portions of stipends and tuition waivers that were earned by hard working students.

If Congress passes this law, it will go into effect between 2018-2019, which is the year I graduate. How can I apply to graduate schools knowing that I will be in debt for even longer than my family can afford? This should not be the worries of any 20-year-old student. We deserve unlimited opportunities to educate ourselves towards a professional career, not a bill that boosts the wealthy and corporations at the expense of our dreams.

Regardless of party affiliation, all Americans want the best for their children and part of that is securing their education. Thus, we must push those in Congress to put partisanship aside and see that this bill will make higher education financially unattainable for a vast majority of Americans.

Syracuse needs to urge Rep. John Katko (R-Syracuse) to vote against Trump’s disillusioned idea of a tax bill. Katko should not support something that will only benefit the smallest, wealthiest proportion of society, while simultaneously stripping millions of taxpayers who worked tirelessly for what they have earned.

Although Katko voted against the initial GOP budget, this does not mean that he is sure to vote against this next bill. Katko’s voting history is still concerning and the only way to protect ourselves from this disastrous scam is to make him recognize that this is not in the best interest of his constituency.

Rebecca Spragins

Political science major, class of 2019

Published on November 12, 2017 at 4:33 pm