Victor Fazio: “while the Republican tax bill is loaded with benefits for the rich, it offers little to make higher education affordable…”

“while the Republican tax bill is loaded with benefits for the rich, it offers little to make higher education affordable for the rest of us. The Democratic tax cut, in contrast, provides a credit of up to $1,500 in tuition for 2 years of community college. For example, if you go to a college where the tuition is $1,500 you will get a full $1,500 tax credit. Compare that to the Republican plan, where you get only 50 percent of tuition costs up to $3,000. The $1,500 tuition bill will get you only a $750 credit, or half as much. The Democratic plan would allow employers to continue to deduct tuition expenses. Therefore, millions of workers who are hitting the books to improve their skills through employer-paid plans would be allowed to continue. The Republicans would end the deduction, and put an end to many of those programs. That is why the Republicans are getting an F for their education plan from student and business groups nationwide. Building opportunity for more Americans by making education affordable is one of the building blocks of the Democratic tax cut. We urge the President to continue to fight for this provision as the negotiations continue.”