Grassroots Campaign for Higher Education Funding

Submitted by storefront on December 28, 2009 - 14:36
November 18, 2009

 NBC-KSEE 24

By Theresa Freed

Story Published: Nov 18, 2009 at 9:01 PM EST

Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont) addressed Fresno State University students Wednesday afternoon, in an effort to gain support for a piece of legislation. AB 656 is Torricio's bill to increase funding to California public universities and community colleges through 9.9% tax on oil and natural gas extracted from California's land and water.

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According to Torrico, California is the only major oil-producing state that does not levy and extraction tax.

Torrico introduced the bill last year. It passed the Assembly's Higher Education Committee and is now in the Revenue and Taxation Committee.

Torrico will visit CSU, Dominguez Hills and CSU, Los Angeles on Wednesday. He will stop at CSU, San Bernardino on Thursday.

For more information, visit www.assembly.ca.gov/torrico or www.facebook.com/fairtuition.