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    Letter To UT Regents

    Uploaded by

    Mary Rooke
    Texas Rep. Brian Harrison

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Letter To UT Regents

    Uploaded by

    Mary Rooke
    5K views2 pages
    Texas Rep. Brian Harrison

    Original Title

    Letter to UT Regents

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    Texas Rep. Brian Harrison

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    5K views2 pages

    Letter To UT Regents

    Uploaded by

    Mary Rooke
    Texas Rep. Brian Harrison

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    21 November 2024

    [Delivered via electronic mail]


    Dear Chairman Eltife and Regents of the University of Texas System:
    Thank you for your service to the University of Texas System (UT System) and to the State of
    Texas. As current and incoming members of the Texas Legislature, we want the greatest success
    for the UT System because few things are more important than a well-educated citizenry.
    There is perhaps no greater responsibility we share than to be good stewards with tax dollars,
    and we are extremely troubled by the recent decision to provide “free” tuition UT System wide
    to undergraduate students whose families earn up to $100,000.
    As the constitutional officers who bear the sole and heavy authority to direct and determine
    how our constituents’ hard-earned tax dollars – which is their money forcibly taken from them
    by the government – are used, we have the following questions:
    1) What specific statutory authority did the regents rely on to make a decision this
    consequential, which will have direct financial consequences for our constituents, many of
    whom are already struggling to put gas in their tanks and food on their tables?
    2) Was the legislature consulted in any way in this decision?
    3) Which branch of government has the authority to authorize and appropriate state funds?
    4) How much does the UT System estimate this new program will cost, what are the sources of
    funds, and is money fungible within the UT System?
    5) In making this determination, did the UT System undertake any analysis on the impact on
    employment markets and potential depressive effects on salaries from employees who may
    wish to reduce their wages to qualify for this program?
    6) Will this apply to students who are enrolled in the “LGBTQ/Sexualities Studies” Minor?
    7) Joe Biden’s tuition reimbursement program was recently struck down as being
    unconstitutional. How is UT’s program constitutional, and how does it differ from Biden’s?
    8) Is it true that a working class Texan, who did not attend a college or university and is making
    $45k/year, would effectively be subsidizing the child of a parent who makes $100k/year?
    9) Does this program take into account the net worth of applicant families? Could a child in a
    family with a net worth of $50 million, but a taxable income of $100k, qualify?
    10) Is it possible there will be any inflationary pressure on tuition for non-qualifying students?
    11) Will this program apply to non-citizens, illegal aliens, or children of either?
    12) Is anything government does “free?”
    13) Do you plan to use “free” in any of your marketing materials for this program?
    14) How much state funding does the UT System receive?
    Finally, since the regents appear to believe the UT System has excess funding sufficient to
    provide “free” tuition to families making $100k/year, does the UT System plan on asking for a
    reduction in state funding in the next budget?
    1
    We greatly appreciate your prompt attention to this important issue and look forward to
    continuing to work with you for the betterment of the UT System and the State of Texas.
    For liberty,

    ____________________________________ ____________________________________
    Brian Harrison Mike Olcott
    Texas State Representative District 10 Texas State Representative-elect District 60

    ____________________________________ ____________________________________
    Janis Holt Brent Money
    Texas State Representative-elect District 18 Texas State Representative-elect District 2

    ____________________________________ ____________________________________
    Andy Hopper Keresa Richardson
    Texas State Representative-elect District 64 Texas State Representative-elect District 61

    ____________________________________ ____________________________________
    Helen Kerwin Nate Schatzline
    Texas State Representative-elect District 58 Texas State Representative District 93

    ____________________________________ ____________________________________
    David Lowe Wes Virdell
    Texas State Representative-elect District 91 Texas State Representative-elect District 53

    ____________________________________
    Steve Toth
    Texas State Representative District 15

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