Sen. Rick Scott to Florida Board of Governors: Do Not Raise Tuition on Florida Students

Press Release

Today, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after reports that the Florida Board of Governors is considering a tuition increase for state university students. As Governor, Senator Scott fought to hold the line on tuition by vetoing tuition increases, eliminating automatic inflationary tuition increases, freezing tuition, greatly limiting tuition differential, and appointing leaders who share his goal of providing an affordable higher education to Florida students and families. He also worked to pass several constitutional amendments that make it harder to raise taxes and fees, including requiring 2/3rds of the legislature to vote on a tax or fee increase for it to become law, and requiring a supermajority vote of the State Board of Governors to impose, raise or authorize university fees. As Senator, he is working to keep higher education affordable and make sure students are prepared to get good-paying jobs.

Senator Rick Scott said, "Raising tuition on families is a tax increase. And, it's a tax increase that harms Floridians' ability to achieve the American dream of earning a higher-education diploma. As families are still struggling to recover from the coronavirus, leaders in Florida should absolutely not consider raising tuition.

"Over the last six years of my term as Governor, we held the line on tuition. I asked every person interviewing for appointments to our universities and colleges if they would support a tuition increase. If they said yes, I didn't appoint them. And if they went against their word, they were not re-appointed. The federal government has spent almost $14 billion in the CARES Act to give higher education institutions the support they need during the coronavirus, and with more classes moving online, university operations costs should be lower. Businesses and families around the country are having to navigate this difficult time -- our universities have to do the same and live within their means instead of taking the easy way out and passing the costs on to students. The opportunities and dreams of future graduates are at stake, and we owe it to them to continue our fight against the tax increase of rising tuition."

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