Give us a break on textbooks

As if tuition, rent, utilities, groceries and parking fees (not to mention athletic fees) weren't enough, every semester, college students have to cough up hundreds of dollars for textbooks. \nIt's a burden for students all across the country, but some Maryland politicians may have a solution. \nMaryland Delegate Peter Franchot (D-Montgomery) would like to see textbooks exempted from sales tax to help students retain a few extra dollars. Under his proposal, any full- or part-time college student would be able to simply present a student identification card to purchase textbooks tax-free.\nCollege textbooks are not a luxury item. A good education requires them. \nThe IU Student Association currently is planning to run a Web site where students can search by ISBNs for the best prices on their textbooks, and that Web site will certainly help in making textbook prices at IU more competitive. However, the state can follow IUSA's lead and do its part. \nAccording to Virginia21, a Virginia-based, nonpartisan youth activist group, the average college student pays about $800 for textbooks each semester. The American Council on Education puts the cost at $900. In Indiana, add 6 percent sales tax, and the extra money adds up fast.\nBut Franchot is facing opposition from other delegates who feel that a few extra bucks' worth of savings per student isn't a significant enough benefit to warrant the state losing an estimated $12 million if textbooks were no longer taxed. We think a similar move could benefit thin college wallets here in Bloomington. \nMaryland Delegate Jean Cryor is one of the naysayers, estimating that most students in Maryland will save only about $50 per semester by foregoing sales tax. But as any college student will tell you, a hundred extra bucks a year can go a long way when college students run up high debts on their credit cards.\nMany students' scholarships don't cover books, and it's difficult for students in need of financial assistance to come up with the money to pay exorbitant college bookstore prices. Frequent publications of new editions eliminate the possibility of buying cheaper used books. The inclusion of CD-ROMs and other extras like color graphics all contribute to even higher prices.\nA state government that truly values its higher education system will do what it takes to ensure its students are able to succeed. This means making a trip to the bookstore slightly less painful. This means finding a way to make up for the loss of a measly $12 million per year in Maryland. That cut is manageable and not frivolous in the least.\nWe understand the Indiana state budget is tight at this time, but we're sure our legislators could give students a small but much-needed break on our textbooks. If our own student government is taking steps, our state government can act on behalf of college students, too.