“No taxation without representation” was the slogan of the American Revolution. Since America’s victory over the British, we have developed a representative democracy, in which elected officials represent a given district. Because the people of the U.S. are represented at the state and national levels of governments, we supposedly cannot claim unfair taxation because we are represented.

What if I were to say, though, that we are taxed without representation?

“One of my biggest issues with tuition sweeps into the general fund is that it is like taxing students and parents without representation. Tuition is used to fund other things if it is swept into the state budget,” said state representative Rae Waters, a Democrat from District 20. Waters is a sponsor of House Bill 2521.

Which deals with where our tuition money goes. Under HB 2521, each state university would keep the money that its students pay in tuition.

“There was talk when balancing the budget to sweep any money that was left in tuition accounts into the general fund, which would mean it was appropriated out,” Waters said. “This would mean that tuition would help balance the budget.”

Taking money away from universities to balance the budget is robbery. Students have been vocal about the budget cuts that Gov. Jan Brewer approved on Jan. 31. Apparently, the opposition that Gov. Brewer and the state legislature have encountered from students seems to have been for naught — they still had the courage to consider using our tuition money to balance the budget. This burden should not fall on students; we did not champion one too many tax cuts.

If it didn’t go toward balancing the budget, student tuition money could go toward other state services; much of the money in the state budget is allocated from the general fund.

Most students at a university want a high return on their investment. We spend four years pursuing a degree; it should not end up a worthless slip of paper come graduation day. The degree should carry significance, just as the work we did to attain that degree does.

Furthermore, change isn’t only the new fad, but it is often the most readily available currency students have. It seems pointless to tax empty pockets.

This bill could transform everything.

Parents and students would know where their tuition money goes.

“I believe you pay your tuition fees to the university and hold the university accountable for what they do,” Waters said.

This allows for more transparent education funding.

However, before that happens, this bill must make it to committee. Encouraging our state representatives to sponsor this bill would help bring the bill to committee. This would give us a chance to make our case and give college students a chance to see real change.

According to political philosopher John Locke, everyone has a right to revolution when a government oversteps its bounds of power. Using student tuition money for expenditures other than higher education is an example of this. This bill could be our right to revolution.

America took its chance and succeeded. Are we next?

Reach Andrew at andrew.hedlund@asu.edu.