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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (586335)	6/29/2004 10:51:18 AM
From: DizzyG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Hey, Kenneth... It appears that Kerry's Misery index is based on old data, eh? Tuition burden falls by a third By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY What students pay on average for tuition at public universities has fallen by nearly one-third since 1998, thanks to new federal tax breaks and a massive increase in state and federal grants to most students and their families. Contrary to the widespread perception that tuition is soaring out of control, a USA TODAY analysis found that what students actually pay in tuition and fees — rather than the published tuition price — has declined for a vast majority of students attending four-year public universities. In fact, today's students have enjoyed the greatest improvement in college affordability since the GI bill provided benefits for returning World War II veterans. What made the difference: a $22 billion annual increase in grants and tax breaks since 1998. That 80% jump in financial aid — targeting middle-class families earning $40,000 to $100,000 a year — has more than offset dramatic increases in tuition prices. "College still takes a big chunk out of most families' income. But the average student is much better off today than headlines would have you believe," says Sandy Baum, an economist who co-authors an annual report on college costs for the College Board, which oversees college entrance exams. USA TODAY analyzed what students paid for tuition and fees after grants, discounts, tax credits and deductions. Other studies focus on the listed price of tuition. But listed college tuition is like the sticker price on a new car: Few people actually pay it. In 2003, students paid an average of just 27% of the official tuition price at four-year public universities when grants and tax breaks are counted. Students at private universities paid an average of 57%. The USA TODAY analysis used figures from the College Board, the federal Office of Management and Budget and the Internal Revenue Service. All numbers were adjusted for inflation. The bottom line: •Average tuition paid at public universities fell 32% from $1,636 in the 1997-98 academic year to $1,115 in 2002-03. During that time, the published tuition price rose 18% to an average of $4,202. About three-fourths of the nation's 12 million college students attend public institutions. •Total costs for tuition and room and board were flat at $6,794 at public schools from 1998 to 2003. •Average tuition paid at private universities rose 7% over five years to an average of $10,684 in 2003, less than the 20% increase in published tuition prices. Congress has approved eight tax breaks for college education since 1997. Last year, these tax benefits saved families more than $7 billion. Key benefits: •6.5 million families got tuition tax credits that reduced taxes an average of $1,350 per return. •3.5 million received a tuition tax deduction that saved an average of $325 in income taxes. The most affluent taxpayers — 1.5% of returns are for incomes above $200,000 — do not qualify for tax breaks, but many benefited from big increases in grants that reward academic performance. Schools have increased merit aid to recruit the best students, who tend to be affluent. And since 1993, 14 states have started merit-based scholarships to reward students who achieve good grades in high school. The poor have benefited from increases in federal Pell grants from $6 billion to $12 billion since 1998. But the biggest beneficiaries have been middle-class families earning $40,000 to $100,000 a year. They get the most tax benefits and often qualify for financial aid based on both need and merit. usatoday.com Diz-

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (586335)	6/29/2004 11:01:13 AM
From: DizzyG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Think again, Kenneth... That is a lot of people for one weekend. LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The boy wizard has worked his biggest box-office spell. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" charmed audiences to the tune of $92.65 million in its debut weekend, the best results yet for the franchise, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was the third-best three-day opening weekend ever, behind "Spider-Man" at $114.8 million in 2002 and "Shrek 2" at $108 million last month. rednova.com If we us $7 as the ticket price... Harry Potter - 13,235,714 people Spider-Man 16,400,000 people Shrek 2 15,428,571 people 3 million is kinda puny, eh? Diz-