Gov. Rick Scott is taking his campaign message of lower college tuition costs on the road.
On Monday, Scott kicks off the College Affordability Tour, a campaign swing across Florida to sound off about his reversal of “burdensome” tuition hikes, many of which signed into law by his predecessor (and current Democratic opponent) Charlie Crist.
The weeklong statewide tour features Rick Scott trumpeting a number of his efforts in higher education: to keep college affordable, reduce the cost of Florida Prepaid savings plans, provide in-state tuition for veterans, and work with Florida state colleges to offer degrees that cost $10,000.
“When I became governor, I made a promise to Florida families that we would hold the line on tuition, Scott said in a statement. “I’m proud to say we’ve done just that.”
The governor’s campaign cites recent studies where 51 percent of Florida college graduates left school in 2012 with an average student loan debt of $22,873. Families in the United States now owe $1.11 trillion in student loan debt, up $31 billion in the first quarter of 2014.
In a dig against his likely Democratic opponent, Scott added it was important to “reverse Charlie Crist’s 15 percent tuition hike and give every student who grows up in Florida the chance to pursue an affordable college education.”
Rick Scott and his College Affordability Tour heads to Boca Raton, Fort Myers, Miami, Orlando, and Pensacola.
