Marko Liias

Today, I was proud to lead the fight against an excessive and ill-conceived plan to raise tuition on our state's college students by nearly 30%.  This reckless policy will cost Washington's students and families nearly $2,000 by the end of 2011.

As the youngest member of the Legislature, I rallied my colleagues and ensured that the bill passed with the minimum votes necessary to pass the House, 50-47.  While it was a defeat for students, it was a victory for accountability and transparency.

Thanks to key amendments, our state's higher education institutions will have to open their books and be more accountable to our Legislature.  As Washington's students pay more, it will no longer be acceptable for administrators to collect larger and larger salaries, while producing little value for our students.

I wish the outcome were different, but in the weeks and months to come, I will continue to stand up for the next generation of leaders in our state.  This is not the change we hoped for, and it is not the progressive leadership we demand.