RIDER COMMENT: RINO rookie CA Assemblyman Rocky Chavez justifies his latest proposed giveaway because “it’s for the children.” How’s THAT for pandering!? Particularly so, considering that all the college age “children” he is “protecting” are adults under law — he wants to protect these vulnerable waifs until age 23 or later. Perhaps MUCH later.
Rocky Chavez continues to initiate new subsidies he can provide to groups — proposing bills that will be popular with Democrats so that he can prove he’s an effective legislator. Personally, I’d settle for a little less Chavez effectiveness and a little more concern for taxpayers.
This innumeracy USED to drive me crazy, but I’ve learned that MOST people can’t calculate percentages above 100%, or properly analyze such figures when they see them. That’s why I try to never use such “large” numbers.
As a public service, allow me to show how it should be done (actually, there’s more than one “right” way, but this will work). The source data for the RAW tuition dollar numbers underlying his rhetorical question in his piece below (“Did you know that undergraduate minimum tuition at a CSU has increased by 217% in the last 5 years?”) doubtless is this budget whine piece from CSU:
http://www.calstate.edu/budget/fybudget/2012-2013/documentation/13-historical-suf-rates.shtml
In that piece, the FY 2006/2007 tuition is $2,520. The FY 2012/2013 tuition is $5,472. (Let us ignore the cherry picking going on here. The FY 2005/2006 tuition was the same as the following year.)The Chavez math genius figured that if you divide $5,472 by $2,520, you get 217%. But that’s the wrong calculation. The PROPER calculation is $5.472 MINUS $2,520 — which = an increase of $2,952 over the five years. To get the percentage increase, divide $2,952 by $2,520 and you get the correct percentage — 117%.
As I have emphasized, this is a VERY common error. But then again, when one is publishing alarming stats in a semi-official capacity to make one’s case, it behooves one to run it by someone who has recently completed a middle school math course — which includes figuring percentages. Well, it USED to, anyway.
Fortunately for Rocky and his crew, I’m here to help. Think of me as the government.
Did you know that undergraduate minimum tuition at a CSU has increased by 217% in the last 5 years? Or that it now takes the average CSU students 6 years to graduate? At this rate, our graduates not only have to worry about finding employment, but they have to find a way to pay off an education that has increased more than 217% in cost since they started. As California’s unemployment rate remains a staggering 8.6% – a full percent higher than the national average – our Golden State no longer seems the ideal destination it once was.
Why are we still settling for this?
I’m proud to have brought AB 159 to the table in which I propose that we freeze tuition of first year students for 6 years. There are simple solutions to the problems that plague our state. But we must have leaders who are committed to finding them and passionate about implementing them.
Since I was elected to the California Assembly, I have made it my goal to develop and implement reforms that alleviate the burden on students, veterans, taxpayers and business owners. It’s about time that we start to attract families, enterprise, and future generations to thrive in the Golden State. This is what I was sent to Sacramento for. And now I’m asking for your help again.
I hope that you will stand by me in my re-election effort so that I can continue to the fight to restore faith in California. We cannot afford to give up this seat to someone who cares more about partisan politics than moving our state forward. Please consider making a contribution to my campaign beforemy important deadline on June 30th. Here is the link for that: http://electrockychavez.com/cat4.php
I appreciate your support and look forward to continuing my service.
Assemblyman Rocky Chavez
Comments 3
Richard Rider! Way to call out simple math and stats. I would think this would be embarrassing for Chavez, but ‘it’s for the (adult) children’ so in his mind, it’s A OK. It is still a bargain for a resident to attend state colleges compared to private schools. What is not a bargain is the letter I got today from SDG&E, if your bill is $100 it will go up 15% (for the math impared Mr. Chavez, that means it will cost $115) or if you pay $250 it will go up 30% because the greens got their way with the closing of the San Onofre plant. I hope they are all happy with the increase, it will drive more business out of the state. Sorry I went off topic but I’m hoping Mr. Rider will investigate and write about it.
Author
Here’s somewhat out of date data from my CA vs. the Other States fact sheet — BEFORE the effect of AB32 and the closing of San Onofre were starting to show up in the bills:
California residential electricity costs an average of 36.6% more than the national average. CA commercial rates are 51.4% higher. For industrial use, CA electricity is 69.1% higher than the national average (August, 2012).
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_06_a
BTW, a 2011 survey of home water bills for the 20 largest U.S. cities found that for 200 gallons a day usage, San Diego was the highest cost. At 400 gal/day, San Diego was third highest. http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/allstats590.jpg
Thanks Mr. Rider!