The raise of tuition costs of community colleges and the fear of more to come in the future was one of the topics along with the state budget and gay marriage Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg said during her lecture at Kreider Hall.

Women’s history professor Lisa Lubow, along with the United Womyn’s Council, invited Goldberg to come and speak as a part a of Women’s History Month.

Goldberg, who was elected to the state assembly in 2000, made it clear in her opening statement that one of her biggest concerns was the raise of tuition costs for community colleges by 44 percent and by 10 percent for Cal State Universities.

“For the first time in the history of California, the number of freshmen being admitted to CSUs and UCs has been cut,” said Goldberg.
Goldberg strongly believes that the wealth of the state should be taxed, not the working class, as she called taxing the workers a “job killer.”

In addition to her dislike for taxing workers, Goldberg disagreed with the tax breaks that come to people who own cars.

Goldberg said she only got a tax break of $31 for her car while a person who drives a Hummer gets over $1,600 back.

Goldberg said the reason why tax breaks on cars outrages her so much is because the money is not coming from the residents of California’s own money; it is coming straight from programs such as welfare. ?

“This is more of a tax shift than a tax break,” said Goldberg. “Because of this car tax break, a single mother with two children will be denied $400 from her welfare, as it goes directly to a person getting a car tax break.”

According to Goldberg, the more expensive the car, the more of a tax break they would receive. She thinks the citizens of California are, “subsidizing the Hummer guys.”?

Goldberg was very pessimistic about the state’s future. Instead of solving the states problems right now, she believes that they are being put off.

The only way she thinks our state will get any better would be if voters voted more in their own interests, rather than voting in terms of wealth and thinking they can become millionaires.?

Gay marriage was another topic Goldberg discussed, not only because it is in the news right now, but it had recently become a part of her life. ?

In March, Goldberg married her partner of 28 years, Sharon Stricker, in San Francisco. But after she got married, she realized that gay marriages are not, and should not be, about civil disobedience, but about love. ?

Upon diving into the discussion, Goldberg did not bring up facts such as what the Constitution says or what state Constitutions say about only a man and woman being recognized as a married couple. Her main argument was how gay marriages affect other people’s lives.

She said that if gay marriages were recognized there would not be any more crowds and gatherings in San Francisco; gay couples will get quietly married, have their own private ceremonies and disappear into the background of the town.

Finally, Goldberg said that she knows that not everyone will accept gay marriages, but they should be able to live with it.

She will not impose her will onto anyone if they do not impose their will on her.

In addition, Goldberg said straight married couples still have more benefits than gay married couples.

If a husband, in a straight marriage, was to die and he had social security, the benefits would be passed on to his wife.

In the case of a gay married couple, the widow would not receive anything. An issue Goldberg will no doubt fight against. ?

Goldberg has been a part of California’s history for more than 30 years and she believes that California is in its worst shape ever.

Goldberg knows there is a lot of work to be done to fix our state and if all the right steps are taken in the near future, it can be accomplished; she wants to continue be a part of it.