Students campaign for tax-free textbooks

The University of Texas Student Government is planning to propose legislation to the Texas House of Representatives that, if approved, would exempt college textbooks from sales tax.

In Irving, the sales tax is 8.25 percent.

If you haven't heard about the Good for Texas Students, Good for Texas campaign, you definitely will during the coming months. The University of Texas Student Government has until next January to collect signatures in support of the proposed law. Textbooks are already sales tax-free in 15 states.

This is not the first time that Texas students have tried to convince legislators to reduce textbook prices. “Only this time, it's not a demand coming from UT at Austin alone, but we'll try to get all colleges and universities involved in this effort, to show state legislators that the problem has gotten worse over the years,” said Zack Hall, chair of the Tax-Free Textbook Campaign.

Indeed, textbook prices have been escalating for more than a decade. Textbook prices have gone up 62 percent of tuition at an average university and half of the tuition at a community college.

Convincing politicians to approve tax-free college books is asking the state to forgo $40 million per year, according to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (TCPA). That's how much the 1.2 million Texas students spend on textbook taxes. The rationale behind the campaign is that the millions of dollars saved in tax will be spent on tuition, housing, food and clothing, things that students typically spend their money on.

Data from TCPA show that every dollar invested in Texas' higher education system returns more than $5.50 to the Texas economy. If students invest their savings in their own education, the $40 million saved in tax would bring $206 million back to Texas each year. Plus, if textbook prices were more reasonable, more students would buy them from Texas bookstores instead of online, where they are tax-free.

A survey by the State Public Interest Research Groups and eBay. com found out that 43 percent of college students don't buy the required textbooks for at least one course, either because they're too expensive or because students know the material won't be used in class. “We're aware that prices are rising, and we try to address the problem by offering as many used books as we can,” said Cliff Ewert, Follett Corp.'s vice-president for public and campus relations. Follett is the company that runs the Dallas County Community College District bookstores.

Used books help but do not solve the problem, because publishers tend to release revised editions every year. Colleges have found other alternatives to ease the textbook burden. The Brookhaven Community College off-campus bookstore started a rental program this fall. The bookstore rents 23 of the most-used titles for half the list price. “It's a new initiative, but we will increase the number of titles if the system proves to work well,” says Donna Tate, who runs the off-campus bookstore.

Skyrocketing prices affect all students. And they hurt those who earn less most. To tackle that problem, Student Support Services - TRIO at North Lake has implemented a textbook-borrowing program for their students. TRIO bought nine of the most-used textbooks and keeps them at the library. Students can check them out for two hours within the library.

“Everybody knows prices are outrageous but not much is done about it,” said Billy Yost, TRIO tutor coordinator. “We decided to help those who truly are in need.”

As for everybody else, tax concerns aside, the main concern is the next bookstore contractor, which will replace Follett next year. “Our goal is to make sure the next bookstore contractor has the best policy to minimize textbook prices, with plenty of used and electronic books,” says Steve Ledford, DCCCD auxiliary business services manager.

Tax-Free Textbook States
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