In a carefully parsed response to a question from WTN’s Ralph Bristol on Wednesday, GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd said he agreed with a recent opinion issued by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery that the matter of charging in-state tuition for illegal aliens is the responsibility of the Tennessee General Assembly. But, Boyd added, our “[state] universities are not at capacity,” and, just like a hotel, we should not keep paying students away by charging them “triple” out-of-state tuition, but instead should charge them “full” in-state tuition.
This is the precise language used by in-state-tuition advocates State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) and State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) in their recent attempts to push in-state-tuition for illegals through the Tennessee General Assembly.
Gardenhire and White are expected to re-introduce that legislation to the Tennessee General Assembly when it convenes next month.
The recent Tennessee Star poll shows the support of in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants is potentially toxic to a campaign aiming to earn a majority of Republican primary voters in 2018.
A staggering 88 percent of Republican primary voters polled say they oppose providing taxpayer subsidized in-state college tuition to illegal immigrant students versus a mere 6 percent who did not – which is 14-to-1 against the policy Boyd seems to cheer.
Bristol then closed the interview with a straightforward question regarding Boyd’s position on so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Again, the Knoxville-area businessman opted for a precisely phrased response that does not address the issue directly, but rather defers to the legality of the policy at the moment.
“It’s simply illegal,” Boyd began, followed by an analogy that is well-worn on the campaign trail: “I don’t think we have to opportunity to be a ‘sanctuary house’ and not pay the federal income tax; cities don’t have the opportunity to be a ‘sanctuary city’ and ignore federal law.”
Republican primary voters nationally vehemently oppose “sanctuary city” policy in the 80 percent range.
Whether or not appearing with Bristol Wednesday helped his primary campaign; showcased the reasons for his nickname “La Raza” Randy Boyd; or just fueled more questions as to where his loyalties lie (with Tennesseans or with illegal immigrants and their children) remains to be seen.
Listen and read along to Bristol’s questions and Boyd’s answers in the last, illuminating minutes of the interview:
TRANSCRIPT beginning at 7:43min
RALPH BRISTOL:
One more question quickly before I have to let you go.
The Attorney General has given his opinion that only the state lawmakers can allow public institutions to give in-state tuition to illegal residents – the DREAMers children. I don’t remember if you’ve articulated your position on giving in-state tuition to DREAMers – the illegal imigrant children.
RANDY BOYD:
So I haven’t gotten a chance to review the Attorney General’s total report, but I think he’s right that this is something that the legislature would probably have the right to make the decision on. And I think that on the issue itself, I don’t believe that the state should be providing additional benefits for people that are illegal in our state. (emphasis added)
BRISTOL:
So you would not would not give in-state tuition – we’re not going to give in-state tuition to people from Kentucky, and we’re not going to give in-state tution to people who are not supposed to be here are at all. Right?
BOYD:
I think that’s true and I think this my be a longer conversation for another interview, but I think there is also a concern that I have about us being able to attract more talent around the country and around the world into our universities. Many of our universities are not at capacity. If you’ve got a hotel, and you have 30 percent empty rooms, you don’t charge 300 percent more to those last few rooms. The variable cost is fairly small in filling those up. We’ve got a lot of those universities that would actually make a significant amount of money charging just the normal, full tuition – rather than charging a penalty of triple. So I think we need to look at our overall tuition policy. But that’s a more broader conversation that has not really anything to do with- (emphasis added)
BRISTOL:
Okay. And just very briefly while we’re on the subject – and it shouldn’t take more than a second – “Sanctuaries.” Have you thought about “sanctuary cities” and whether states ought to allow or discourage “sanctuary cities?”
BOYD:
Yeah; I’ve been very vocal on this for quite some time now. It’s simply illegal. I don’t think we have to opportunity to be a “Sanctuary House” and not pay the federal income tax; cities don’t have the opportunity to be a “sanctuary city” and ignore federal law. So it’s just simply illegal. As governor, we won’t allow it.
BRISTOL:
Randy, thank you. Thanks for joining us. I appreciate the time and we will will talk about soon. Take care. [crosstalk] Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Take care.
BOYD:
[crosstalk] Thanks a lot, Ralph. Merry Christmas to you, too.
[END]
Boyd just lost my vote. Illegal aliens haven’t paid enough in taxes to reimburse the counties for a years education. We sure don’t owe them a discount for college.
That’s ole La Raza Randy. He doesn’t care about the problem of why these kids are here illegally, using our tax dollars for education, health care and food, etc. It’s all about the money. What a goober!
Why in hell do we GIVE illegals anything other than a ride to the border? The only reasin they are illegal is that they have not taken the initiative to become naturalized, sitting on their hands making us feel sorry for being mean to them
Mr. Boyd as a business man if your profit margin is dropping do you start giving your product away?? No you do not. You revisit your business plan. Same goes for the Universities. We knew free community college would create this problem. It wasn’t hard to figure out but of course Haslam had a debt to pay to Obama. If there are unfilled seats in our Universities then it is time to tighten the belt. Close up some buildings, get rid of some 6 figure professors and cut out some of those dumb ass courses that are meaningless to a future career. We don’t make unconstitutional moves because you don’t know how to properly address this situation.
Along wth the GasTax, illegal immigration, and specifically, in-state tuition, is going to be the bell weather issues for the 2018 State election cycle in TN. TN came within one vote of the Legislature voting for it the last time it came up. If it rears it’s head during the 2018 legislative session, ALOT of so-called Republican legislators are going to have some explaining to do to the voters!
Of course Speaker Harwell probably won’t allow it to get any traction, being that she has her eye on the Governor’s office, and she’s can’t campaign or raise money during Leislative session.
MY MONEY!! If we have extra money I want to help Veterans. Citizen Veterans! Not illegals. And if Universities have unfilled extra slots…….wait for it, folks, wait for it…………………… LOWER YOUR TUITION TO OUT OF STATE AMERICAN CITIZENS. Unbelievable…… Randy Boyd would be the George Bush of Tennessee.