Latinos and the Beach Legacy Referendum

With the recent economic downturn, Latinos in the CSULB community are feeling the immediate effects.

An online voting system allowed California State University, Long Beach students to vote on a proposal by the athletics department to hike tuition by $95. This fee increase would help the department construct a 5,000 seat campus stadium, 3 lighted synthetic grass fields and enhancements to the campus pool.

While the intentions of the Beach Legacy Referendum seek to improve CSULB athletics, some Latino students do not agree with its implications.

"Man, the BLR is crap," said Eddie Rizzo, an Chicano/Latino studies major. "I pay rent, bills, books, tuition and now they want me to pay for athletics stuff? Come on."

On the other hand, some students agree with the BLR, regardless of its fee increase.

"I actually use the PE building to work out, so the BLR doesn't sound that bad to me," said Mark Santos, a political science major. "It's only $95 to give our school that extra edge. That's less than a parking permit, right?"

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