Gross calls tuition hikes "stealth tax"

Doug Gross, the Republican candidate for Governor, says Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack’s brought more attention to Iowa, but for something that’s nothing to crow about. U-S-A Today ran a front-page story Thursday which showed the 18 percent tuition increase at the University of Iowa is the nation’s second-highest tuition hike. Gross says the tuition hikes are a “stealth-tax” on students and their parents. Vilsack campaign spokesman Joe Householder says Gross is being a hypocrite since there were significant tuition increases during his tenure as Governor Branstad’s chief of staff. Householder says if Gross wants to lay blame, he should put it on the doorstep of Republican legislators who sought deep cuts in the Regents universities. Householder says the Fiske Guide to Colleges just classified the University of Iowa among the 43 best buys in the country. U-of-I tuition is the lowest among the Big Ten schools.