U-Talk: Do you think proposed student debt relief will make a significant difference in people’s lives? | News, Sports, Jobs

Adam Rubin, Special to the Standard Examiner

“Yes. Well, that’s a lot of money; you know, people are struggling. People who have a lot of student debt generally are not doing great economically because of it. … I am at university right now; I am up at OWATC. I don’t have any student debt. But if I did I think my life would be better right now.” — Evan Olliander, Ogden

“As of now, I do not have very pleasant thoughts about this bill to say the least. I have not taken out any student loans myself. I understand how serious student loans are, and how hard they are to get out of; but, I mean, no one forced anyone to take out student loans, they are not a prerequisite to go to college. I just feel that it is an unnecessary burden on taxpayers to have them.” — Joel Penrod, Pleasant View

“While I am more conservative, I do support this because of the opportunities that it gives people — especially because of the opportunities that it gives people. … I do not think that it is necessarily fair, I do not think that a lot of the things that the government do are fair, like I worked really hard to get a full ride, here, at Weber State University, but I am going to med school here this next year and I do not have any scholarships for that … For kids who do not have the same opportunity, or first-generation university students, it is so much harder; so, I think that it is something that should be done.” — Hunter Branch, Layton

“I know for myself, although it is coming from a place of privilege, it is just enough for what I needed. Solvency there, I do not know if there is a right answer there, I am no economist — I think that it is a good decision, a step in the right direction, but I do not think by any means that it should be the final step, or touted in any way as the final step… I think that going to the base of the problem, looking at college tuition compared to the cost of living, college tuition is insurmountably higher. College tuition has gone up more than one-thousand percent … I think that we need to have some measures to make college more affordable.” — Akir Rowe, Ogden

“I do think it would help students out or people who are former students who have a lot of student debt. It will obviously relieve some of their payment stress that they are worrying about each much, but I worry that it will not help with the recession. I think that if the government keeps helping everybody out, the dollar’s value will decrease. So, we have enough taxes already; they take enough of our money as is.” — Crystal Terry, Ogden

Adam Rubin, Special to the Standard Examiner

Photos and interviews by Adam Rubin, Special to the Standard-Examiner.

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Hunter Branch

Akir Rowe

Crystal Terry

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