Increase funding or increase tuition?

As a current student of both a university and community college I can understand the frustrations from both sides of the current debate over the recently vetoed community college funding.
Presented in Rick Perry’s argument in the article Perry: Community colleges must follow state law Perry addresses why he has vetoed additional funding for community college health insurance funding. From his very reasonable point of view, the law is not being followed and should be. Perry’s argument points out that community colleges are not following the law and many are deliberately acknowledging that they are not following it because they feel it no longer applies. Understandably, this is not a reasonable response to not follow a law. As frustrating as our legal system is, if it does not hold everyone up to the same standards then it is failing as a whole. As cliché as it may be, if one person does not have to follow the law then why does anyone have to?
Countering Perry’s veto with his opposing opinion, Dewhurst gives his reasons for calling for state funding for community colleges in the article Dewhurst presses for community college money. Defending the notion to not raise local taxes or community college tuition, Dewhurst is fighting for $154 million for community colleges from state funding. While handing over this money will solve the problems of the community colleges as far as funding and tuition and tax payers as far as not having to raise taxes, but there is one problem in Dewhurst’s argument – where is this money coming from? Solving one problem only seems to lead to another.
Seeing both sides of the argument there are pros and cons to each. I understand that the law is an essential part of our nation and I do agree that everyone should be expected to abide by the law. If community colleges can get away with feeling that a law no longer applies to them, then I believe that this trend will trickle down to other businesses and eventually lead to state debt which will need to be bailed out by an increase in taxes and tuition. As a student and taxpayer I do not want to see an increase in state taxes or to the tuition bills I pay. The reason I go to community college is to lessen my overall tuition bill because the classes are dramatically cheaper than university classes. For some it is not only a convenience that classes are cheaper, but a necessity. Raising tuition could result in some students unable to afford attending community college. As unfortunate as it is, it seems to me that agreeing with either Perry or Dewhurst will lead to an increase in taxes sooner or later. While Dewhurst’s proposal will delay this increase, the need for extra state money will eventually come and tax payers and college students will both have to pay.