In an attempt to alleviate the ever-widening budget gap, the State Legislature’s Analyst’s Office is proposing a raise in community college student fees, from $26 to $40 per unit.

This follows an increase from $20 to $26 per unit that was enacted in the Fall 2009 semester.

In an e-mail to City College Superintendent-President Andreea Serban, Erik Skinner, vice chancellor for fiscal policy of the California community colleges, said the fee increase is a recommendation of the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

“LAO recommends raising student fees by over 53 percent in order to generate $150 million in additional revenues,” Skinner said in the e-mail. “LAO recommends dedicating these additional revenues to support community college enrollment funding and to eliminate a negative cost-of-living adjustment proposed by the Governor.”

Because the fee increase is being proposed, there are no specifics as to if and when the fees will be enacted.

However, Skinner said in the e-mail that according to the analyst’s office, the proposition would also balance out the high enrollment levels community colleges are facing.

“LAO’s analysis clearly describes the tremendous enrollment demand currently being experienced by the community colleges,” Skinner said. “To respond to this need, LAO recommends directing $126 million generated from a proposed student fee increase to fund the 2.2 percent enrollment funding proposed in the 2010-11 Governor’s Budget.

“Doing so would generate an equal amount of budget savings to the state.”