(This is the fourth in a five-part weekly series examining issues in the upcoming presidential election.)
The moans and howls of college students and parents can be heard every year as the cost of higher education rises.
Presidential candidates Vice President Al Gore (D) and Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) are proposing education plans not only to quiet the groans of those presently shelling out money for higher education, but also to provide poorer Americans a chance to receive a college degree.
With education as one of the biggest issues in the election, the candidates are offering different tax relief to make a college education more affordable.
Bush's plan focuses on a flat tax cut that is not targeted to any specific group and is not earmarked for education alone. Americans would have the option to use this tax break to fund a college education, but they would not have to do this.
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"Bush is saying 'I really don't care what you do with your money,'" said Rick Hess, assistant professor of education and government.
In addition to the tax cut, Bush endorses providing further funding for federal Pell Grants and other programs that grant financial aid to needy college students.
Gore's plan, on the other hand, is targeted toward those in specific income brackets and calls for a $10,000 tax credit to help people pay for a college education.
The Gore plan assumes you already have an income, said Scott Keeter, director of the Center of Public Policy at George Mason University.
"This plan is more of an advantage to people who have more money," Hess said. "If you don't pay taxes or are not already in college it doesn't benefit you."
Gore's plan also reduces college class sizes, gives more funding to student loans and grants and makes saving and borrowing for college easier.
When comparing the two plans, it is a question of "whether somebody wants to have government involved in encouraging college attendance or that government should not play a role," Hess said.
Although the candidates' plans target different groups, each is trying to offer the prospect of a cheaper college education. But some educational analysts said they fear universities and colleges will see the tax breaks and credits as an opportunity to raise tuition even more.
"There is an inflationary effect," Hess said. "If it feels cheaper to people, then [colleges] can charge more and people will come."
In light of the recent discussions about the lack of issues pertinent to young people in presidential campaigns, some political pundits said they think higher education is another issue that does not necessarily appeal to college voters.
The reduction of college tuition is something high school students should care about, not those young voters that are presently in college, said Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor.
College students "ought to be more concerned with Social Security and health care, which are issues that will dramatically affect them," Sabato said.
The education plans are "still aimed at middle class, middle-aged parents, not students," Keeter said.
As Bush and Gore head into the last week of campaigning, the race continues to tighten. Recent CNN/TIME polls have Bush ahead with 47 percent of the vote and Gore trailing with 45 percent.
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