My name is Romel Lopez I am the student body president of East Los Angeles College,

which services 38,000 students who, for the most part, commute to the school. Discounted transit fares will not only benefit the students who are already enrolled but will also increase the rate of retention by lifting the financial burden of getting to and from school, and also encourage more people from the community to attend college because there's affordable transportation.

The discounted transit fare must be available to part-time students—Metro's current student pass is only available to full-time students—because part-time students are the "nontraditional" students who cannot go to school full-time because they may have to take care of their parents, or because they are single parents—which means they may have to work a full-time job and don't have the privilege of attending school full-time.

As a single father of 3 children I know the financial strain that comes with seeking a higher education. But I believe that by going to school I'm not only securing my own future but also the future of my children, which not only benefits my family but also benefits my community.

Attending East Los Angeles Community College for the past couple of years has made me realize that education is a great equalizer, and that affordable transportation is big step toward improving life in all of LA County.