Students will have to pay up to $300,000 next fall if the student referendum in support of Sac State?s Marching Band, Cheer Squad and the Xtreme Dance Team passes this spring.

Associated Students, Inc. President Artemio Pimentel is proposing a $5 per student, per semester increase supporting all three organizations.

“When broken down, the marching band would receive $3.50, the dance team would get 50 cents and $1.00 for cheerleading,” Pimentel said. “Marching band really wants the association to back them up.”

The referendum will be voted on this spring during the ASI elections.

“We?ve discussed what the best way to put something like this on ballot would be,” Jeff Edom, director of marching band said. “I?m working with the head of the cheer and dance teams for this, however, nothing is set,”

Pimentel and Edom have been negotiating potential fees, however, both agree that nothing is definite yet.

Edom said he is aiming for a $3.75 increase exclusively for marching band.

The marching band had 91 students last season, and according to Edom, should be more than twice that if funds are available.

“There are bands as big as 450 in some universities,” Edom said. “Money plays a role in where we can be, we would like to have up to 220 students.”

Marching band, Xtreme Dance Team and Cheer Squad all perform at football games and other Sac State athletic events.

ASI contributes approximately $2 million annually to the athletics budget through student fees by a 1995 student referendum.

“If this referendum passes, I would personally like to see a yearly budget review from all three of the organizations to make sure ASI could be accountable for the money the students give us,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel will propose the referendum at the Feb. 27 ASI board meeting.

“It?s a very sensitive issue since many students are also aware of a possible tuition increase,” Pimentel said. “I think students will help to make a difference, but they probably want to know if it will make a huge dent in their pockets.”

If the board passes the referendum, it will go through the student advisory committee, which President Donald Gerth sits on, and will then appear on the ballot this spring.

Edom said that the band receives most of its funding through the Instructionally Related Activities grant and the music department. “A referendum would really help us because we would have an idea of what kind of budget we have each year.”

According to Edom, marching band has no distinct seat in terms of funding.

“We?re cobbled together with the music department,” Edom said. “We don?t get any of the money from the 1995 referendum, even though we play at athletic events.”

“It?s great that ASI can help support the marching band, but the band needs to work hard and raise money too, just like a lot of our athletics teams do,” Pimentel said. “They shouldn?t only depend on student money, they need to also continue to apply for the IRA grants.”