I was at Penn State visiting once. I asked what the state funding was. They said 4% or so. I figured that’s not correct. Last year I dug into the university budget and the state’s funding level. It was actually a small fraction. A lot of money, but not 90% or so. When I was on campus I asked why, if the funding was so low, they call it “Penn State?” The dean told me it will always be called Penn State, regardless of the state funding level.

FWIW: I went to school in California, when it was nearly zero tuition. It can be done. While there, the Cal system had more Nobel Laureates than all of the USSR. Affordable education is possible, people just have to want it. In Texas, the U of T has so many gas and oil wells in West Texas they could make all education free. But you can bet that they don’t.