Fund the schools. Vote Yes on Prop 30

by Duane Campbell

According to a Sacramento Bee article the AVID program budget was cut from the state budget by a line item veto by Governor Brown. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/02/4684182/hed-here.html AVID is one of a dozen or more practical programs in the schools to try to prepare working class kids for college.  Similar programs existed to reduce drop outs/ push outs and other problems in our schools.  Avid was a good program as were dozens of other good programs cut from the budgets.  For example, California has the largest class sizes in the nation and the least number of counselors per children – these program cuts  too produce drop outs and violence.

When you and I address the legislature about these pragmatic programs they say- we agree, but we just don’t have the money.  The state does not have the money only if we continue the massive billions of dollars presently given to corporations in tax dodges and tax benefits.  A simple Millionaires tax, or a Financial Transactions Tax would resolve that, but Governor Brown and the Democrats are unwilling to fight for fair taxation.  See the video below, “Which CEO made $5 million stealing your kids lunch money?” And, see how the global elite  like Mitt Romney hide 32 Trillion in off shore accounts.  This money could be brought back to the U.S. and invested.

http://sacramentopa.blogspot.com/2012/08/exhaustive-study-finds-global-elite.html

Education is vital for the future of California.  Without a quality education, our children will not be able to compete in a global economy.

Without a skilled, educated workforce, our state will not be able to create new jobs to grow our economy. Investing in our schools  is the best thing we can do to ensure a better future for all Californians.

But today, our state ranks 47th nationally in what we invest to educate each child. We have the largest class sizes in the nation. Over the last three years, more than $20 billion has been cut from California schools and over 40,000 educators have been laid off.

When these issues are raised, the anti tax radicals chant no new taxes. In my view the legislature and the governor have failed us.  I recognize that the legislature is stalemated by the Republican intransigence.  That is why I worked to pass the majority rule initiative in 2010.

Now, the most immediate thing we can do is to pass Prop. 30 the Schools and Local Public Safety Act. – which would prevent  $ 4.8  billion cuts from our schools. and 1.3 billion in further cuts to colleges and universities. 

I, for one, am not at all satisfied with the “leadership” of the legislature and the governor.  I guess that is why they only receive a 13% approval rating in the polls.

What more can we do?  Ideas?