Urge Lawmakers to Block Assault on Prop. 98
Your help is needed right away to help block a proposal that would take billions of dollars in desperately needed funding from schools now and permanently reduce school’s funding base by more than $7 billion. Get in touch with your state Senator and Assembly Member and urge them to oppose more school funding cuts and the raid on Proposition 98. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders (the “Big 5”) are scheduled to meet through this weekend and consider budget proposals that could include an attack on the sanctity of the constitutional funding protections for schools, Proposition 98. Background CTA, the Education Coalition and other pro-education groups are battling new proposals from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that would not only cut an additional $10.8 billion from public education, but would also undermine the minimum funding guarantee put into the state Constitution by the voters, who approved Proposition 98. The issue has reportedly surfaced in discussions between the administration and legislative leaders – the Big 5. These officials – the governor and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (R-Fresno), and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Clovis). Some preliminary reports indicate they could be moving closer to some final budget deal that could include further significant cuts to education and the governor’s destructive plan to undermine Proposition 98. Specifically, the governor is proposing to reduce schools’ funding base by more than $7 billion by administrative fiat, declaring that he is within his legal rights to refuse to pay back the money to public education when times get better. CTA is outraged at the governor’s assertions. The Association says the faulty argument will allow the administration to deny billions of dollars in future funding to schools at a time California has already fallen to 47th nationally in per-student funding, according to a new survey published inEducation Week. Simply put, Proposition 98’s formulas allow the state to pay schools less than they would otherwise receive in the short term, but the proposition requires the funds be repaid to public education in future years as the state economy improves. The deferred funding becomes part of the funding base that becomes a floor for school funding in future years. Contact Lawmakers Ö Get in touch with your state Senator and Assembly Member now!! Ö Urge them to oppose any budget plan that would make further cuts in school funding and undermine Proposition 98’s minimum funding guarantee. Ö Organize other CTA members and school supporters in your area to contact their state Senators and Assembly members and urge them to oppose the education cuts and Proposition 98 raid.
Contact information:
Assembly: Tom Berryhill (209) 576-6425 Bill Berryhill (209) 473-6972
State Senate: Dave Cogdill (209) 599-8540
Governor: Arnold Schwarzenegger (559) 477-1804 <<Click Here for Governor's Website>> <<Click here for Department of Finance Website>>
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