final draft polished

 

Prop 30

The save our schools bill

                As most of us know California has a very large amount of dept. The current revenue of California can no longer afford to keep funding public schools. Already the state government has been forced to cut music and art programs for k-12 as well as cutting many classes in community colleges. The option of taxing the state in order to continue to fund public schools and community colleges is now up on a ballet.  But with California’s revenue already stretched out Governor Brown has given California an ultimatum, accept a set of tax increases for the riches and add a higher sales tax or have an instant set of trigger cuts to schools. As the voting day comes closer it’s time that we, the voters take note that our school system has suffered for too long it is time that we attempt to help it survive and thrive.

                Proposition 30 works in two ways. First the state sales tax will increase by ¼ a cent every year for four years. Second there would be an increase of person income tax to the wealthiest taxpayers for seven years. If this measure passes six billion dollars would be added to the state’s budget. Eighty nine percent would go to k-12 and 11% would go to community colleges (Qualified Statewide Ballot Measures). There are several other ballots that are available to choose from but prop30 is making the wave in changing our schools for the better. California schools can no longer survive off of pocket change and prop 30 will finally give schools the money they need to help the students of this state.

                As a student it is difficult to see the cons of this measure, but the opposing side’s argument has to be seen and understood. The argument presented by the people opposed to prop 30 is that this measure would not reform schools and wouldn’t cut waste and bureaucracy. According to critics billions in higher taxes will not be the help that the schools so desperately need (Proposition 30: Temporary Taxes to Fund Education). Opposes to the bill also claim that California has spent five billion tax payer dollars on a bullet train that has had little success, and opponents argue that California does have the money to fund our schools but only have to learn how to spent it more thoughtfully. According to them this measure will kill jobs, which really sounds silly. From what I could find there is no evidence suggesting that any part of prop 30 will hurt jobs or business. I may not be a math major but I cannot understand how saving jobs in school administration and having fewer teachers being laid off will destroy jobs or hurt the state’s economy. However there is plenty evidence that when schools have fewer teachers, students will be placed in more crowded class rooms. What truly is heart breaking and even enraging is that those opposed do not offer a plan to give our state’s schools the funding they need and other than budget cuts opponents of Prop 30 don’t seem to want a plan to save our schools.

                Those who are for Prop 30 note that for years the state of California has been cutting funding from schools, forcing schools crawl to their braking point. They also note that prop 30 is not only an education measure as well as a public safety measure. “ Prop. 30 is the only measure that establishes a guarantee for public safety funding in our state’s constitution, where it can’t be touched without voter approval. Prop. 30 keeps cops on the street” (Proposition 30: Temporary Taxes to Fund Education). This is an encouraging thought especially because since the recession police force funding, much like schools, have been dramatically cut. Besides helping the public by educating and protecting the public prop 30 also has safety guards. The funds cannot be changed without voter approval and while nothing is certain it is frankly much nicer to have cops and educated people on the streets then the other choice, which are poorly educated children. Supporters also note that all the taxes proposed are temporary. Prop 30’s taxes will not be set in stone and seven years pass the taxes on our wealthiest Californians will be gone, and once four years pass the sales taxes will be what they are now. The only way these taxes would be enforced longer would be if the voters decide in the future to keep these taxes.

                Unknown to most Californians our state has a shortage of college graduates. According to a two researchers Hans Johnson and Ria Sengupta “California will have one million fewer college graduates than needed in 2025, only 35 percent of working- age adults will have a degree in an economy that would otherwise require 41 percent of workers to have one”( Sengupta). What this means is California will be deprived of a valuable resource in the coming years, educated individuals. With a lack of people to innovate the nation, California will be left behind economically. But this is a fate can be avoided if we invest in education. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Sengupta suggest “increasing college attendance rates as well as increasing graduation rates among four year institutions” ( Sengupta). Again it has to be stated that education is not only a way for individuals to move forward but it is also a great asset to a state and nation. Education can no longer be seen as an expense but a necessary investment for not only young people and children but the elderly as well. Much like a community would invest in a road or bridge California needs to invest in its students. While it might take time to reap the benefits of an educated work force it will be an investment that helps California come out on top.  As the baby boomers of our nation retire we need someone to fill in their well-educated shoes. It’s no secret that baby boomers had the opportunity to receive a wonderful education however the current trend has been that the generations after the baby boomers are no longer receiving the same education as the people who helped make this nation what it is today.

                As a community college student I have seen what budget cuts have been doing to our schools. Classes have been cut and class times are no longer flexible as they once were. Tuition prices have also gone up. I’ve been told by my mother that when she went to Cabrillo a unit was only seven dollars. While an increase in tuition is normal due to inflations the price per unit is now $74 dollars (Fee Charts). The price per unit is even more for out of state students which is $247. The tuition price isn’t the worst part about the cuts. Teachers have been fired by no fault of their own other the state not having enough money to pay them. Students also suffer more than being deprived of classes and great teachers, many of my fellow students can no longer go to school because of how Cabrillo is shrinking. Fewer students are let in and some of us who do get in cannot make it to the classes we need because there are none available. But my experience with public schooling is not limited to community college. I have two younger siblings who are in the public school system. They go to two different schools and everyone in my family can see the changes. In one of my brothers schools they no longer offer after school. In my other brother’s school after school office hours have been cut. Their class sizes get bigger every year and for students who need extra help learning what they will need to know for the next year a bigger class is not an insignificant problem. There are also fewer classes designed to help struggling students. If that isn’t bad enough the materials the school provides now come out of their teacher’s pocket.

                It is no longer feasible to continue to cut school funding and have a functional school system. It is also inexcusable to do nothing about our school system and allow it to continue to fall apart. We have an opportunity to help our state’s children and college students. We also have the choice to do nothing but with such a choice we must be ready to face the consequences and face the states students and tell them they no longer matter.

"Fee Charts." Admissions and Records. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/ar/FeeCharts.html>.

"Qualified Statewide Ballot Measures." - Elections & Voter Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures.htm

"Qualified Statewide Ballot Measures." - Elections & Voter Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. <http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures.htm>.

"Proposition 30: Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding - California State Government." Proposition 30: Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding - California State Government. Leage of Women Voter, 4 Oct. 2012. Web. 04 Oct. 2012. <http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/11/06/ca/state/prop/30/>.

Sengupta, Ria, and Hans Johnson. "Closing the Gap: Meeting California's Need for College Graduates (PPIC Publication)." Closing the Gap: Meeting California's Need for College Graduates (PPIC Publication). Public Policy Institute of California, Apr. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=835>.