School Legislation & Budget Updates
Lisa Naritomi
Adobe Bluffs PTA VP Legislation & Advocacy
naritomi@sbcglobal.net
As we begin the school year, I am
realistic, yet hopeful, about the current financial challenges in our state
education programs. After multiple budget revisions by the Governor, the Poway
unified school district began the 2010-11 school year with a $27 million
shortfall. We have already begun to feel the impact at our school with the significant increase in class sizes.
However, I am hopeful, that with your involvement this year, we can make a
difference for our kids and protect their education.
"What can I do?" you ask…
1) Join the PTA!!! Every child, one
voice. PTA membership is crucial to giving California State PTA the power
in numbers to advocate for our children in Sacramento. Grandparents, uncles,
aunts can be members too!
2) Call, write, or email your
legislators to tell them your concerns for your child's education. Ask them to
vote yes or no on legislative measures that affect our children. Ask them what
their agenda is for education. I was intimidated at first but I called
Assemblyman Fletcher & Senator Wyman's offices today to ask them to support
SB 847. It was simple and only took about a minute per call. They are used to
getting these calls and they want to hear from you. They want to know what is
important to us. We sometimes forget that they are public officers that we
voted for to represent us. Throughout the year, I will do my best to keep you
abreast of what's happening so that you know when we need to take action!
Find your California State
legislators: http://192.234.213.69/smapsearch/framepage.asp
Senator Mark Wyland
Capitol Address:
State Capitol
Room 4048
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001
(916) 651-4038
District Address:
27126A Paseo Espada Suite 1621
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 489-9838
Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher
Capitol Address:
State Capitol
Room 2111
Sacramento, CA 94249-0075
(916) 319-2075
District Address:
9909 Mira Mesa Boulevard Suite 130
San Diego,
CA 92131
(858) 689-6290
Governor's Office:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160 (new number)
Here are some current legislative updates:
Senate Bill 847
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs089/1102168765122/archive/1103633292115.html
Congress just passed and the President signed into law the
Education Jobs Fund, which provides $10 billion to states to save up to 160,000
education jobs. California will receive more than $1.2 billion. States are
encouraged to apply immediately. Funds are expected to be allocated within 2
weeks of the approval but without a state budget, the California Department of
Education(CDE) needs legislative authority to disperse the money to the school
districts. SB 847 authorizes the CDE to disperse these funds. Please call your legislators and ask them
to support this bill. Voting should conclude by August 31.
Assembly Bill 142
An urgent measure supported by the PTA & signed by the governor
earlier this year, AB 142
increases the California State Lottery revenue that goes back to the
public in the form of larger prizes. This bill is supposed to increase public
education funding by hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Unlike previous
legislation, it contains a trigger that would revert to current law if
anticipated increases in benefits to schools do not materialize.
For more information, we also recommend these sources:
·
California State PTA Website at http://www.capta.org
·
To be added to the California State PTA
"Legislation email alert list," please send your name and email
address to: leginfo@capta.org.
·
To be added to the Ninth District PTA email
list for Legislation updates, please send your name and email address to Ninth-D-PTA-Leg@san.rr.com.
·
For PUSD budget updates, superintendent's message, etc- http://www.powayusd.com/
Still No State Budget ...
Almost two
months after the constitutional deadline of June 30 to pass a state budget, we
do not have one in place. The
latest budget plan, put forward by the Legislative Conference Committee,
rejects the massive cuts to education proposed by the Governor. This plan also acknowledges the $11.2
owed to schools, as a result of an agreement signed into law in July 2009. The conference committee budget
recognizes that a budget solution cannot be accomplished through cuts alone and
identifies additional revenue sources.
It would delay the start of the new corporate tax breaks that were part
of last year's budget deal and calls for a new oil severance tax and additional
revenue generated from tax reform.
Targeted cuts of $8.3 billion are also part of the plan, but the plan
rejects the Governor's proposed elimination of CalWORKs and other health and
human services programs.
However,
the conference committee plan calls for the suspension of Proposition 98, the
educational funding guarantee.
California State PTA is standing with our partners in the Education
Coalition in opposition to this suspension. In accordance with Proposition 98, we believe K-12 education
should receive its full share of general fund revenues, especially since K-12
education suffered disproportionately in past years when revenues declined.
California
State PTA representaties have been actively advocating for a budget solution
that provides additional revenues to protect education and other critical
children's services. When you contact your legislators and the
Governor, don't forget to urge them to support a budget solution that does not
suspend Proposition 98, and that provides additional revenues to prevent deeper
cuts to education and other critical children's services.
To read the latest Education
Coalition position paper on the conference or committee plan, click here.
Stay tuned
for further information as the budget negotiations committee.
This page was last modified on Friday, August 27, 2010 01:11 PM