Schwarzenegger suggests suspension of school funding guarantee (Prop. 98)

Sac Bee ^ | 12/9/03 | Tom Chorneau - AP

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - In what may prove a dramatic reversal of a key campaign promise, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested Tuesday that he might push for a suspension of Proposition 98, the landmark school funding guarantee.

"We're working with, you know, the education community to see how we can work together, for them to help with us this budget crisis," Schwarzenegger told Judy Woodruff of CNN during an interview that aired Tuesday.

[NormsRevenge]

.

[NormsRevenge]

:-o

[NormsRevenge]

While Schwarzenegger did not specifically mention Proposition 98 during the CNN interview, use of the word "suspend" caused many education officials to assume he meant Proposition 98 because the only way to reduce significantly the funding guaranteed in the measure is for the Legislature to "suspend" the mandate.

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He used the "s" word

suspend

My grammy almost made me eat a bar of lava soap for the other "s" word once, not that one, but, yaknow ;-)

[ambrose]

2/3rds... and you know the Dems won't agree to this without a tax increase. So we'll soon see two broken promises...

Still, I could accept higher taxes if these drunken whores agreed to a tight spending cap, suspension of 98, etc...

[Sabertooth]

In what may prove a dramatic reversal of a key campaign promise, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested Tuesday that he might push for a suspension of Proposition 98, the landmark school funding guarantee.

"We're working with, you know, the education community to see how we can work together, for them to help with us this budget crisis," Schwarzenegger told Judy Woodruff of CNN during an interview that aired Tuesday.

He ought to enforce Proposition #187.

[FairOpinion]

This is KEY to solving the budget problem.

Currently it is mandated to spend almost 40%of the budget, whatever the budget is, on schools. This is totally ridiculous and this needs to be suspended, repealed, done away with, whatever words you want to use, so that we regain control over the entire budget.

Just throwing huge amounts of money at schools clearly didn't improve education.

[G Larry]

The fixed percentage of the state budget applied to "education" in California, is NOT "for the children"!
It's for:
teacher's unions,
assured lack of accountability for the teachers & administrators,
assured lack of competition from charter schools or voucher systems,
and all of the other agendas that have NOTHING to do with improving students ability to effectively compete in the marketplace.

[NormsRevenge]

The completion of the audit better be a 24 by 7 project.

We need drastic action to forestall massive bonds in our near future.

[hedgetrimmer]

Isn't it more like 60% of the budget?

[NormsRevenge]

That's why we need the books audited... I have heard 40 and 49%, but I don't think anyone really knows for sure.

[Holden Magroin]

The simplest way to solve California's budget mess is to abolish public education. That would save the state billions and create a huge demand for low-cost private schools.

[Amerigomag]

Finally everone on this forum is in agreement with something Schwarzenegger may or may not have suggested. It's about time. It's common sense.

California simply can't afford to continue to fund it's public education, at even the present levels, as long as immigration is uncontrolled.

Should Schwarenegger publically, specifically, call for the repeal of Prop 98 he's got my support. He'll have my support because both he and I know that repealing 98 also kills Prop 49. If he's willing to sacrafice his baby for the good of California then he's earned my respect on the fiscal side.

[winker]

If somebody doesn't get Colleyfornia on a budget with teeth in it; there won't be anything left to save!

[kellynla]

In Arnold's interview with Sean Hannity, Arnold would not rule out driver's licenses for illegals if they passed a background check. Hey Arnold, they're criminals. That's why they're called illegals!!! LOL And Arnold brushed off McClintock's proposal of a 13 percent cut in the budget. I guess he'll need another bat upside the head to get the point. CUT THE BUDGET, ARNOLD! WE DO NOT WANT ANY MORE BOND ISSUES!!! HELLOOOOO????

[Pubbie]

Holy Sacred Cow Batman!

[ClintonBeGone]

Finally everone on this forum is in agreement with something Schwarzenegger may or may not have suggested. It's about time. It's common sense.

Not everyone. There's still the McClintock/Soreloosermans.

[The Old Hoosier]

Well, I have to hand it to him--he's seen the folly of the promise he made.

But I didn't assume he'd break it so quickly.

[FairOpinion]

"Well, I have to hand it to him--he's seen the folly of the promise he made.

But I didn't assume he'd break it so quickly."

===

What on earth are you talking about?!!!!!!!!

He promised he won't hurt education -- cutting out all the waste, fraud and abuse perpetrated under the guise of education can only help, not hurt real learning.

[Amerigomag]

Isn't it more like 60% of the budget?

Depends if you are referring to only the general fund revenues (taxes and fees only) or the total available revenue which also includes borrowing (bonds) and federal aid.

For the 2003/2004 Budget, K-12 education is allocated 44% of the general fund revenues which is about 32% of all revenue available. Community college expenditures are also protected by Prop 98 but their funding is authorized in the "higher education" section of the budget and are not broken out seperately on the available budget summaries.

So it may be correct to say that public education, K-community college, consumes almost 60% of the general fund or about 40% of all revenue sources.

Hope this helps :)