Posted on 01/06/2009 10:06:50 AM PST by CounterCounterCulture
BURLINGAME — The California Teachers Association has proposed a statewide ballot initiative to raise at least $5 billion a year for public education through a 1-cent sales tax increase.
The tax would provide new, ongoing funding for schools and community colleges in a time of continuing budget shortfalls, the Burlingame-based association said.
"California's budget process is broken," said David Sanchez, president of the 340,000-member CTA, "and our students and schools are suffering the consequences. More students are being squeezed into already overcrowded classrooms (and) more than 10,000 teachers and education support professionals have been (laid) off while art, music, technical and vocational education programs are being eliminated."
Last month, the CTA filed the proposed Public School Investment and Accountability Act with the Secretary of State to qualify the initiative for a possible special election this year. Later this month, CTA leaders are expected to decide how to move forward with the proposal.
The measure would generate $5 billion to $6 billion annually, specifically for student learning and classroom support, the CTA said.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
But I thought lotteries and casinos would fund our public schools forever and forever.
How many Vice-principals, Assistant Vice-principals, Junior Assistant Vice-principals and Deputy Junior Assistant Vice-principals have been laid-off?
How about this proposal: Dump ALL illegal aliens from the school systems... don’t take a raise in pay... don’t build any new schools until the recession is OVER.
If the people have had enough, a tax like this will result in a decrease in sales tax revenue.
No need for sales tax for schools!
The lottery proceeds will ALL go to schools....remember?
Oh, yeah, that was before they stole that money for every other liberal program!
Don’t worry, that won’t happen this time..../sarc
Gee..you don’t suppose most of the new tax will go to higher salaries and benefits?
Teacher unions have no shame.
They care soooo much about the children.. and turning them into mush-headed liberals as quick as they can.. any disruption of funds endangers their agenda.
Can someone explain to me how a 1-cent sales tax hike would work? Is the obvious implementation the correct one — one penny would be added to every taxable transaction? I’m just curious since you would need 500 billion taxable transaction to raise 5 billion dollars.
Gotta pay for all those illegal aliens kids education you know.
“How about this proposal: Dump ALL illegal aliens from the school systems... don’t take a raise in pay... don’t build any new schools until the recession is OVER.”
This is so straightforward, so correct, and so un-liberal, that I have to giga-ditto it.
I will NEVER vote for any taxes for public dumps - er - schools. Now, if we have a vote for vouchers.....
Definition of consultant: Someone who parachutes in with a power point presentation, collects a fee, then leaves.
My guess is none, When I was really involved in school issues (ended when last child graduated 1999), 87% of the budget went to salaries, there were 13 to 10 people directly dealing with the students.
Probably nothing has changed. The CA union at that time in their statement of purpose never even listed students as important. The president of the union at that time said, we will consider the kids when they can vote.
Buy a gumball for 5 cents and pay a 20% sales tax.
Only in Kalifornia.
I don’t live in CA, but by one cent, they mean one cent on each dollar. They say “one cent” to make it sound like a small amount.
I resemble that remark. Hey, someone has to do it.
Educating an illegal alien or and anchor baby is a lot more expensive than the average CA kid. They require more busing, free lunches and day care, bilingual education, special ed and then counselors, juve court and detention.
The cost and impact on CA schools is enormous. Just ask anyone who works in the schools. 2/3 of the money goes to take care of 20% of the kids.
A one cent sales tax increase is more like a 12.5% increase in sales tax. It doesn’t sound like much, but will take all that money out of the private sector.
Thinking...thinking...thinking...
I agree, let us support this new tax for education. With some caveats - like, every dollar not paid to a classroom teacher comes out of the union retirement fund.
Choke it up, teachers. In the real world, most of you would be fired for gross failure.
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