Prop 30
The current state of our education system in California is falling apart. State budgets have just about dried up for educational funding leaving public schools and higher education gasping for help. If Proposition 30 passes, an estimated $6 billion of revenue will be available to fund necessary educational and safety programs. Income taxes would be raised for the wealthy earners of California between 1-3 % for 7 years and sales tax would increase by .25 percent for 4 years. This money would save our schools from a collapse and would gear our future generation of students towards a successful life. Before our schools get any worse than they are now, a yes vote for proposition 30 is needed.
Over half of the California state budget is for funding K-12 and Higher Education. If proposition 30 doesn’t pass, there would be $5.5 billion resulting cuts for K-12 and $250 million resulting cuts for CSU colleges. The amount of money lost would leave schools with drastic cuts that would effect both students and staff of public schools. Chancellor Reed said that if prop 30 doesn’t pass, there would be “about 20,000 qualified students turned away, 5,500 class sections slashed, and 1,500 faculty and staff reductions” for CSU colleges. This would put a burden on families who want to send their children to a CSU because of the expensive tuition hike of 5%. Our economy is already in bad condition and making tuition costs for colleges even more expensive results in less college attendees and thus less college graduates. The CSU Finance committee brainstormed some other possible solutions to much needed revenue such as a “per-unit supplement of $372 for seniors who have already accumulated 150 semester units” or “A $200 per-unit fee for any course load of 17 units or more, which is intended to discourage students from enrolling in a number of classes and then dropping some later.” These are some well thought out ideas that help change student behavior. This makes students be more conservitive while choosing classes and makes students really try for all classes they are taking.
Our next generation is made up of future students and if our state can’t provide qualified and educated people, the state of California and the rest of the United States will suffer. Already our state is ranked 31 rd in the nation of people ages 25-34 with a college degree. The only way California could get better ranked would to get better funding for schools which would help lower tuition costs and would go towards other educational purposes.
The current community college I am at now, Cabrillo, has had to cut 400 classes in the last few years and has cut 47 full time positions. From my experience, I have not been able to get all the classes I’ve wanted because of space and also because the classes weren’t available. I have experience of how Cabrillo operated 5 years ago because my older brothers were here. The tuition was cheaper and there was more of a choice for choosing classes. Unlike today, classes were much easier to get into because Cabrillo offered much more classes. Also, my dad came to Cabrillo in the early 80s and experienced college with no worries of not getting into classes. Tuition was much cheaper as it is today and if proposition 30 doesn’t pass, tuition will continue to get more expensive.
Proposition 30 doesn’t exclude all Californian tax payers. The .25 sales tax increase will effect every person in California which will be a struggle for some less well-off people. Times are tough and some will get affected by the increase in sales tax. It is only a fraction of a percent but pennies do add up in the long run. Also, why is it that the top money earners have to carry the bill for our state budget problem? They worked hard for their money and should be able to use it in which ever way they please. These two points offer a valid counter point to oppose proposition 30. However, we have to look at the bigger picture or the bigger problem our state currently faces. Schools are in dire need of state funding and if they don’t receive money within a reasonable time period, our educational system could loose the reputation it once had. If Californians can afford to pay more in taxes in the short run, their contributions will be put towards making a better future.
Another proposition similar to prop 30 is proposition 38. Prop. 38 is similar to Prop. 30 but broadens the income tax hike “on all but those making less than $7,316, with the wealthiest facing the stiffest hike.” If this Proposition is passed, Prop. “38 would raise $10 billion a year for 12 years.” On an online poll conducted between August 3-7 by PACE/USC Rossier School of Education, proposition 30 “holds a 55 to 36 percent lead” where as proposition 38 “has the support of only 40 percent of the likely voters, with 49 percent opposed.” In contrast to proposition 38, proposition 30 will use tax revenue for both K-12 and Higher Education where as prop 38 will only support K-12 education.
This coming November, the residents of California will decide on two measures that will help generate revenue for public schools. I was a product of California’s K-12 schooling and experienced a well rounded education. I had great teachers that were very passionate about their job and took teaching very seriously. For the education for the future, I don’t know if the kids will experience the quality education I got. There will be increased class sizes, less educational programs, and less money to go around to fund the necessary things. As a current community college student, I am beginning to see the effects of how our state funding problem is effecting my quality of education. The lack of counselors, tutors, teachers, and all other people that make college run smoothly has hit Cabrillo hard. Lets stop this by voting yes on prop 30 and return Californian schools to what we had.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/endorsements/la-ed-end-prop-30-prop38-20121002,0,2923644.story
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