The education world is looking for fiscal help. If you listened to the State of the Union speech last night, Tuesday, January 24, 2012, you have heard that the way to make your state strong is to invest in education. You even saw some people who actually have done better by going back to school to improve vocational and academic skills. A 2010 report titled College Bound: Strategies for Access and Success for Low-Income Students published by the University of Southern California is the latest to cross this blog’s desk. Everyone is thinking.
high school in the Los Angeles area
Not only is California at the cliff’s edge, all states are looking into the abyss. Few states are not “at risk” and even those lucky states must address reinvestment in young and old adults. Find ways to stick it out in school or renew skills.
This blog has talked about dropping out and graduation from high school, another issue of the day for all states. In California, the main issue revolves around the money available to the state government. Tax initiatives are being put forward for the November 2012 ballot.
Do any of the following bring to mind the fiscal issue in your state? It is said that California leads the nation in legislation that takes effect.
A worry, according to Rachel Norton of the San Francisco School Board, California “voters’ clear desire for a solution” will dissolve when asked to choose among the many initiatives gaining prominence.
As has been noted in this blog, California’s Governor Jerry Brown has gained enough signatures for his initiative to be on the ballot. As is being fought in the federal government, it will increase temporarily taxes for the wealthy by 2%, increase temporarily sales tax by ½ cent, and guarantee that $7 billion is spent on education. Today, January 25, 2012, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has noted in its latest poll taken in January 2012 that 68% of likely voters of all stripes will vote “yes” to the governor’s proposal.
Another tax initiative by the Think Long Committee, detailed in this blog as the Think Long Blueprint, is set to improve the state’s finances, not just the schools. Read the details of the committee on the internet.
Another event associated with Next California and California Forward under James Fishkin from Stanford University has shown the lack of knowledge in California. After a turn in Torrance, California, the nearly 500 participants came to the following conclusions which leads this blog to the following questions. How can voters defeat tax proposals in one poll and 68% approve in another? How can outrage with the initiative process be turned around and accepted as is in a poll? How can participants still think that a good part of government is wasteful when schools, which all voters love, are about to lose $4.8 billion if the favored tax bill doesn’t pass?
Another proposition not explained on this blog has not yet been approved. It is the state Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the civil rights group called The Advancement Project initiative “Our children, Our Future” that asks for $10 billion in new revenue, all of which is for Pre-K to 12. Remember Prop 98? Similar. What is included to make this tax more viable is the phrase for re-approval after twelve years.
Other initiatives not yet approved call for a tax on oil and gas extraction and a “split roll” tax. A split roll affects Prop 13 and makes corporations pay a different property tax rate than home properties.
Will you read your ballot pamphlet? Will you use your money on schools (public, private, charter) or will you turn away?