Urgent! Legislative Coordinators:
Press Assembly Budget to Defeat Funding Attack
CTA is aiming to defeat a constitutional amendment that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed that would gut Proposition 98 and its minimum funding guarantees for schools. The proposal is contained in ACAx1 4, a Special Session bill by Assembly Member Rick Keene (R-Chico) that masquerades as state budget reform.
This CTA-opposed bill is set for a hearing on Wednesday, March 2, before the Special Session Assembly Budget Process Committee.
Please call or write the panel members immediately, urging them to defeat ACAx1 4.
- CTA-opposed ACAx1 4 would eliminate the Maintenance Factor (Test 3) from Proposition 98's Constitutional protections for schools. It would cost public education billions of dollars.
- ACAx1 4 would permanently cut $15,000 out of every classroom in California, about $600 per student.
- The bill would also permanently set the Proposition 98 Minimum Funding Guarantee at the 2004-05 appropriations level.
- It would treat money already owed school as just one-time funds. The money wouldn't increase the school funding base. The state could take up to 15 years to repay these moneys.
- ACAx1 4 would require the governor to call a special session of the legislature when state expenditures exceed revenues.
- If lawmakers can't fix the problem in 45 days, the State Controller would be required to make across-the-board cuts. Those cuts would harm schools and every budget program.
- If July 1 comes without a state budget in place, the measure could require more across-the-board cuts, unless it can be determined that revenues are outpacing expenditures.
- Thus, ACAx1 4 could cut school funding twice in one budget year.
- That could reduce school funding by about 12% per year.
Make These Points to Lawmakers
- The Governor has broken his promise to provide adequate funding to our schools, and this proposal will make the situation even worse.
- This proposal eliminates the minimum-funding guarantee for our public schools approved by California voters.
- Removing the Maintenance Factor would cut $4 billion in school funding or about $15,000 per classroom. That's money that our schools need to reduce class sizes and provide students with up-to-date textbooks.
- Mid-year cuts would disrupt classrooms and interfere with student learning.
- Two rounds of cuts in a budget year would be devastating to public school students.
Here's What Coordinators Should Do
If your lawmaker serves on the Assembly Budget Process Panel:
Mobilize your colleagues and coalition partners immediately. Have them write and call their Assembly Members quickly, by Tuesday, March1. Have them urge the lawmakers to reject ACAx1.4 (Keene).
If your Assembly Member is not on the panel:
Get your colleagues and coalition partners ready to contact their Assembly Members in case ACAx1 4 makes it out of the Assembly Budget Process Committee.
Contact information for the Assembly Budget Process Panel