Contact: Becky Zoglman 916-296-5271 or Sandra Jackson 916-801-4776
David A. Sanchez, president of the 340,000 California Teachers Association released the following statement concerning the Senate budget debate in Sacramento:
"California teachers urge state senators to protect funding for California public schools and end the budget standoff by adopting the Assembly-passed budget proposal and rejecting a package of tax breaks for big businesses. It's time to show that public education really is a top priority in this state. Cutting school funding sends the wrong message to our kids and is not what the voters of California want.
“We commend Senate Pro Tem Don Perata for putting forward this budget and urge senators to send it to the governor, so local schools can get onto their business of getting ready for the new school year. Providing adequate funding to our schools isn't a Republican or Democrat issue, it's simply the right thing to do."
CTA supports a state budget package that fully funds Proposition 98 and provides full cost-of-living-increases to all schools and education programs.