Contacts: Mike Myslinski at 650-552-5324 or Sandra Jackson, 916-325-1550
Reminding the public that “the state budget crisis threatens our economy and our schools,” a new CTA television ad launched statewide this week calls on state legislators to solve the problem now, since California can’t afford the destruction of an all-cuts budget solution.
The 30-second ad is airing in all major California media markets and includes the CTA State of Emergency campaign website (www.castateofemergency.com), where the CTA message is clear: Lawmakers need to solve the budget crisis by extending temporary taxes legislatively to avoid more dire cuts to classrooms, public safety, health and other vital services. Lawmakers have made about $12 billion in cuts to close nearly half of the state’s $25 billion deficit, and would need the tax extensions to avoid the catastrophe of making another $13 billion in cuts.
The ad warns that making those additional massive cuts would devastate “our schools, our safety, and the California we know.” The budget stalemate means loans to small businesses are on hold, and job creation is “at a standstill,” the ad’s narrator says, noting that 30,000 teachers have already been laid off (in the past three years, due to unprecedented state cuts). “It’s time for lawmakers to finally get the problem solved now. Our kids and economy can’t afford to wait.”
With images of parents, teachers, students, businesses and firefighters, the ad is a wake-up call to lawmakers to end the crisis that is hurting schools and communities across the state, said David A. Sanchez, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association.
“Our students and our cities are already suffering from state cuts,” Sanchez said. “Lawmakers need to act now and extend the temporary taxes sought by the governor. They need to finish the job they were elected to do.”
The TV spot can be watched on the CTA State of Emergency website at www.castateofemergency.com. The website details the growing campaign’s focus on a May 9-13 week of statewide bold actions to pressure lawmakers to pass the temporary tax extensions to protect schools, colleges and essential public services from even deeper cuts. Actions include a sit-in at the State Capitol and May 13 rallies in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego. The TV spot can also been seen at www.cta.org.
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The 325,000-member CTA is affiliated with the 3.2 million-member National Education Association.