Volume 46 Number
Time to work on state's financial crisis
By electing Jerry Brown as governor and Tom Torlakson as the state’s top school official, and re-electing Barbara Boxer to the U.S. Senate, California’s voters showed strong support for our public schools and colleges.
“Californians agreed on Election Day that Jerry Brown is the governor we need to lead this state out of our fiscal crisis, bring collaboration back to Sacramento and help us improve our public schools,” CTA President David Sanchez said. “Pulling together, California’s educators helped return some sanity to Sacramento. Educators supported those candidates who see education reform as a collaboration and a conversation that includes educators. Across the state, voters have spoken, and what they said at the polls is that they support our public schools and want the best candidates who will advocate for our students, teachers and communities.”
Brown’s message embraced
CCA President Ron Norton Reel agreed that voters embraced Jerry Brown’s message that we all must work on healing the state’s financial wounds and other problems, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Californians with a vested interest in our common future.
“California has some major challenges ahead of it, but Jerry Brown has the experience and creativity to help us meet those challenges,” Reel said.
Voters also rejected businesswoman Carly Fiorina and re-elected Barbara Boxer to the U.S. Senate.
Voters further supported schools by electing Assembly member Tom Torlakson as state superintendent of public instruction. As a former teacher, Torlakson will continue to be a true champion of public education. He supports proven education reforms and will make sure educators are an integral part of the conversation.
Repair damage
The teacher-backed team of state leaders elected to these critical offices will help repair the damage done to schools and colleges in California. Public schools and community colleges have been cut by $17 billion over the last two years, and the new state budget finally signed in October will mean our students will be shortchanged another $4 billion.
“We’re so grateful that voters passed Proposition 25 to end budget gridlock in Sacramento. California now joins the majority of states in the union to be able to pass a budget with a majority vote – rather than the previous two-thirds required,” said CCA Vice President Lynette Nyaggah.
Unfortunately, the defeat of Proposition 24 is a disappointment for our students.
“These tax giveaways will mean more cuts to public education at a time when class sizes are increasing and vital student programs have been eliminated. We can only hope that the businesses that benefit from these tax breaks will do as they claimed and reinvest those dollars into new jobs and into our economy,” said Sanchez.
Reel added, “We’re excited that so many of the CCA/CTA-supported candidates were elected. It will require a lot of work, but these elected officials are supportive of public schools and colleges in this state, and that has to make a difference.”