Led by Sen. Bruce McPherson (R-Santa Cruz), a group of five Republican lawmakers held a news conference on the Capitol steps to caution voters that Proposition 38, the voucher initiative on the Nov. 7 ballot, will hurt public schools and cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
Sen. McPherson and Assembly Members Jim Cunneen (R-Campbell), Abel Maldonado (R-San Luis Obispo), Anthony Pescetti (R-Sacramento) and Charlene Zettel (R-Poway) stressed that the measure would undermine public school improvement efforts that have already translated into better student achievement.
Cunneen cited a host of new laws that are providing incentives for reform in education and said these reforms need time to work. Prop. 38's passage would prevent them from taking full effect.
Maldonado warned that Prop. 38 would do to public education what deregulation has done to electric service and costs in San Diego. He urged voters to let the newly implemented education reforms work.
Zettel cautioned the faith community that public dollars directed to private and religious schools would lead to more strings and requirements on these schools.
Len Feldman