Teacher leaders urge their legislators to pass the revised budget on time

June may be the busiest time of the year for teachers, but 200 CTA members took time out for a trip to Sacramento June 4 to give legislators an urgent message: Please pass the state budget on time this year and avoid hurting students with even deeper cuts in school funding.

Teachers from throughout the state attending CTA's Lobby Day, many of them chapter leaders, made a point of personally delivering the message to Republican lawmakers, whose support is needed for passage of the revised budget plan.

"We need a budget in place and we need it on time," said Orange Unified Education Association member Jim Moore in the office of Assembly Member Lynn Daucher (R-Brea). "We have to put aside partisanship and do what's best for California's children."

Moore, who drove seven hours for the lobbying event, said schools throughout California have already been severely impacted by budget cuts. "We have taken horrendous hits in education, and we're still looking at cuts we don't like, even if the governor's budget is passed," he added. "But we're coming to you, hat in hand, to ask for your support."

CTA supports the May Revise budget plan because it provides a balanced solution to closing the deficit and prevents deeper cuts to education. It would fully fund the state's class size reduction program, and protect funding for special education and the High Priority Schools Grant programs. It would also require school districts to use local reserve funds to avoid teacher layoffs and further classroom cuts. To raise revenue, it includes a temporary half-cent sales tax to pay off the deficit and prevent even deeper cuts to education.

As a result of the ongoing fiscal crisis, public schools statewide have sustained two consecutive years of midyear budget cuts amounting to more than $4.1 billion - the equivalent of about $1,000 per student. These cutbacks have resulted in teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and cuts to vital student programs and services.

Teachers are urging the Legislature to approve the plan and send it to the governor by the constitutional deadline of June 15, in time for the governor to review and sign it by the June 30 legal deadline. Without a budget in place, it is estimated that the state could run out of money by July or August, and only be able to write revenue limit checks for schools instead of the full amount they are due.

Without a school budget in place, teachers won't be able to plan for the next school year, said Los Banos Teachers Association President Cheryl Moody. "We need to know what we've got to work with before the very last minute," she told Senator Jeff Denham (R-Salinas). "Otherwise, it's very hard to plan.''

"Teachers are worried that a delayed budget could affect student achievement," said Tiffanie Harris, a member of the Sylvan District Educators Association. "Our students have made enormous gains in testing and academic skills. By not passing a budget, students are risking losing those gains."

Teachers emphasized that the May Revise budget plan is supported by the Education Coalition, which includes parents, teachers and other school employees, school administrators and school board members.

California residents are taxed less than those in other states, and at a lesser rate than in times past, noted Beaumont Teachers Association President Nancy Gall, speaking with Assembly Member Russ Bogh (R-Cherry Valley) in his office. "We are not overtaxed in California," said Gall. "When Ronald Reagan was president, he wanted us to have a 13 percent taxation rate, but now we are only taxed at 11 percent."

"It ain't gonna happen this year," said Assembly Member Bogh, referring to the proposed tax increase. Bogh, whose 5-year-old attends a dual language immersion program in public school, said he was nonetheless worried that the program, which teaches children in both English and Spanish, would possibly be eliminated.

Teachers said they hoped both Republicans and Democrats would come together - for the good of the children.

"Let's get this thing passed so we can move on and teach our kids," said Clete Bradford, president of the San Benito Joint Union High School Teachers Association. "It's the right thing to do."

Sherry Posnick-Goodwin