It was a celebration of what’s possible at today’s CTA State Council of Education, as educators and allies kicked off the campaign for the Schools & Communities First initiative, which would generate $12 billion for public education and public services.

At a press conference held on the Council floor, CTA President E. Toby Boyd said educators statewide are circulating petitions to qualify this vital initiative for the November 2020 ballot and win the resources our students deserve and our communities need.

“We’re here to celebrate the start of a new day for public schools and communities all across California, as we start gathering signatures to qualify Schools & Communities First for the ballot,” Boyd said. “It will reclaim $12 billion every year to fund world-class schools and make our local economies stronger. It also starts to undo the effects of decades of chronic underfunding of our schools, colleges and public services.”

The initiative would close commercial property tax loopholes that benefit a fraction of corporations and wealthy investors, without affecting homeowners or renters. CTA was joined today by community allies and Labor, including the state president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), to urge all Californians to share the importance of this initiative.

“For the last four decades, wealthy investors and big corporations have not been paying their fair share. They take advantage of tax schemes and loopholes, all while passing costs on to you and me. That’s why SEIU workers are ALL IN on the Schools & Communities First campaign,” said Bob Schoonover, president of SEIU California and SEIU Local 721. “Let’s end the corporate tax breaks and invest that money in our children’s education and the services that matter to our families.”

Help spread the word about Schools & Communities First with your neighbors and on your social media networks. Follow @WeAreCTA and @Schools1stCA on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates to share, and add a frame to your Facebook profile picture to show you stand with schools and communities.

“For far too long, public education has received the short end of the stick when it comes to providing the resources our students need to succeed. Today, we are here with more than 800 educators to say, ‘No more!’ and announce a measure that will significantly improve the lives of our students and the communities where we raise our families,” Boyd said. “The fight for equity requires deliberate action, and Schools & Communities First would start to undo the effects of decades of chronic underfunding of our schools, colleges and public services.”