It is obvious that California is facing a budget crisis. The
last few years this state has faced an extreme amount of funding cuts and has
still found itself in billions of dollars of debt. One area that is especially
experiencing this financial disparity is the educational system of California. This
once great system has faced billions of dollars in budget cuts in that last few
years and is facing $5.35 billion more in cuts this next year if we don’t act
now. Governor Jerry Brown’s solution: Proposition 30. Proposition 30 promises
to give back about $6 billion to K-12 and community colleges through a
quarter-cent sales tax raise for four years and a 1-3% income tax raise for
seven years to singles making at least $250,000 or couples making at least
$500,000 annually. The money acquired from taxation will go into an Education
Protection Account (EPA) and will be given to the schools to use where needed
allocating 89% to K-12 and 11% to community colleges. Not only will this
improve funding for schools, but it will also prevent a series of “trigger
cuts” that will occur if Proposition 30 does not pass that not only effect the
school systems, but public safety as well. As a student currently attending one
of California’s many community colleges, I know first-hand how the budget cuts
are affecting the educational system and I strongly urge a YES vote on
Proposition 30 to prevent more damage to the schools.
Budget
cuts are real and devastating; I know this personally. In August I started my
third year at my local community college, Cabrillo College. The general
expectation for length of attendance at a community college is two years. I was not able to achieve this because
throughout my first two years there were huge budgets cuts and I was not able
to get all of the classes I needed. Now that I have finally been able to get
all of the classes necessary for transfer to a UC, I am faced with an even more
dismal situation because of how expensive higher education is becoming.
Like
all complex changes to a Constitution, there are both pros and cons to the
change. History has shown that Californians do not favor implementing new tax
raises. In the last decade voters have turned down 10 out of 11 propositions
that involved raising taxes. Taxes can be annoying and even scary, especially
when it comes to trusting a government that hasn’t been exactly trustworthy and
honest with their taxpayer’s money. When considering a lower class family, even
the slightest raise in taxes could affect them greatly. As explained in an
article written by Bill Freeman: “[y]es, the measure calls for a temporary
one-quarter of one percent increase for four years, but even with the increase,
our sales taxes will be lower than they were last year.” One would even say
that this sales tax could affect small businesses because people would be
purchasing fewer products due to the raised sales tax, but according to this
quote, that argument simply does not stand.
Another
argument could be based upon the income tax raise of the wealthy. Why should
the rich pay for other people’s children to attend school? Ever since Reagan
was in office, America has seen an enormous decrease in income tax, especially
on the wealthy. Since the 1980’s, America has experienced a deficit where a
very important form of funding used to exist. The top 1%, which is who this
proposition will be taxing, supplies a large portion of funding in America.
America, and specifically California, cannot afford to tax the top 1% at this
low of a rate. Not only this, but the bottom 99% will benefit greatly from
their generosity.
Critics
argue that Proposition 30 is not enough. California needs a reform in the
education system and government in general. They may be right about this, but
now is not the time. The state needs a quick solution now and a reform would be
too much, too soon. Prop 30 is a temporary tax, so it gives the government time
to think and strategically plan how to fix this issue permanently. Otherwise,
we have 3 short months until the “trigger cuts” could be put in place which is
not enough time for a reform. Because this taxation is temporary, the state
could become dependent on the money coming in, and once it stops California
would be in worse shape than before. In this case, the voting citizens have to
make sure that a more permanent reform occurs before the money runs out.
Proposition
30, also known as “Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act”, strongly
affects local governments in regards to public safety. Voters question why
schools and public safety issues are lumped together in one bill. The proposed
“trigger cuts” that would go through on January 1st of next year not
only remove funding from K-12 and community colleges. These cuts would also pertain
to UC’s, CSU’s, social services such as police and fire, prisons, health
programs, and many departments such as Fish & Game and Parks &
Recreation. Why does public safety have anything to do with the school system?
If Proposition 30 passes, it will free up about $3 billion to go to these
different public safety departments that the state government dumped on local
governments in 2011 without aid in funding. When concerning prisons, the
measure will be supporting programs in the prisons that educate prisoners and
build their skills for successful transition into society once they have been
released. These programs aim to lower the rate of returning convicts. This is a
form of education, and although a voter may not wish to support prisons,
prisoners should not be discriminated upon by being refused an opportunity like
education. Also, with less returning prisoners, this will shrink the population
of the prisons in California, which has been an ongoing issue and financial
burden.
In
regards to Proposition 38, the measure running against Prop 30 that also claims
to produce funding for schools, voters should give a NO vote. Prop 38 claims to
raise about $10 billion in support for K-12 schools through extensive income
taxes to those making as low as $7,316 a year for 12 years. Prop 38 will only
help K-12 and will completely ignore higher education. Not only this, but if
this proposition goes through, the trigger cuts will still take place removing
$6 billion from all of the school systems as well as public safety. Only one of
these propositions can pass.
Although Proposition 30 may not be
perfect, it is our best option (and only option for higher education) until a
better and permanent reform can occur. Overall, it provides the most change
with the lowest financial impact for taxpayers. Education is unavoidable
because it affects everyone. Therefore, everyone needs to be actively seeking a
solution for this educational crisis and Prop 30 is the current solution.
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