Proposition Education
Ethan Ahlstrom
10/16/2012
English 2
It is well known that this nation is facing a financial crisis, leading to cuts
in valuable programs that not only help our nation progress, but bring more
money back into our economy. California is a shining example of how improper
usage of funds and mismanagement of essential programs has lead to devastating
cuts. Everyday schools seem to lose more than they give. With class sizes
shrinking, course offerings disappearing and tuition exploding the education
system is enduring a problem that has never been seen before. In Community
Colleges alone we have seen $809 million in budget cuts in the last 3 years, and 485,000 student
enrollment decreases with a 24% reduction in course sections over the past 4 years.
Governor Jerry Brown has taken the role of foreman for the California
redemption job site by advocating Proposition 30 hopefully bringing billions of
dollars back to our schools. With voting day within sight, it is important for
residents of this great state to see our issues and realize what will happen to
our schools should Prop 30 not pass. Education needs to be our priority, it is
the key to a future of plenty for Californians and everyone needs to do their
part to save our most important commodity, an educated populace.
What we as a state face on November 6th is a chance to save our
schools from a near $6 billion cut affecting K-12, Community Colleges, CSU and
UC school systems. This gives us a chance to save thousands of jobs for
instructors and administrators, save courses, resources and enrollment cuts.
Prop 30 avoids a $250 million cut to CSU and UC each and stops an additional
$150 tuition increase for CSU this coming spring. CSU tuition has increased 300% in
the past decade and at Cabrillo College we have seen over 400 classes dropped,
roughly 95 staff jobs lost and a tuition hike from $26/unit to $46/unit. These
classes are too expensive as it is and we can expect more loans for students
and an increased drop-out rate due simply to a lack of means as opposed to a
lack of motivation or need.
In
recent years we have seen numerous measures to raise taxes fail under
California voters. This is due to the lack of concise assurances that these tax
raises will go to what is needed, not for the state government, high/low income
families, cancer research, state parks, but for the entire population and
future of the state. These are all factors in a healthy economy and thriving
community but in order for a population to willingly vote to pay more, they
must be convinced that there is no alternative to enhancing their lives and the
lives of their children. Proposition 30 is what the state has been waiting for,
we have the need, the representation and the means. These means include an
increase on sales tax for .25% for 4 years and an income tax increase of 1%-3%
for high income earners of over $250,000 annually for 7 years. These earners
make up 3% of the population and yet would generate 90% of the Proposition’s
revenue, should it pass.
Now, in the past Californians have not been keen on the idea of taxing those who have earned there money. Are they simply putting their
hard earned dollars to programs that are destined to fail? To politicians and
administrators who are not doing their jobs? Perhaps in the past, but now in
2012 as we see the rich get richer and poor, poorer, with unemployment rising,
college degrees decreasing and schools losing money we can see the need for change. It is
evident that this tax increase is not only necessary it is ethically correct.
It is in the best interests of those who can afford it to give to those in need
for the success of our state community. As Governor Jerry Brown stated, “If
people say no, we don’t want to tax the most rewarded and blessed among us, we
want to close schools, ok. I’ll manage the best we can”. Taxing the rich has
become California’s fail-safe. The state is on the shoulders of these high
income earners and it is time for them to make the difference. Voters need to
understand that without this tax increase our schools will continue to take
cuts, lose jobs and paint a grim picture for the future and generations to
come.
As a Community College student and future CSU student, I find myself jumping
from one cut to the next. College has changed in the way that not only do you
need more units and a broader spectrum of subjects in order to get a degree,
you have to wrestle to get into these classes as well as paying a minimum
of $70 per textbook on top of the near doubled tuition since 2009. It
seems an uphill battle has turned into a rock climb with no equipment, and the
only way to continue is take loans from one source or another, making every
student stop and wonder “Is this worth my time?” I've gone through semesters
where I haven’t gotten over 9 units simply because I was sitting on the floor
with 10 other hopefuls. This does not make for a good learning atmosphere.
There is plenty of competition after college, seeing this much now in the
beginning stages of my adult life and the reality of the importance of
succeeding and the consequences of not, when there is only so much in your
power is simply depressing.
On top of the seemingly unacceptable cuts our schools are taking currently, we
can expect much worse should this Prop not pass. California is preparing for
either outcome from the measure and the motions that have been set are
disturbing for any involved in the schooling system. H.D. Palmer, spokesman for
the state department of finance explains that if the measure doesn't pass “we
still have an obligation to maintain spending closely to the revenues we take
in, so the legislature pre-approved a package of so-called trigger cuts,
reductions in state spending, that will automatically take effect on Jan 1 of
next year”. Together, K-12 and College school systems make up over half of the
California state budget meaning these “trigger cuts” will result in $5.4
billion being cut from K-12 schools and Community Colleges. Alternatively,
Proposition 30 states that temporary tax revenues from the measure will be
applied specifically to K-12 at 89% and Community Colleges at 11%. Meaning, the
failing of Proposition 30 will result in no new funding for the schools as well
as a massive cut to an already dwindling system.
The future of California is at stake. We need to show support for students,
teachers and administrators so they can make our education system as meaningful
and effective as it used to be. In K-12 we are seeing the lowest SAT scores in
history, grades are down, teachers are losing jobs and resources and we are
facing a 3 week cut in K-12 schools, while the rest of the world seems to be
excelling. I went to boarding school in Great Britain for 8th grade.
I was 13 years old, went to school at 7 am, took twelve classes per day and
finished class around 5 pm. This was normal to most students, most of them got
off class and immediately started working on course work. They were introduced
to critical thinking and argumentation long before I arrived and I found myself
overwhelmed and under-prepared. We simply cannot afford to be making cuts to
our schools that are teaching our children how to live and grow and succeed in
the real world. There is no question why we are outsourcing jobs and degrading
our own achievements when we are facing a world that is steaming ahead.
I see Proposition 30 as the beginning of the new education
system in California, we have a chance to shape the future of this state.
We need to set an example and prove to ourselves and this nation that education
is the key to our success, not only in our personal lives, but on a global
scale. If we want to be considered a world leader, if we want to be proud of
where we’re from and how our labor shapes our society then we need to invest in
education. Stopping catastrophic cuts, funding our schools and changing our perspectives
for the greater good is how we create a foundation for future generations for
years to come. Where children go to school with books and motivated teachers,
where college students find their goals are not being prohibited by obstacles
they cannot defeat and where we create a more unified state with the sole
purpose of improving our future.
Works Cited
"California
Proposition 30, Sales and Income Tax Increase (2012)." - Ballotpedia. N.p., 23 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Sept. 2012.
<http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_30,_Sales_and_Income_Tax_Increase_(2012)>.
Kelly, Erika.
"Prop. 30: Taxes for Schools and Public Safety: The California
Report." The California Report. KQED Public Radio, 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201210030850/a>.
Mapp, Lauren J.
"The Mesa Press." : Looming Budget Cuts May
Depend on Prop 30. N.p., 11 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.mesapress.com/news/2012/10/11/looming-budget-cuts-may-depend-on-prop-30/>.
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