Educators
across the state are appalled that once again the Legislature and Governor have
approved a horrible budget for public schools and important social services.
Enormous
reductions in programs serving the people of California will result from the
budget cuts. Educators will be deeply
affected in our ability to deliver a quality education to millions of
students.
We
are also disappointed that the entire revenue portion of the agreement is so
regressive. Sales taxes and an
across-the-board per cent increase in the income tax are revenue options that
disproportionately ask middle class, working class, and poor people to shoulder
the financial responsibility for our state’s future. The same amount of revenue could have been raised by closing
corporate tax loopholes and returning the top income tax brackets on the
wealthiest individuals to the rates that they paid ten years ago. This would have helped working families
stressed by the national recession, and asked those who would be hurt the least
to help the most.
In
addition, the proposed single sales factor tax provision is a corporate tax
loophole worth over $750 million per year. Its only purpose is to help corporations avoid paying their
fair share of taxes.
We
are dismayed with the process by which our elected representatives arrived at
the budget agreement. It was
designed to exclude the public from any input intothe
process. It is all too clear that
the Legislative leadership is not interested in full public policy
discussions.
We
are distressed that the members of the Legislature seem unwilling to exercise
their right to fully review and discuss the budget items before them. They have a responsibility to
participate in the development of policy, rather than put a rubber stamp on
what their leaders bring them.
Because
of the closed-door nature of the budget proceedings, CFT has not had an
opportunity to analyze and determine whether we will support or oppose the
measures that will come before the voters on May 19 in the special election.
For more information please visit www.cft.org.
