One proposition (Proposition 30) will effect education funding in the short to medium term and the other (Proposition 32) is a cynical ploy to destroy organizations that advocate for public education.
What is Proposition 30?
Prop 30 is a small sales tax increase (0.25% or 1/4 of a penny on purchases) plus a small increase in the income tax on those who earn more than $250,000. The money collected goes to K-12 and colleges and universities. If Prop 30 doesn't pass, Rio Hondo College will cut many more classes than it has already done. Rio students will find it much more difficult to transfer to Cal State and UC, plus the tuition at those schools will increase dramatically.
What is Proposition 32?
Prop 32 is a cynical attempt to prevent people from exercising their First Amendment right to freely assemble. Today workers can contribute to their unions PACs by having voluntary deductions from their paychecks; under current law people who don't wish to contribute can simply opt out. Prop 32 will turn this process around. What makes this a cynical power grab is that corporations, whose PACS are funded through corporate funds are exempt. It might be fair if corporations had to get a vote of their shareholders, but this isn't part of the proposition, since it was written by those corporations.
Also wealthy individuals with a personal philosophy are free to spend as much as they like.(see the picture below from No On Proposition 32 website)
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| Who is funding Proposition 32! |
If you are willing to help pass Prop 30 and defeat Prop. 32 please consider giving a little bit of your time to call and inform your fellow educators and the voters of California. Feel free to contact the author of this post for further information.
