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Since Proposition 13 passed, schools and local governments have been struggling for funding (see article in Partisan No. 17). People have been talking about a split-roll property tax which would raise tax rates on commercial property while leaving homeowners alone. Someone has decided to start an initiative petition, but is it the right thing?
The California Teachers Association (CTA) and Rob Reiner have joined together in trying to put the "Improving Classroom Education Act" on the November 2004 ballot. This initiative would raise tax rates on commercial property from 1% to 1.55% depending on the value of the property. Two-thirds of the $4.5 billion raised would go to reducing class size; purchasing textbooks and other supplies and equipment; and increasing salaries, benefits and teacher training. The other one-third would be used to provide one year of voluntary universal preschool for children before kindergarten.
As a teacher and CTA member, I appreciate the effort to provide funding for schools. However, we were not the only victims of Prop. 13. All aspects of local government - transportation, libraries, health services and child care centers to mention a few -- have fallen upon hard times. Children, in whose interest this tax is being proposed, need health care and other vital services in order to function in school, and preschool children need care beyond the hours they are in preschool. All children need transportation to and from school while their parents are at work.
If we are going to make significant improvements for children and working people in California, teachers need to join together with others and fight for progressive taxation to fund all vital services. Carving out our own share of the tax pie is not a way to build the movement we need for real change.
[Marsha Feinland is the Peace & Freedom Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004.]
This piece is accompanied by a cartoon by Mike Konopacki from the June 1997 packet of Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons. The cartoon shows two goons in business suits sitting on chairs spanking children. The one on the left, labeled "big biz", says "That's odd, I can't hear them crying!", while the one on the right, labeled "govt.", responds "Lucky for us, children in our political system have no voices!".
Integrated, democratically-run schools with up-to-date plant and equipment and smaller classes.
Teach the history of workers' struggles and labor's creation of society's wealth and progress.
Multi-lingual and multi-cultural education at all levels.
A federal law requiring and funding equal average per-pupil expenditures by every public school district, with extra funds for students with special needs such as disability or economic deprivation.
Tuition-free higher education available to all.
Restore cutbacks in public education and public library services.
No school voucher schemes.
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