STATE BUDGET
REVISE CONTINUES TO FLUNK THE BASIC TEST OF GOOD GOVERNMENT: IT
HURTS OUR CHILDREN
Please forward to
all PTA members
On Wednesday
afternoon, Governor Schwarzenegger released the May Revision of his
state budget proposal. The Legislature will be considering this
proposal as it works to form a final budget, which requires a
two-thirds majority vote to pass. Debate is expected to continue
through the summer months.
The Bottom Line:
As much as $4 billion in cuts to education remain in this most
recent proposal, as well as severe cuts to children’s health and
other support services.
These cuts
would be devastating to the health, safety and education of our
children and our future workforce.
Key Points:
-
The May Revise continues to flunk the basic test
of good government: It hurts our children.
-
The May Revise meets the minimum legal
requirement for schools – but it still makes drastic cuts to
many vital programs that help student achievement, like class
size reduction, instructional materials and career technical
education programs.
-
The May
Revise makes severe cuts to children’s healthcare, foster care
and other support services that will harm our most vulnerable
citizens.
-
The
Legislature and Governor must agree on a balanced budget
solution that does not jeopardize our children’s future and, in
turn, the long term health of our state’s economy.
-
We must
focus the conversation on how much we need to invest in our
children, not how much we can afford to cut.
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Only by
adequately investing in our children today, can we ensure that
California has a viable economy in the future.
-
A
responsible budget doesn’t make people choose between the health
of children and their education – both are essential.
Since January, California State PTA and parents throughout the state
have voiced strong opposition to the damaging cuts to education and
children's services proposed in the state budget.
We
must continue to raise our voices now more than ever in opposition
to these proposed cuts.
We must stay the course through the summer and
continue to work together to protect our children and the future of
California.
California State PTA will continue to review and analyze the details
of the budget proposal, so we can provide you with the information
you need to keep your members and your local communities actively
informed and engaged about the state budget.
Click here to read the
PTA's official position on this issue