Yee Fights Cuts to Education
California Political Desk
February 26, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO – Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) joined California educators in calling on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) to protect school funding. Yee, who has consistently voted against all budget cuts to education, said Democrats should be as vigilant against cuts to education as Republicans have been against raising taxes.This week, Yee again voted against a potential cut to California schools when he was one of only two Senators to vote "no" on AB 8x 5, which included up to $2.5 billion in deferrals to education. Yee is also insisting that the proposed "gas tax swap" provide a guarantee to Proposition 98 – voter-approved minimum funding for education. Over the past two years, Yee has voted against budget cuts to education that have left public schools $17 billion short.
"The state budget should not be balanced on the backs of kids and the most-vulnerable," said Yee. "I will continue to oppose all budgets that put the interests of corporations and the rich before the interests of children and families. If the Governor and his Republican colleagues are going to say taxes are off the table, then Democrats should say cuts to education are off the table. We need to stand by our principles and protect students and teachers."
"We are so proud of Senator Yee for standing up and saying no to more cuts," said Marty Hittelman, President of the California Federation of Teachers. "After all of the carnage inflicted by the governor and the legislature on education, it is a ray of sunshine to have a Senator like Senator Yee stand up for the people of California and say ´enough is enough.´ We, and the students we serve, applaud him."
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