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Reinstating simple majorities for budget and revenue decisions in Sacramento and for passing local parcel taxes. Closing corporate loopholes in Proposition 13. Suing the state of California for adequate funding for monies for schools as enacted in Proposition 98. These are the major actions discussed at last Thursday’s energizing “Funding Our Future” Town Hall meeting organized by six fed-up moms from one San Francisco elementary school (Sherman) and attended by almost 1,000 folks representing over 70 schools who share their frustration and are ready to make some change.
High energy and high expectations filled the room on Thursday, bolstered by the presence of elected officials and leaders who promised to talk about solutions to the endemic and catastrophic funding crisis our schools are facing. From San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Superintendent Carlos Garcia’s call to sue the state for adequate funding, to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s bill to make progress on eliminating the corporate loopholes in Proposition 13, to State Senator Mark Leno’s legislative efforts to levy surcharges on entertainment tickets to raise dedicated money for arts education (noting that California ranks 51st — behind Guam — in arts spending) and his proposal to reinstate, possibly only at the local level, the vehicle license fee, which he reported has lost us $30 billion in the general fund this year, saving each individual car owner only $200 per vehicle.
Debbie Look, State Legislative Director of the California PTA, mentioned the PTA’s role in getting signatures to lower the threshold for setting local parcel taxes and, most exciting, signing on as a plaintiff on a lawsuit against the state arguing that the current funding system is unconstitutional. And everyone agreed
High energy and high expectations filled the room on Thursday, bolstered by the presence of elected officials and leaders who promised to talk about solutions to the endemic and catastrophic funding crisis our schools are facing. From San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Superintendent Carlos Garcia’s call to sue the state for adequate funding, to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s bill to make progress on eliminating the corporate loopholes in Proposition 13, to State Senator Mark Leno’s legislative efforts to levy surcharges on entertainment tickets to raise dedicated money for arts education (noting that California ranks 51st — behind Guam — in arts spending) and his proposal to reinstate, possibly only at the local level, the vehicle license fee, which he reported has lost us $30 billion in the general fund this year, saving each individual car owner only $200 per vehicle.
Debbie Look, State Legislative Director of the California PTA, mentioned the PTA’s role in getting signatures to lower the threshold for setting local parcel taxes and, most exciting, signing on as a plaintiff on a lawsuit against the state arguing that the current funding system is unconstitutional. And everyone agreed
