The California Teachers Association, “one of the strongest advocates for educators in the country,” according to the organization’s website, is officially backing Gov. Jerry Brown’s temporary tax initiative to increase revenues for public education and other essential services.
Brown’s newly proposed initiative increases the sales tax by one-half percent and temporarily raises the personal income tax on California citizens who make more than $250,000 annually.
If voters fail to pass the initiative in November, the Gilroy Unified School District will receive approximately $7 million less in state funding. This could shorten the 2012-13 school year by 15 days.
The state has bitten more out of education than any other segment in the last five years – $35 billion – to help resolve its budget crisis, according to Allan Garde, director of GUSD Fiscal Services.
Brown’s initiative will provide billions for public schools, according to a press release from the CTA, which endorsed the governor’s tax plan at the CTA’s quarterly meeting Sunday in Los Angeles.
“The governor’s initiative is the only initiative that provides additional revenues for our classrooms and closes the state budget deficit, and guarantees local communities will receive funds to pay for the realignment of local health and public safety services that the Legislature approved last year,” stated CTA President Dean E. Vogel in a press release. “It’s time to put California back on track and this initiative is the best way to do that. It’s the right choice for our students and their families, our communities and our state.”
To read more about how the budget crisis is affecting GUSD, click on the the story links below:
