2008 Woodie Awards
A Promise Is A Promise Arnie
Governor's budget promises to help schools - or will it?
Maggie Ownbey
Issue date: 2/23/05 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Last year we stopped the bleeding, this year we must begin to heal the patient, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the Legislature as he presented his 2005-2006 state budget proposal. Doesn't he know that the state of California can't afford the doctor bills?
At first glance the pie chart reflects a fair slice for community colleges. Schwarzenegger's proposal includes approximately $137 million for enrollment growth, $196 million for cost-of-living adjustment and $20 million for economic development. Looks good so far.
But look a little closer and you'll find that this pie is not so sweet. Schwarzenegger also proposes a shift in responsibility for added retirement funds to local school districts; meaning districts would have to pick up the $1.1 billion tab for pension costs.
Schwarzenegger calls it an honest budget and a budget the state needs, but who's being honest here? Can we really trust him to keep his word?
First, he agreed to not tamper with Proposition 98, the state initiative passed by voters in 1988 that guarantees schools and community colleges more than 40 percent of any new state revenues. Then, last year he made a deal that the schools would give up $2 billion in tax revenues guaranteed under Prop. 98 with the promise that the funds would be restored. A deal that helped him get through year one in office and a promise that was not kept.
He says he won't spend more than what the state already has in the budget, helping to "close the gap and keep spending on track with revenues." He claims this will break Sacramento's bad habit of credit card financing, but the truth is his new budget relies on borrowing $4 billion to repay money from past borrowing.
Sounds like Republican double-speak to me. If Schwarzenegger has his way, a constitutional amendment will be added to the ballot that could weaken Prop. 98. So much for tamper-proofing the money that our schools have been guaranteed.
As students we all have a voice, a big loud voice. You can call or e-mail the governor's office, let him know what you think at www.governor.ca.gov.
The best thing that students can do is to be informed, speak up and empower ourselves with knowledge.
Get involved with the student government right here on campus by joining Valley's Associated Student Union. Go to the ASU meetings. Get ready for the March in March Rally in Sacramento on March 15.
Hey, isn't that where the governor's office is?
At first glance the pie chart reflects a fair slice for community colleges. Schwarzenegger's proposal includes approximately $137 million for enrollment growth, $196 million for cost-of-living adjustment and $20 million for economic development. Looks good so far.
But look a little closer and you'll find that this pie is not so sweet. Schwarzenegger also proposes a shift in responsibility for added retirement funds to local school districts; meaning districts would have to pick up the $1.1 billion tab for pension costs.
Schwarzenegger calls it an honest budget and a budget the state needs, but who's being honest here? Can we really trust him to keep his word?
First, he agreed to not tamper with Proposition 98, the state initiative passed by voters in 1988 that guarantees schools and community colleges more than 40 percent of any new state revenues. Then, last year he made a deal that the schools would give up $2 billion in tax revenues guaranteed under Prop. 98 with the promise that the funds would be restored. A deal that helped him get through year one in office and a promise that was not kept.
He says he won't spend more than what the state already has in the budget, helping to "close the gap and keep spending on track with revenues." He claims this will break Sacramento's bad habit of credit card financing, but the truth is his new budget relies on borrowing $4 billion to repay money from past borrowing.
Sounds like Republican double-speak to me. If Schwarzenegger has his way, a constitutional amendment will be added to the ballot that could weaken Prop. 98. So much for tamper-proofing the money that our schools have been guaranteed.
As students we all have a voice, a big loud voice. You can call or e-mail the governor's office, let him know what you think at www.governor.ca.gov.
The best thing that students can do is to be informed, speak up and empower ourselves with knowledge.
Get involved with the student government right here on campus by joining Valley's Associated Student Union. Go to the ASU meetings. Get ready for the March in March Rally in Sacramento on March 15.
Hey, isn't that where the governor's office is?
