Next Week's Election - Proposition 30

While my thoughts today are with my family on the East Coast, I don't want to lose sight of the importance of next week's election to the future of the Berryessa School District.  I think all readers of this blog know how important Proposition 30 is to the future of education in California.  

The State legislature passed a budget in June that holds school funding at status quo from 2011-2012 to 2012-2013.  However, that budget relied on an additional $6 billion in revenue that would have to come by a vote of the public on a ballot initiative.  That ballot initiative became Proposition 30.   

Prop. 30 would increase income tax on those who make more than $250,000 as individuals or $500,000 filing jointly.  In addition, the sales tax would increase by 1/4 percent.  The new sales tax level would still be below what it was last year, when the previous 1/2 percent temporary sales tax expired.  

If Proposition 30 were to fail, the budget has built in trigger cuts that would predominantly affect K-12 schools and colleges and universities.  During the past 5 years, state funding for education has fallen dramatically after the economy turned south.  Berryessa School District has lost $9 million per year.  The trigger cuts in the state budget would reduce our revenue by an additional $3 million.  

I was optimistic that Proposition 30 would pass, but recent polls show that voters are more and more skeptical.  If voters turn it down, our School Board will meet the night after the election, Nov. 7, to discuss what actions we will have to take to balance our budget in the face of more massive cuts.  

Yesterday's Mercury News ran a story about how school districts will face credit downgrades if Proposition 30 fails.  I suspect some school districts may actually be in danger of bankruptcy.  

Please spread the word about the importance of voting yes on Proposition 30.