Proposition 82 Arguments and Rebuttals


Title and Summary		Analysis		Arguments and Rebuttals		Text of Proposed Law

ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALS

PROPOSITION 82

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION. TAX ON INCOMES OVER $400,000 FOR INDIVIDUALS; $800,000 FOR COUPLES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE.

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF
PROPOSITION 82

ARGUMENT AGAINST
PROPOSITION 82

   IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS. VOTE YES ON 82—PRESCHOOL FOR ALL.
   California’s teachers say Prop. 82:
• Strengthens elementary and K–12 education
• Provides a high-quality preschool education for every four-year old in California
• Helps more children learn to read by the third grade
• Increases parental involvement and allows parents to choose preschools
• Helps reduce dropout rates so more kids graduate high school
• Reduces crime by keeping kids off the street and out of trouble
• Invests in a better-educated workforce for a stronger economy
• Expands teacher training and recruitment
• Protects taxpayers with strict financial controls
   CALIFORNIA’S TEACHERS SAY PROP. 82 IMPROVES EDUCATION BY HELPING CHILDREN LEARN TO READ.
   Studies show that children who go to preschool are more likely to be able to read by the third grade and therefore, more likely to succeed in school.
   That’s because children who know how to read by third grade can use their reading skills to learn faster in their other classes.
   Right now, only one in five children in California goes to a quality preschool program, and California ranks 45th out of 50 states in reading.
   PROP. 82 PROVIDES ACCESS TO A QUALITY, VOLUNTARY PRESCHOOL FOR ALL FOUR-YEAR OLDS.
   By providing preschools that teach children earlier, when their brains are developing rapidly, and making sure parents are involved, teachers say Prop. 82 will help more children learn to read and give all our kids a chance to succeed.
   That’s why California’s teachers, including preschool teachers, kindergarten teachers, elementary school teachers, and more than 300,000 local classroom teachers say vote YES on 82.
   CALIFORNIA’S POLICE CHIEFS SAY PROP. 82 HELPS CUT CRIME.
   Today, nearly one out of three children in California drops out of school.
   But studies show that preschool can help kids stay in school and stay out of trouble with crime, drugs, and gangs.
   That’s why the California Police Chiefs Association says Yes on 82.
   PROTECT CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS
   Prop. 82 has no cost for 99.4% of California taxpayers. With strict financial accountability safeguards, Prop. 82 puts taxpayers in control.
• Establishes a dedicated preschool fund that can only be spent to provide preschool
• Requires annual independent audits
• Provides for criminal penalties for misuse of funds, including possible jail time
   INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FUTURE
   For every dollar we invest in preschool, studies show we get more money back—from savings on reduced remedial education, lower dropout rates, and the economic benefits of a better-educated workforce.
   Better-educated children get better jobs, and a better-educated workforce strengthens California’s economy for the future.
   That’s why business leaders, the Los Angeles and San Francisco Chambers of Commerce, the California Teachers Association, the California Head Start Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, the Congress of California Seniors, Republicans and Democrats, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Education Secretary Dick Riordan, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein say vote Yes on 82. www.Yeson82.com.
   YES on 82—INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN. IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS.

BARBARA E. KERR, President
California Teachers Association

STEVE KRULL, President
California Police Chiefs Association

EDWARD CONDON, Executive Director
California Head Start Association

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 82

   We all want to improve our schools and help kids learn, but Proposition 82 is the wrong approach.
   TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FINE PRINT OF THE INITIATIVE AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
• We don’t need to spend $2.4 billion a year to increase preschool attendance by a few percent. $2.4 billion is enough to send $8,400 to each and every K–12 classroom in California EVERY YEAR. Think about the supplies and books that would buy!
• Hidden in the fine print of Proposition 82 is a provision to allow the Legislature to impose a fee on parents if this program costs more than expected. Politicians in Sacramento could also raise taxes on all of us to fill the gap.
   IF WE REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING, LET’S START BY IMPROVING K–12 SCHOOLS.
   “Targeting resources and attention on those grades where children are taught the skills they need for the rest of their life should be our priority now. Let’s improve K–12 schools before we spend $2.4 billion on an unproven new preschool bureaucracy.”
         Terry Hamilton, Sixth Grade Teacher, Duarte
   PROP. 82 IS A BAD DEAL FOR TAXPAYERS.
   The Proposition 82 “system” is modeled after the same inefficient bureaucracy running K–12 schools, with three layers of bureaucracy and administration. There is a good chance costs will be more than supporters estimate.
   JOIN TEACHERS, EDUCATORS, PARENTS, THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER AND LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, TAXPAYERS, AND SENIORS IN VOTING “NO” ON PROPOSITION 82. VISIT: www.NoProp82.org

LARRY McCARTHY, President
California Taxpayers’ Association

THOMAS L. SIPES, Director
Montessori Schools of Petaluma

CHRIS SIMMONS, 2003 Teacher of the Year
Glendale Unified School District

   The question before us is not whether expanded preschool would bring benefits to our kids, but whether California can afford to spend $2.4 billion in scarce resources on a new preschool bureaucracy that will only increase enrollment by four or five percent.
   A broad coalition of K–12 and preschool teachers, educators, minority groups, seniors, taxpayer groups, and businesses have studied this proposal and concluded that Proposition 82 is flawed and a bad deal for our children and for California. Here’s why:
   THE STATE HAS MANY OTHER PRESSING NEEDS THAT SHOULD COME FIRST, LIKE FIXING K–12 SCHOOLS
• California still faces chronic budget deficits. We shouldn’t create an expensive and inefficient new preschool bureaucracy that locks in $2.4 billion per year in new spending.
• $2.4 billion could fund:
• 69,000 new K–12 teachers to address our teacher shortage; or
• 1,200,000 computers for K–12 classrooms; or
• 3,300 new classrooms to ease overcrowding and reduce class sizes AND modernization of 13,300 rundown classrooms in need of repair; or
• 150 miles of new freeway lanes to ease traffic congestion; or
• Healthcare for nearly 2.4 million uninsured children and adults.
   “We all support expanding preschool, but Proposition 82 is the wrong approach. We have more pressing needs for that money, like improving K–12 schools.”
—Denise Lyon, Second Grade Teacher, Elk Grove
   BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR LITTLE GAIN IN ENROLLMENT
• According to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst and a study by the RAND Corporation, approximately 65% of preschool age children in California already attend preschool. Proposition 82 supporters admit this measure will only increase enrollment to 70%. That’s $2.4 billion in NEW TAXES every year for a mere 4% to 5% increase in enrollment.
• The Legislative Analyst predicts this program will cost as much as $8,000 per student per year for a part-time, three-hour per day program. That’s almost as much as we currently spend for full day instruction for K–12 students!
   NEW PRESCHOOL BUREAUCRACY MODELED AFTER TROUBLED K–12 SYSTEM
• Where does the money go? Tens of millions of dollars will be spent on a huge, expanded state bureaucracy, administration, and overhead—the same education bureaucracy that runs our current K–12 system.
   LEGISLATURE COULD RAISE INCOME OR SALES TAXES OR IMPOSE A “PARENT TAX” IF COSTS GO UP
• This new program could cost much more than $2.4 billion per year. When has government ever come in under budget?
• When that happens or when tax revenues fall short, there’s a hidden provision in the fine print of Proposition 82 that allows the state to assess a fee on parents—a new “PARENT TAX.”
• Proposition 82 could force the Legislature to raise taxes on all of us if the revenues aren’t enough.
NO ON PROPOSITION 82:
• We can’t afford a new $2.4 billion preschool bureaucracy when California has other pressing needs, like fixing K–12 schools.
• There are better ways to expand preschool, without spending so much money.
Please join us in voting NO on Proposition 82.

DR. TOM BOGETICH, Retired Executive Director
California State Board of Education

PAMELA ZELL RIGG, President
California Montessori Council

PATRICIA ARMANINI, Third Grade Teacher
San Rafael

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 82

   California ranks 45th out of 50 states in reading. Why? One of the most important reasons is that we aren’t preparing our children to enter school ready to learn.
   Studies show that the most critical factor that determines whether children will succeed in school is the ability to read by the third grade.
   California’s teachers say Prop. 82 will make our children better prepared to read and learn.
   That’s why groups representing over 450,000 California teachers say Prop. 82 will strengthen elementary and K–12 education.
   HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WILL GET ACCESS TO QUALITY PRESCHOOL.
   The opponents are trying to mislead you by claiming that 65% of children already attend quality preschools. Wrong. Those statistics include children in daycare and babysitting.
   According to California’s teachers, only 20% of four-year olds are in quality preschools, with credentialed teachers prepared to meet the unique challenges of teaching young children.
   Prop. 82 will give over 300,000 more children a year the chance to learn.
    STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY—NOT WASTEFUL BUREAUCRACY
   Business leaders, including the Los Angeles and San Francisco Chambers of Commerce, say Prop. 82 severely limits administrative costs and provides for strict accountability, including independent audits and criminal penalties for misuse of preschool funds.
• 94% of funds go directly to support preschool education.
• Protects funding for K–12 schools and takes no funding from the general fund.
• 99.4% of California taxpayers pay no costs.
   JOIN OUR BIPARTISAN COALITION OF TEACHERS, PARENTS, BUSINESS LEADERS, PEDIATRICIANS, SENIORS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

   VOTE YES on 82.

MARY BERGAN, President
California Federation of Teachers

SHELBI J. WILSON, 2006 California Teacher of the Year

ROBERT BLACK, MD
American Academy of Pediatrics, California

Arguments printed on this page ar the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency

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