Argument in Favor of Proposition 39

FIX CLASSROOMS.

FIX THE WAY SCHOOLS SPEND MONEY.

Taxpayers, seniors, teachers, businesses, and parents agree: If we vote "YES" on Proposition 39, we can fix the way our schools spend money AND fix our schools!

We're all aware of financial abuses in some of our schools—the waste, bureaucracy and mismanagement. If we're going to make California's schools among the best in the nation, we must make our schools accountable for the way they spend our tax dollars.

PASSING PROP. 39 WILL:

HOLD ADMINISTRATORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR SPENDING SCHOOL BOND CONSTRUCTION MONEY:

– Prohibit using funds for administration or bureaucracy.

– Require school administrators to produce a detailed list of specific school construction and repair projects to be funded.

– Require schools to undergo two rigid, independent financial and performance audits every year.

– Require bonds to be passed by a tough 55% super-majority vote.

ADD MORE PROTECTION FOR TAXPAYERS AND HOMEOWNERS:

When Prop. 39 passes, legislation automatically goes into effect that:

– Mandates citizen watchdog committees of local taxpayers, homeowners, parents and business leaders to make sure the money is not wasted.

– Empowers watchdog committees to stop any project if audits show wasteful or unauthorized spending, inform the public of abuse or waste and vigorously investigate and prosecute violations.

– Prohibits these bond votes except at regularly scheduled elections.

– Caps and limits how much property taxes can be raised by a local school bond.

"Proposition 39 and supporting legislation impose a strict cap on property tax increases which may result from an election held under the provisions of this initiative. For an average California home, the cost would be less than $100 per year. Based on my thorough analysis, the claim of a "doubling of property tax" is significantly overstated and historically inaccurate."
Thomas W. Hayes, Former State Treasurer and Auditor General HELP FIX OUR SCHOOLS.

– Our classrooms are overcrowded—California has more students per classroom than any other state except one.

– If we're going to reduce class size, we've got to build more classrooms. Just to keep up with the school population growth expected over the next ten years, experts say we'll need 20,000 new classrooms.

– Students in some districts go to class in trailers or in cafeterias, libraries and gyms that have been converted to classrooms.

– Many schools need repairs and updating so children can use computers and get connected to the Internet where they can learn to use the tools they will need to succeed in the future.

"This initiative helps fix classroom overcrowding and provides much needed repairs of unsafe and outdated schools. It mandates the strictest accountability requirements to ensure that bond funds are spent only on schools and classrooms, protecting taxpayers."
Gail D. Dryden, President, League of Women Voters of California JOIN GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS AND FORMER GOVERNOR PETE WILSON, SENIORS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, TAXPAYERS, LABOR, ETHNIC AND PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS:

VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 39.

LAVONNE MCBROOM, President
California State PTA
JACQUELINE N. ANTEE
AARP State President
ALLAN ZAREMBERG, President
California Chamber of Commerce