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ARGUMENT in Favor
of Proposition 47
California's public schools used to be among the best in the nation. But years of neglect and inadequate funding have taken their toll.
Students can't learn and teachers can't teach in overcrowded and rundown classrooms.
Proposition 47 will help fix our schools…and help our students succeed.
PARENTS SUPPORT Proposition 47 because it BUILDS NEW SCHOOLS. Prop. 47:
- BUILDS THE NEW SCHOOLS we need for the hundreds of thousands of new students entering California classrooms in the coming years.
- BUILDS NEW CLASSROOMS to keep class sizes small. Our kids can't learn with 45 kids in their class!
LOCAL TEACHERS SUPPORT Proposition 47 because it REPAIRS AND RENOVATES OLD AND OUTDATED SCHOOLS. Prop. 47:
- FIXES LEAKY ROOFS, REPAIRS BATHROOMS that don't work and PUTS HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING in our classrooms.
- GUARANTEES that our kids go to school in SAFE BUILDINGS THAT MEET EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE STANDARDS.
PARENTS AND TEACHERS SUPPORT Proposition 47 because it MAKES SURE THE MONEY IS SPENT WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST. Prop. 47:
- GUARANTEES that new schools will be built where classes are already severely overcrowded.
- MAKES SURE that new and growing communities get their fair share of the funds to build the schools they need.
The CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA SUPPORT Proposition 47 because it INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY AND OUR WORKFORCE. Prop. 47:
- Provides money to WIRE OUR CLASSROOMS for the technology and computers our kids need to compete in college or career.
- Gives our students ACCESS TO the right TECHNOLOGY today to be prepared for the workforce and society of tomorrow.
The CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS' ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS Proposition 47 because it PROTECTS TAXPAYERS AND SENIORS by holding schools accountable for how they spend our hard-earned dollars. Prop. 47:
- PROVIDES for AUDITS, COST CONTROLS and other ACCOUNTABILITY requirements to guard against waste and mismanagement.
- ASSURES that taxpayer funds CANNOT BE SPENT ON BUREAUCRACY or wasteful overhead—funds can only be spent to build or renovate schools.
The CALIFORNIA BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE SUPPORTS Proposition 47 because it also provides funds for California's colleges and universities. Prop. 47:
- BUILDS NEW COLLEGE CLASSROOMS to accommodate the tens of thousands of new students who will enter our campuses in the next few years.
- Upgrades aging college laboratories, libraries and research facilities so that they can continue to pave the way for NEW TECHNOLOGIES and INDUSTRIES.
Proposition 47 will provide $13 billion for school construction and renovation for our public schools, colleges and universities— WITHOUT RAISING YOUR TAXES.
CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS ARE TURNING THE CORNER. Test scores are up and more students are meeting high standards.
BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE WE CAN DO.
Join Republicans, Democrats and Independents—taxpayers and business leaders—the California Teachers Association and the California State PTA—seniors and women's groups and millions of Californians who all support our schools.
Invest in California's children and California's future.
VOTE YES on PROPOSITION 47.
ALLAN ZAREMBERG, President
California Chamber of Commerce
JAN HARP DOMENE, President
California State PTA (PTA)
LARRY McCARTHY, President
California Taxpayers' Association (CAL TAX)
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ARGUMENT Against
Proposition 47
California currently has tens of billions of dollars in outstanding bonds that we are paying interest on. Because we’ve passed so many bonds in recent years, California has been assigned the third lowest credit rating in the country. As such, we should be extremely careful whenever we consider taking on more debt.
There is no doubt that the school facilities shortage in our state is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. But Proposition 47 is the wrong solution. This bond is poorly written and patently unfair.
Prop 47 does not encourage immediate school construction. In fact, under this new scheme, the schools with the neediest kids aren’t even obligated to begin building a single school for 6 1/2 years. School districts can reserve bond money by simply stating an “intent” to build a school in a general location. They don’t need to have plans drawn up, complete an environmental impact study, or even identify an approvable site. Schools built with the bond funds made available in 2004 would not have to break ground until 2011! In short, Prop 47 will allow these districts to tie up money while other ready-to-build sites go unfunded and projects are delayed.
Additionally, Prop 47 favors the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) over every other district in the state. According to numbers from the Office of Public School Construction, LAUSD is eligible for over 24% of the new construction funds, even though it accounts for only 12% of the state’s student population.
Tax dollars from across the state shouldn't be used to service a bond that so heavily favors a single school district. Say “No” to LAUSD's greed. Vote “No” on Prop 47.
WM. J. "PETE" KNIGHT, Senator
17th District, California State Senate
JON COUPAL, President
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
LEWIS K. UHLER, President
National Tax Limitation Committee
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REBUTTAL to Argument in Favor
of Proposition 47
Recently, a group of 30 Taxpayer Organizations from various parts of the State held a convention under the name California Taxpayers Coalition and unanimously voted to oppose Proposition 47 for one main reason—California currently has too much debt on the books.
As California voting taxpayers, we must come to grips with the massive amount of debt we’re all on the hook for. Since 1985, California and its political subdivisions have sold over $500,000,000,000 in various debt instruments. That’s $500 billion in debt! (For a complete list, go to www.peoplesadvocate.org )
It’s time for California voters to put a stop to this bondselling binge. Vote “No” on Proposition 47, and send Governor Davis and his cronies in the Legislature a real message.
Neither the Governor, the Treasurer, nor the Controller can tell us how much debt we currently have or how much of our tax money goes toward the interest school districts, cities, and counties pay each year. They simply don’t keep those kinds of records. This is far worse than the Enron or WorldCom scandals.
Both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s have downgraded California’s credit rating as a result of the erosion of the State’s fiscal health. California’s credit rating matters. Furthermore, it’s outrageous that our Governor, Treasurer, or Controller can’t tell us how much outstanding debt we have in California.
As taxpayers, we should not approve any new debt until our Governor tells us exactly how much debt we currently have on the books.
Vote “No” on Proposition 47.
EDWARD J. (TED) COSTA, Chairman
California Taxpayers Coalition
RALPH MORRELL, President
Northern California Committee for Limited Government
KEN STEADMAN, President
Waste Watchers, Inc.
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REBUTTAL to Argument Against
Proposition 47
The opponents are right about one thing: CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS are CRITICALLY OVERCROWDED. We need more than 13,000 NEW CLASSROOMS to ACCOMMODATE NEW STUDENTS and KEEP CLASS SIZE SMALL.
Here are some facts the opponents didn’t get right:
Fact: Every CRITICALLY OVERCROWDED district is eligible only for its FAIR SHARE of Prop. 47 funds to build new classrooms. Every Central Valley school in line will be funded and no district, in Los Angeles or anywhere else, will get more than its fair share.
Fact: CLASSROOM CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR and SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS can BEGIN IMMEDIATELY if Prop. 47 passes. More than 2000 UNFUNDED PROJECTS are WAITING and READY TO BREAK GROUND—new classroom construction, moving kids out of portable trailers, earthquake safety improvements, wiring old classrooms to the Internet, upgrading electrical and fire alarm systems, repairing leaky roofs and installing heating and air conditioning.
Fact: California does not have a poor credit rating. On the contrary, the State Treasurer and respected bond rating services report CALIFORNIA’S BOND CREDIT RATING is HEALTHY and STRONG.
Fact: The California Taxpayers’ Association supports Prop. 47 because school construction projects must comply with STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY requirements, including mandatory AUDITS, to SAFEGUARD AGAINST WASTE and MISMANAGEMENT.
Fact: Prop. 47 is part of a state/local partnership. WITHOUT PROP. 47’s MATCHING FUNDS, MOST LOCAL SCHOOL BOND PROJECTS CANNOT BE COMPLETED.
Our children deserve a safe classroom and the individual attention they need to succeed.
Prop. 47 means…MORE CLASSROOMS and BETTER SCHOOLS…WITHOUT RAISING TAXES! VOTE YES on 47!
WAYNE JOHNSON, President
California Teachers Association
BILL HAUCK, Co-Chair
Taxpayers for Accountability and Better Schools
BARBARA B. INATSUGU, President
League of Women Voters of California
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Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.
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