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| Title and Summary | Analysis | Arguments and Rebuttals | Text of Proposed Law |
ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTALSPROPOSITION 81California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006. |
| ARGUMENT IN FAVOR | ARGUMENT AGAINST | |
|---|---|---|
| OF PROPOSITION 81 | PROPOSITION 81 |
• Proposition 81 strengthens the partnership between local schools and libraries. IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 81 Didn’t we say that the supporters of Proposition 81 would tell you how much they needed your money? As we said, they would claim that they don’t have enough money, and only this money would save libraries in this state. What happened to the $300 million loan we gave them in 2000, just six short years ago? How did they spend that money? If you go back and read their arguments from that time, they said exactly the same thing that they are saying now. The problem is the politicians have refused to make libraries a priority. Today, state spending is $43 billion more than it was just 7 short years ago. Could the state use just two percent of that money to pay for library improvements? Yes, they could, but that means the politicians would have to take the money from their pet projects, like welfare, free health care, and reduced college tuition for illegal aliens, and give it to libraries. Why would they do that, however, if we just keep letting them borrow the money for the services we want, and letting them spend our tax dollars on their pet projects? Voting against this bond is not a vote against libraries. It is a vote against free spending politicians who spend their money on candy, and buy meat and bread with the credit card. We will either say no now, or face bankruptcy very soon. Join us and say no. ASSEMBLYMAN RAY HAYNES, Member California State Assembly JON COUPAL, President Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association LEW UHLER, President National Tax Limitation Committee | It is never enough. Did you realize that, prior to 1986, the state only owed $4 billion in bonds? California and its taxpayers built our entire freeway system, the entire university system, our water system, and all of our grade and high schools without borrowing a dime. Today, we, our children, and our grandchildren owe over $50 billion, a one thousand two hundred and fifty percent increase in just 20 years. And it is still not enough. In 1988, the politicians told us our libraries were in trouble, and needed more money. We were told that even though the state had a $20 billion budget, we were in trouble. We were told that the state could not afford to spend anything out of its budget on libraries, and we had to borrow the money. So we took out our credit card and borrowed $75 million. But it wasn’t enough. In 2000, we were told our libraries were in trouble again, and, even though the state budget was $64 billion, we could not afford to spend a dime of that money on libraries, and we had to borrow another $350 million for libraries. We were told by the politicians we would save our libraries if we just borrowed this money one more time. So we took out our credit card again, and borrowed the money. Six years later, we are again being told that we need to borrow money for libraries, only this time they need $600 million. Since 1988, the price tag for our libraries has risen 600 percent in borrowed money. Since 1988, the state budget has increased 500 percent, from $20 billion to $100 billion. Thestate has five times the money it had in 1988, and it can’t find $600 million for libraries? In our present budget, $600 million is 6/10ths of one percent of the budget. We spent $9 billion on illegal alien welfare last year, yet the state can’t find one dime in money for libraries, and has to borrow money again? Something is wrong. We are going to be told how important libraries are, and how we have to borrow the money again. These politicians want our children and our grandchildren to keep paying more and more, so they can keep giving more and more of their money to illegal aliens and self-indulgent bureaucrats. The only way we can stop this is to say no. Maybe if we say no, they will quit asking us to pull out the credit card. Maybe they will quit spending money on stuff we don’t want, and start spending it on stuff we do want, like libraries. Instead of letting them borrow the money, we need to tell them to take the money away from the illegals, and give it to us in libraries. Please say no to this bond. It is not a no to libraries; it is a no to self-indulgent politicians who have spent our tax dollars unwisely. Tell them enough is enough. ASSEMBLYMAN RAY HAYNES, Member California State Assembly LEW UHLER, President National Tax Limitation Committee JON COUPAL, President Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 81 The opponents’ argument is simply misleading. California’s infrastructure needs have always required an investment. In the 1950s and 60s, when many of the state’s great building projects were undertaken, bonds were a commonly used financing method. Under Prop. 81, the annual interest and principal payment will be less than $2 per California resident . . . to build and renovate dozens of libraries statewide . . . bring thousands of local jobs, and significantly boost local economies . . . foster partnerships between libraries and schools . . . help fight illiteracy and support education. California’s population of young people and seniors—the two most significant library users—has exploded and continues to swell. Although Proposition 81 asks for significantly less than the $4 billion needed to fully meet anticipated need by 2011, by combining a 65% state match with 35% locally generated funds, Prop. 81 will actually result in nearly $900 million being spent in local communities. And, libraries are more relevant than ever in the Internet age. They are a resource for people needing assistance, instruction, or free access to computers or high speed Internet. Libraries are community centers and safe places for children to go after school. They help fight illiteracy and are an essential component of a quality education. Just visit your local library on the weekend, a weekday afternoon, or any morning at opening time. You’ll find an institution that is alive, crowded, and essential to the community. Support the school/library partnership. Vote Yes on Prop. 81. BILL HAUCK, President California Business Roundtable JONATHAN LIGHTMAN, Executive Director Faculty Association of California Community Colleges TED LEMPERT, President Children Now |
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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