Community for Excellent Public Schools
OPPOSES Proposition 76
On the November 8, 2005 Ballot

Proposition 76 would result in major school funding cuts and hurt our kids.

• At a time when California's spending for education is already well below the national average, Proposition 76 would put in place a constitutional mechanism that would actually lower education funding levels by even more and keep them there, ensuring that school funding in California would remain mediocre at best.
  
  
• Passage of Proposition 76 would result in a permanent loss to California schools of $4 billion every year -- This loss would be equal to $600 per student per year. That means more over-crowded classrooms, more teacher layoffs, more cuts in arts and music programs, fewer textbooks, elimination of more librarians, physical education specialists, nurses and counselors.
  
  
• Proposition 76 would fundamentally change the constitutional minimum funding guarantee for public schools and make education vulnerable to severe spending cuts mid-year and year after year.

Proposition 76 would eliminate constitutional checks and balances.

• Proposition 76 gives the Governor unprecedented budget powers to reduce school funding and override state laws with no public oversight. Under Proposition 76 budget decisions can be made by the Governor and his political appointees behind closed doors, with no public hearings or accountability.

Proposition 76 would not solve California's budget problems.

• Proposition 76 would make a bad situation worse in Sacramento. It does away with any incentives for the Governor and the Legislature to work together. And, Proposition 76 does nothing to prevent tax hikes.

Proposition 76 is also opposed by
Santa Monica-Malibu PTA, California State PTA,
League of Women Voters of California,
Congress of California Seniors,
Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education,
City of Santa Monica, City of Malibu,
Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association,
parents, teachers, and public safety groups.