New Plan Would Send $2.5B To Education
By Mike Luery
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- There's a plan at the Capitol to fully fund education without raising taxes. But could it work or it is just fuzzy math?
California revenues are $2.5 billion ahead of projections, according to State Controller John Chiang.
Democrats are downplaying it because they want tax extensions, but Republicans say that money could eliminate teacher layoffs.
It's a battle over numbers, where teachers used a math lesson today to make their point: Take 400 empty chairs, they say, multiply that by 100 teachers, and it adds up to 40,000 education layoffs in three years. The California Teachers Association say tax extensions are necessary to avoid more pink slips.
But Republican lawmakers have a different lesson plan. They want to take the $2.5 billion in unexpected revenues – money from income taxes that came in much higher than projected – and their proposal is to put that money right back into the classroom
Assemblywoman Kristen Olsen said, "We believe we can fully fund education without raising taxes and that's an exciting place to be in my opinion." The Modesto Republican added, "I look forward to talking to teachers more and more so that we can work together to save education in California."
But Capitol Democrats say the math doesn't add up – because the extra revenue still wouldn't balance the budget – or replace recent education cuts.
Olsen responded, "We would earmark the $2.5 billion in additional revenues to go directly to fund education and we would make cuts in less important areas in order to fully fund education, public safety and not steal more from higher education."
"So much devastation has already occurred," said Tom Torlakson, the State Superintendant of Public Instruction. The Martinez Democrat told CBS 13, "$2.5 billion would be good to have but it doesn't get you back to where we should be and where we were just two years ago."
Some parents we talked to were skeptical the $2.5 billion would be enough for the long term.
"I don't think we can rely on projections," said Grace Trujillo, a Sacramento parent. She added, "We need actual amounts for the next 5 years because we're in a state of emergency."
But to 2nd grade teacher Rene McGrath, leading her students on a Capitol field trip today, every little bit helps – no matter where it comes from.
"However they give the children money. I don't care how it happens, it just has to happen," McGrath said. She told CBS 13, "Our children are our future. We need to invest in our future."
Governor Brown's office has also downplayed the revenue bump but plans to reveal more on Monday when he unveils his May Revise, which includes the very latest revenue numbers from the Department of Finance.
