California Educator

June 2011

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UPDATE UPDATE As the Educator went to press, CTA members and representatives were hard at work trying to secure the four votes needed to pass a state budget with the extensions of current taxes. Extending the taxes would bridge the remaining $10 bil- lion defi cit and stave off another $5 billion in cuts to education. “A veto that leads to an all-cuts budget will only hurt our students, their families and our state. This is not the California we want for our students. It’s definitely not the California they deserve.” Recent events have exacerbated the school funding budget crisis. During a frenetic week in mid-June, Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legisla- tors joined CTA members in trying to persuade four Republicans — two in the Senate and two in the Assembly — to help them pass the tax extensions on the required two-thirds vote. Without that support, the Democrats crafted a budget that used a variety of methods — includ- ing the reinstitution of a deferral of about $3 billion in education funding — to bridge the gap. “Instead of using current revenues to balance the $12 billion in cuts already made this year to schools, colleges and other essential services, the Republi- cans’ inaction will result in our students returning to school in the fall with larger class sizes, fewer instruction days, fewer teachers, limited course off erings, higher tuition, and minimal support services,” says CTA President David A. Sanchez. Upon receiving the state budget bills CTA PRESSES LAWMAKERS FOR BETTER BUDGET by Len Feldman passed by the Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly, Gov. Brown vetoed that spending plan and urged legislators to send him a better version. “A veto that leads to an all-cuts budget will only hurt our students, their families and our state,” says Sanchez. “This is not the California we want for our students. It’s defi nitely not the California they de- serve. And it’s certainly disappointing that some California lawmakers don’t value the importance of public education and fail to understand that investing in public edu- cation is an investment in our economy and our future.” CTA members are urged to join the fi ght by signing up to become “Sum- mer Warriors,” legislative constituents willing and able to get in touch with their state lawmakers and urge them to approve the temporary tax extensions and protect schools, colleges and other essential public services from deeper cuts. Members can do that on the CTA website, www.cta.org. CTA is asking members to focus on communicating with 13 Republican law- makers — seven in the Senate and six in the Assembly. CALL, E-MAIL AND WRITE YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY! CALL using our toll-free legislative hotline: (888) 268-4334 E-MAIL lawmakers though the “Take Action” banner on cta.org. WRITE legislators at their district offi ce or at The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814 Focus especially on these legislators (asterisks indicate leadership roles): SENATE Bob Dutton (SD 31)* Sam Blakeslee (SD 15) Bill Emmerson (SD 37) Tom Berryhill (SD 14) Anthony Cannella (SD 12) Tom Harman (SD 35)* Bob Huff (SD 29)* ASSEMBLY Connie Conway (AD 34)* Paul Cook (AD 65) Bill Berryhill (AD 26) Cameron Smyth (AD 38) Katcho Achadjian (AD 33) Brian Nestande (AD 64)* 6 California Educator | JUNE 2011

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