Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/726969
W e've come a long way since the dark days of the Great Recession, when draconian cuts to the education budget decimated students, educators and communities throughout the state. We can't afford to go back — we must act now and protect our children and students. Voting yes on Propo- sition 55, the California Children's Education and Health Care Protection Act, prevents billions of dollars in cuts to education and health care. Prop. 55 directs funds specifically to K-12 public education and community colleges, while also allo- cating funds to health care for low-income children and their families. Prop. 55 is not a tax increase. It simply extends the current income tax rates on the wealthiest Californians for 12 more years — singles earning more than $250,000 and couples earning more than $500,000 a year. Budget forecasts show that unless we maintain this tax rate, which would continue to bring in an average of $8 billion in annual revenues, our public schools will lose nearly $4 billion and our state budget will face a deficit of more than $4 billion in the first full year alone. YES ON PROP. 55: Help our students thrive Build for the Future 30 cta.org 30 cta.org MAY 9-13, 2011 STATE OF EMERGENCY L aw m a ke rs m a ke $ 1 2 . 5 b i l l i o n i n c u ts to e d u c a t i o n , fo rc i n g s c h o o l s a n d c o l l e g e s to i s s u e a l m o st 2 0 , 0 0 0 R I F s to te a c h e rs b y M a rc h 1 5 . Ed u c ato rs d e c l a re a S tate of E m e rg e n c y . D u r i n g t h i s we e k of a c t i o n , CTA m e m b e rs a n d ot h e rs c o nve rg e o n t h e C a p i - to l fo r m a rc h e s a n d ra l l i e s u rg i n g l e g i s l ato rs to f u n d p u b l i c e d u c at i o n . More than 30,000 educators are laid off during the recession. Even teachers who have received multiple pink slips but kept their job talk of the toll it takes. "Students see me in tears at the end of each school year, and I know that affects them emotionally," says teacher Cynthia Dalmacio. "But beyond that, I worry, like so many pink-slipped teachers do, about how I will financially support my family." Build C A M P A I G N 2 0 1 6