CitySLzUSD Liaison Highlights 2008 0228

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WHEREAS, researchers have agreed that not less money, but billions more are necessary to be invested annually in education to provide the opportunity for all students to succeed; and WHEREAS, California voters approved -and continue to strongly support- Proposition 98 to protect schools and students from harmful budget cuts and to establish a minimum level of education funding; and WHEREAS, the state budget deficit is largely attributable to sagging revenues caused by a declining economy, yet the Governor proposes minimal actions to raise revenue and seeks to resolve the budget crisis through unprecedented across-the-board reductions; and WHEREAS, all state programs are not equally important and the Governor's approach, as noted by the Legislative Analyst, "reflects little effort to prioritize and determine which state programs provide essential services or are most critical for California's future"; and WHEREAS, the current state budget deficit was not created by excessive spending on public education and the Governor's proposed solution will undermine the educational progress and success of the children of California; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Lorenzo educational community condemns the state budget proposal by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as unworkable and disastrous for our public schools, higher education, students and their futures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on the Governor and the Legislature to put our students first, reject across-the-board cuts that would damage our public schools, protect the voter-approved minimum school funding law, Proposition 98, and show true leadership by setting realistic state budget priorities and a balanced approach of spending cuts and revenue increases to close the $16 billion budget deficit. School Board SLEA Administrators (SLMA) CSEA SEIU Superintendent