Public education might get more funding in the final budget. And public education might end up with less. The point is, nobody knows what the final budget will be. In fact, given the uproar over the state budget this year, the only thing we really do know is that the final numbers will be different than what we’re looking at now. Right? We’re still in the proposal stage, after all, and that’s a very political process.

I sure don’t want to gamble on my kids’ educations by assuming that a) the final budget will provide AUSD with adequate funding; or b) if it doesn’t, Alamedans will be willing or able to pass a different parcel tax in November.

I strongly disagree with your belief that the May revise leaves public education in good shape for next year; every analyst I’ve heard (including the district’s CFO, the California Majority Report, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office) says it leaves districts in very bad shape.

But even if the current proposal was a good one (and again, I believe it is NOT), no one is predicting that the state budget will improve over the next four years.
So let’s give the district some insurance against the dramatic roller coaster ride of state funding for the next four years. And let’s give our kids some stability in their educational experience.

Vote Yes on Measure H.

AUSD has failed at this twice before. Some of us are willing to take the heat and say “NO MORE” … do it right THIS time; and also willing, in the meantime, to help guarantee that the kids don’t pay the price while we hold AUSD’s feet to the fire. It means taking time and effort, rather than just writing a check.

Voting “NO” on Prop H does not mean you don’t care about Alameda’s children.
It means you don’t like the solution AUSD has given us. It means you consider education too important to keep using band-aids instead of curing the illness

The Alameda School Board (AUSD) has broken faith with the Alameda community by asking for an “emergency” parcel tax which represents a grossly unfair, inefficient form of taxation. This time, they hurt some community businesses, too.

AUSD marketed their admittedly far-from-perfect Prop H as the “best they could do.”
Then they asked dedicated, committed parents to “sell” Prop H as the only possible solution.

The numbers tell a different story. They have a new budget, without most of the threatened cuts.
The city’s children will NOT suffer next school year (2008-2009) if AUSD takes the time to do it right for the November ballot.

AUSD has had seven years, and a second “emergency” tax, since the first “emergency” in 2001. If that’s not enough time to craft an equitable, long term solution, do you really think they’ll do it this time?

The schools do have a funding problem. Our children need a long-term solution. AUSD says we need a long-term solution. The parents say we need a long-term solution. Why does AUSD want another temporary one? For now, a parcel tax is the answer. But not THIS parcel tax.

VOTE “NO” on PROP H.
Tell AUSD to bring us a REAL Solution in November.
.

Some facts you may not know:
(From AUSD May 27th Board Report http://www.mikemcmahon.info/boe_meeting052708.htm)

1. The Governor’s budget provides “level funding” for students and special education; this means, AUSD will get the same funding per student as this year (but no raise, called “COLA”)

2. The Governor relaxed rules to allow AUSD maximum flexibility in moving money from one account to another to make the budget work.

3. AUSD’s current budget (2007-8) predicts a year-end positive balance of $4,657,141.
……..Of that, $2,688,722 is specifically for “economic uncertainties”.

4. AUSD’s budget for 2008-9 predicts a year-end balance of $3,105,743.
……..Of that, $908,767 is specifically for “economic uncertainties.
(these figures include money from the current parcel tax, but nothing from the proposed Prop H)

5. Many of the “possible cuts” are already “saved” including 3rd grade class size reductions and teacher layoffs.
It appears generous donations have guaranteed keeping school sports. Community fundraising is helping music and others.

Note: This is the opinion of one ordinary individual who went on-line last week, just out of curiousity about why the Prop H campaign was still using the $4.5 million dollar number after the Governor changed his budget. Any questions, I’ll try to answer them. Thanks for reading this. Rita Nesel (missran@alamedanet.net)

Thanks for the inspiration.