As
you are most likely aware, after initially
threatening to veto the state budget package, the
Governor negotiated some modifications with the
Legislature and recently signed the budget into
law.
While we are all relieved that the state finally
has a budget in place – more than 80 days later
than required – it is still not a budget for which
Californians can be proud. It does not do nearly
enough to set our state on a course that will fund
our education system or support our children at
the levels needed in order for Californians and
our economy to continue to flourish in the future.
The children in school right now deserve the
resources necessary to provide them with a
world-class education. Leaders in Sacramento have
acknowledged that this budget deal simply passes
along our severe budget problems into the next
year. Parts of the package, such as borrowing from
future state lottery proceeds, will also require
voter approval in a special statewide election.
For more information about this budget, you can
go to
http://www.cbp.org/documents/0809_finalbudget.pdf
for an analysis prepared by the California Budget
Project.
Even though we are disappointed by this budget
deal, we can be proud as an organization that so
many of our parents and volunteers throughout the
state made their voices heard on behalf of
children. Without PTA’s voice, and the support of
our partners in the education community, schools
would have been cut even deeper in this budget.
We want to personally commend the nearly
one-million volunteers members of PTA across
California for all of your amazing effort during
this past year to make our legislators and the
public more aware of the vital need to stand up
for children. Thank you for your dedication from
January all the way through September. You have
helped send the message loud and clear that
California must invest more, not less, in our
children’s future.
We also want to assure you that we will continue
to push for serious school funding and education
reform. For instance, this month we will be
releasing a special edition of PTA in
California devoted to helping our members
learn more about long-term reform issues. In
addition, many ideas and efforts are already being
discussed in Sacramento and around the state so
that we never again suffer through another budget
year and budget process like this one,
(understanding that, because of this year’s budget
deal, we already know we’ll be faced with a
deficit for next year’s budget).
The work that all of you have done this past year
to advocate for children has been powerful! You
have helped build a foundation for longer term
reform that will enable us to advance our mission.
This will require continued persistence.
Thank you for all of your hard work and all that
you continue to do for children!
