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The May 19 special election presents a very difficult choice for anyone involved with our local public schools. Proposition 1D is deceptively entitled, “Protects Children’s Services Funding. Helps Balance State Budget.” Who could be against funding for children services and balancing the state budget?
Well, it turns out that this proposition actually will take thousands of dollars away from programs that serve both children and families in our county, and does very little to balance the state budget. This proposition does anything but “protect” services for children.
On the other hand, we also know that the proposed solution to the state budget deficit depends on the passage of Propositions 1A thru 1E. If these don’t pass, then even more reductions will need to be imposed to balance the budget.
As background, the state budget deal forged by the governor and the Legislature was designed to bridge a deficit estimated to exceed $42 billion. The vast majority of this amount was addressed by the enormous budget cuts that have already been approved by the legislature and the governor and by the $5.8 Billion in revenue that will be generated by Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E.
The budget agreement of cuts and additional taxes and revenue transfers was considered the least terrible of truly awful options. The budget agreement tried to protect public education as best it could, but as we stand now the state budget agreement hinges on the approval of the propositions on the May 19th ballot, in particular Propositions 1A, B and C.
If they do not pass it is likely that more draconian cuts will be needed and there is no way to escape the fact that education as the largest single state expenditure category in the state will suffer additional devastating cuts.
So I am voting Yes on propositions 1A, 1B and 1C.
But what about Proposition 1D and Proposition 1E?
In Lake County Proposition 1D would cut 36 percent or about $225,000 each year for five years, from the current revenue that our county receives from the cigarette tax approved by voters in 1998 and reaffirmed in 2000. And an additional $125,000 of earmarked state funds will be lost in the first year.
I am a member of our county’s First Five Commission that decides how this money is spent to serve children from birth to age five and their families. For 10 years, our commission has made decisions to spend this money on services that are proven to prevent higher costs to our communities when these children are older.
These services have included: a comprehensive oral health project that over the last five years has reduced substantially the amount of dental decay and disease in our young children; a parenting educational program called “Nurturing Parenting” that has shown families new ways to communicate without using physical punishment making for happier families; an early intervention project that identifies children with developmental delays and prepares corrective plans so that these children are entering school ready to learn.; a program that trains “stay at home” parents how to be an effective first teacher of their toddlers; and programs that train family run child care providers how to provide a quality learning environment and experience for the children in their care.
Why would I vote to eliminate these services that are showing impressive results now for the same children and families that we will serve later in our public schools? “An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure” comes to mind.
The amount taken by Proposition 1D for the state deficit is $608 Million for the 2009/2010 year and approximately $268 million annually for the next four years. These are big numbers, but the total is less than 2% of new revenue needed to balance the budget.
The revenue from Proposition 1D is just not worth the elimination of the early childhood education programs and health and family services that are working now for our county’s children. The passage of Proposition 1D will have a damaging effect on children and families in our county, and will cause the need for such increased expenditures in the future that the relatively small amount of revenue is unjustified.
Similarly, passage of Proposition 1E would potentially reduce funding for mental health services in our county. Statewide it transfers voter approved funding of $234 million in 2009/2010 and $226 million in 20010/2011 for mental health services. Reducing these services could impact our most vulnerable citizens. Our County Mental Health Department is already struggling with budget challenges as evidenced by the most recent reduction of 18 positions.
So I’m voting YES on Prop 1A, 1B and 1C, and NO on Prop 1D and Prop 1E.
Dave Geck is the Lake County superintendent of schools.
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