‘Til it squeaks

Yes folks, the Governor’s “May Revise” has come out and with the crazy heat wave has been largely ignored until the weekend when folks could finally gather their thoughts together to put together a coherent response to coincide with the cooling breezes.   Both Penny Pincherand Tom Paveltic* via Alameda Daily News have pounced on the claims made by the Governor’s office that they have “fully funded education.”  Not an assessment made by any neutral party of course, or even the reporter himself.   No, this was a statement made by the Governor’s own spokesman.   So, I imagine if the Governor’s spokesman also said that there is not a water shortage and a need for rationing in the East Bay, both Penny Pincher and Tom P. would also believe that.   And, if the Govenor’s spokeman also said the sky was made of powdered donuts, they would also be crying out to our local newspapers to report this.

And while, Tom P. tells us not to miss this page one story in the Chronicle, it is apparent that he missed the page 12 story written by the Chronicle’s education reporter, Nanette Asimov, which analyizes what the May revise means for education, highlights:

Funding would drop by 8.8 percent. The Proposition 98 funding guarantee for schools would remain intact but would be insufficient to make up a $4 billion shortfall. So the governor would cut programs and withhold a cost-of-living increase.

…

Although fewer teachers would lose their jobs, schools and programs would not escape deep cuts. Elementary class sizes would swell, and many other programs - including class-size reduction, classes for academically gifted students, adult education and professional development for teachers - would be cut…

I’ve heard the term “shell game” attached to what the Governor is proposing and perhaps that is the most apt characterization of what he is trying to do with Education funding.   After all, why bother going to Las Vegas, —  or I suppose it must be Monaco for a jet-setter like our Governor – when you can create your own personal casino in California using someone else’s money and gambling with someone else’s future.   It has all the thrills of a craps or blackjack table without the pesky bother of needing to explain to your wife how  you frittered away the life savings on one throw of the dice. 

I mean, relying on “fixing” the lottery system as a way pay for our annual expenses is just, in the words of a former Council candidate, “wrongheaded.”   Between the Indian Casinos and now the lottery scheme to add revenue to our coffers, what’s next?   State-run pony tracks and OTB joints around the state?

It appears that this May Revise that is designed to “fully fund” education was more of a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” type situation which would result in snappy soundbytes, like the ones that have been quoted by both Tom P. and Penny Pincher and gosh knows who else.    Now the Governor can say, “I’m not trying to suspend Prop 98 anymore folks so just move along, nothing to see here,” even while still taking away from other pots of money set aside for education.

The items mentioned in the Asimov article that will still potentially be up for the chopping block are the same ones that Measure H was designed, if passed, to restore.  So the claims that Prop H is no longer needed because somehow, magically, the Governor has “restored” all the money that would have been taken away from education is faulty.   It’s clear that folks like Penny Pincher and Tom P. are simply obfuscating the real motive behind their attacks on Measure H, that the simply don’t want to pay $120 a year for four years to fund Alameda schools.   While this is their prerogative, I would probably have more respect for that attitude rather than trying to make lame excuses (”fully funded education” or AUSD doesn’t need it) as to why they don’t think Alameda schools need the money.

So while everyone but those supporting our schools by supporting Measure H knows best on how to save AUSD a few bucks.   Tom P. wants it to come on the backs of teachers, administrator, and various school support staff.   Penny Pincher seems to think that ancedotal stories about buying off brand food and using a free information service is enough to save in his/her budget so clearly there are ways for a school district to do the same.   And of course PP tells folks that they should volunteer in schools too, saying that we either “help or we pay.”  But certainly we can do both, pay and help.  Doing one should not preclude doing the other.

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*Sunday, May 18, 2008

Tom Pavletic Has Questions

This text is from an article that appeared on page A-1 of the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, and as every blogger in Alameda should know, also appeared on “SFGate”, web site of the Chronicle:

“Schwarzenegger’s revised plan abandons some of the controversial cuts he proposed in January, including … deep cuts to education. The governor instead called for increasing funding to education by $200 million over the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. But cost-of-living increases for schools would be withheld - an amount totaling about $4 billion. In January, the governor had proposed as much as $4.8 billion worth of education cuts, which would have required suspension of Proposition 98, which requires the state to spend a certain amount on education. ‘This is a budget that fully funds education, solves California’s budget instability and keeps parks open, all without raising taxes,’ McLear [a spokesman for Schwarzenegger] said.”

How long until the Alameda Journal and Alameda Sun run a front page headline and story about the restoration of K-12 funding?

How long until the local bloggers begin howling for removal of the new $120 parcel tax on the Alameda ballot for June 3 which was in response to K-12 funding cuts?

How long until the Alameda Education Foundation and the pro-school tax fundraiser group, Keep Alameda Schools Excellent, round up teachers to pull students out of garbage cans?

Tom Pavletic