Important CTA Info
December 2, 2011
Chapter Presidents and State Council,
A few things happening in Sacramento this week you should know about.
A FUNDING INITIATIVE FOR 2012
As you know, CTA has been working with other labor unions, education and community groups, and elected leaders to support a proposal that brings more revenue to our schools, colleges and other essential public services. CTA has met with the governor and many other organizations.
As recommended by the Public Education Funding Workgroup and approved by State Council, CTA is working toward a November 2012 funding initiative that:
- Provides funding for public education (pre-k through higher education) and other essential services
- Promotes Tax Fairness so everyone, including the wealthy, are paying their fair share
- Raises $8 to $10 billion to prevent additional state budget cuts and restore funding
- Is supported by a broad coalition and is winnable
A few proposals have been filed and several more are expected within the next week. A brief rundown is at the bottom of this email. As we have not seen all details of these proposals, these descriptions are based on news reports and other information. Details could change in the final language.
CTA members will review all viable initiatives at our State Council of Education meeting in January. We will have much to discuss and consider. In the meantime, we must continue to engage in conversations around the impact of state budget cuts and speak up for tax fairness.
CTA SPEAKS UP FOR SECURE RETIREMENT
CTA members, retirees and staff were also busy this week testifying in support of a secure retirement for educators. Californians for Retirement Security, a coalition of educators, firefighters, public safety workers and other public employees, told reporters that public sector workers not only contribute to their pensions during their working lives, but because teachers do not get Social Security, they have to stretch their pensions even further to make ends meet. Elk Grove Education Association President Maggie Ellis, who chairs CTA’s Retirement Committee, spoke at the news conference and testified at a joint legislative hearing on the Governor’s retirement proposal. She emphasized that educators have earned their retirement and pay half of the costs. Wall Street greed, and not employee pensions, has caused problems in the state budget, she noted.
Have a good weekend.
Dean E. Vogel
CTA President
Governor Jerry Brown: Expected to be filed Monday.
· Raises $6.5 billion annually: $3.5 billion new money for PreK-14 schools. $3 billion for higher education, health care and other essential services
· Five-year personal income tax hike on the wealthy
o 1% increase individuals earning $250,000 and households earning $500,000 and above
o 1.5% increase on households earning $600,000 and above
o 2% increase on households earning 1 million and above
· Four year half-cent sales tax increase
Think Long (Group of billionaire investors): Expected to be filed next week
· Raises $10 billion – some money would go to education in exchange for specific reforms.
· Simplifies tax code, by reducing personal income taxes on the wealthy and California corporations; raises taxes on out-of-state corporations
· Extends state sales tax to other services
Our Children Our Future (Molly Munger): Filed
· Raises $10 billion for Pre-school and K-12
· Increases personal income taxes on nearly everyone, but higher percentages for wealthy; taxes expire in 12 years
California Clean Energy (SF Hedge Fund): Filed
· Raises $1 billion a year; money dedicated for clean-energy jobs through 2018
· Requires corporations to pay taxes based on national sales in California
Restoring CA Funding Act (CFT): Expected to be filed next week
· Raises $6 billion for education and other essential services
· Raises taxes on the wealthy. Levels still being determined, but higher levels on millionaires
Oil Severance Tax (CA Dem Party): Being drafted
· An extraction tax on oil and natural gas, with two-thirds of the revenue raised to be directed to California's general fund with the remaining one-third directed to funding
higher education
