This year we're bringing Advocacy Day local by hosting the event at Crow Canyon Country Club and bringing our legislators to you.
PTA Advocacy Day 2012: Legislative Challenges Facing Education
Friday, March 23, 2012, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
Plans are underway for the day and include a Keynote Speaker; a Panel of our Legislators, box lunch and Legislative/Education "Breakout Sessions," where you can get learn more about specific areas of interest.
Questions?  Contact Truman Burns, VP-Legislation at lazarburns@yahoo.com

Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his new budget plan on January 5th, calling for a painful $4.8-billion cut in public school funds if voters reject a proposed tax hike that he hopes to put on the ballot in November. Despite the possible reduction — the equivalent of cutting three weeks from the school year — the budget proposal assumes a $9.2-billion deficit, an improvement over last year's $26-billion gap. Half of the deficit would be wiped out through the temporary half-cent sales-tax hike and increased levies on the wealthy that Brown wants voters to approve — or by the schools cuts. The governor also proposed eliminating restrictions on class sizes and other education-spending mandates. For K-12 schools and community colleges, the tax measure would provide nearly $4.8 billion more than they received this fiscal year, roughly a 10 percent increase, for a total of $52.5 billion in state and local tax revenues. Even without taxes, schools are owed about $2.4 billion more this year because of growth in state revenue and past promises made by state leaders. If the tax hike fails, Brown proposes erasing that $2.4 billion for classrooms through an accounting maneuver that counts school bond debt payments toward what the state owes education. It would leave K-12 districts with roughly the same amount they get this school year. But school advocates say they would have to borrow more money to keep programs at their current bare-bones level because of how the state delayed past payments. Districts also face growing labor costs each year, while they have already cut school days, laid off teachers, delayed building maintenance and eliminated art and music programs to make ends meet.  (Summary from LA Times and Sacramento Bee articles.)  Questions?  Comments?  Contact Truman Burns, VP-Legislation at lazarburns@yahoo.com

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