To the Editor:
As Chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District and on behalf of the VCCCD Board of Trustees, we recommend and urge passage of "Proposition 55," the California Tax Extension to Fund Education and Healthcare Initiative.
During the recent recession, the state cut more than $56 billion from education, healthcare, and other critical services. Public schools statewide experienced unprecedented funding reductions and apportionment deferrals. California public schools rank 42 out of the 50 states in per-pupil spending and they are among the most crowded in the nation. Many California school children come from low-income families that lack access to the health care services needed to keep these children in school and learning.
While the passage of Proposition 30 in 2012 provided an increased investment in California's K-14 school spending by allocating funds directly to K-12 and community college districts through the Education Protection Account, the revenue from Proposition 30 will decline after 2016 and will disappear completely after 2018. Proposition 55 would extend Proposition 30’s temporary income tax rates for the top 2% of earners through 2028.
Unless Californians extend Proposition 30's temporary tax increases, our public schools and community colleges will suffer significant budget cuts in the years ahead. The elimination of funds from the Education Protection Account would represent an estimated cut to California's community colleges of about $210 million annually.
The Ventura County Community College District joins K-14 school districts and community college districts around the state, and the Community College League of California in support of Proposition 55. We urge the legislature to work with the public education community to identify stable, long-term, adequate funding solutions for public schools and community colleges.
The District strongly recommends the passage of Proposition 55.
Sincerely,
Bernie Luskin