HomeMy WebLinkAboutTC Res 2005-11-02
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RESOLUTION NO. 56-2005
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A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
OF THE TOWN OF TlBURON
IN SUPORT OF LOCAL SCHOOLS AND
IN OPPOSITION TO PROPOSITION 76-
The California Live Within Our Means Act
WHEREAS, California's 6 million students deserve high-quality schools with well-trained
educators, small class sizes, quality instructional materials, up-to-date textbooks and dynamic parental
support; and
WHEREAS, The California Live Within Our Means Act (proposition 76) would upset the
balance of power betwe,en the governor and the legislature by giving the governor the power to both
create and declare a fiscal emergency and then to take unilateral budget actions; and
WHEREAS, thl:se actions give the governor the ability to cut rnid-year budgets at his discretion
which violates the constitutional priority given to K-12 by the voters of California and places the K-12
funding at the mercy of the politics of the moment; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 76 would also eliminate basic provisions and guarantees as provided by
voters when they passed Proposition 98, including making the 2004-05 reductions to school funding
permanent rather than temporary, and eliminating the requirement to restore any reductions to the funding
guarantee; and
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WHEREAS, Proposition 76 would seriously undermine the continuity and quality of instructional
programs by exposing schools to unstable funding and the constant threat of mid-year cuts, making it
impossible to plan and budget for ongoing spending commitments because of the possibility of spending
increases in one year and reductions the next year; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 76 would severely impact the funding base for schools-resulting in as
much as $4billion ($600 per student) per year below the minimum funding base required by current law;
and
WHEREAS, if Proposition 76 is approved, California would continue its downward spiral from
raking in the top ten in per pupil funding to one of the lowest states in the nation (a recent "Quality
Counts 2005" report by Education Week ranks California 44th in the nation); and
WHEREAS, California schools have already suffered $9.8 billion in cuts and deferrals in the last
several years resulting in school closures, increases in class size, layoffs of teachers and support staff, and
a shameful shortage of librarians, counselors, nurses, custodians and groundskeepers throughout the state;
and
WHEREAS, Proposition 76 breaks several promises made by Governor Schwarzenegger and the
legislature to repay and restore minimum Proposition 98 base funding and settle-up funds; and
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WHEREAS, the Reed Union School District has suffered more than $450,000 in cuts over the last
several years, including elimination of Spanish Program, loss of instructional aides, elimination of double
Language Arts Program, and reduction of maintenance department staffing;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Council of the Town of Tiburon
adopts this resolution in support oflocal schools and strongly opposes the passage of Proposition 76 on
the November 8 special election ballot.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Tiburon Town Council on November 2,
2005, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
Berger, Fredericks, Gram, Slavitz, Smith
None
None
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MILES BERGER, MAYO
TOWN OF TIBURON
ATTEST//]~p 2
DIANE CRANE IACOPI, TO
CLERK
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