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April 9, 2003
LEVEL
UP, DON’T LEVEL DOWN
Welcome to the
fifth edition of the Basic Aid Newsflash. If you’re
new to this mania we call Basic Aiding, you can check
out the Background Links at the bottom to catch up.
For the rest of you bleary eyed Basic Aiders, news and
a little fine tuning strategy talk to follow.
California
State Controller Comes Out Against Basic Aid Tax Grab
Controller Steve Westly issued a good press
release yesterday stating his opposition to the Governor’s
proposal. A Basic Aid graduate, Westly cites the taking
of local property taxes, the drastic and immediate impact
of the cuts, and the diversity of schools affected among
his reasons for opposing. (Available, join StateBudget2003@yahoogroups.com.)
Governor’s Wife Visits Basic Aid School
We know that Sharon Davis is now aware of the Basic
Aid proposal’s ramifications, as a result of questions
put to her by a reporter during a visit to a school
in the Del Mar district. Now that she recognizes the
scale of some of the cuts faced, we can only hope she
is both sympathetic, and vocal!
Realtor Boards Identified As Allies, Outreach
Underway
With articles coming out (such as a 3/21 piece in the
Mercury News) highlighting precipitous drops in assessed
property values ($4.45 billion in Santa Clara), the
time is ripe for outreach to our local realtor organizations.
Already battered values will suffer more dearly with
schools facing up to 50% cuts and tax seizure on the
table. An outreach effort is now underway in Marin County
we know, as it surely is in many other districts.
Districts Prepare For The Worst: What If Davis
Doesn’t Budge?
Many districts are already hard at work on the “what
if” scenario, even as they crank out letters by
the hundreds to the Governor. Ballot initiatives, legal
action, parcel taxes, fundraising, school closures,
layoffs — all are sadly in the works as we prepare
for the worst case. (Join StateBudget2003@yahoogroups.com
for articles.) But what else can we be doing?
Nix Bill #XXX: Firms Up Support In Assembly,
Sends Message To Gov, Senate
Remember this? Still waiting on the bill number and
hearing date, but this is the Basic Aid proposal as
a standalone bill, to be voted on (soon) by the Assembly
Education Policy Committee. (As we were told, regarding
this bill, “You don’t want to try and kill
the snake in its hole, you want to drag it right out
in the open and cut its head off.” Strong language
yes, but these are strong times.) So let’s use
this opening to seal the support of the eight Committee
members who DID sign Simitian’s letter (find at
http://www.peninsulaschools.org).
Eight We Thank
Weigh in with your thanks and encouragement to the Assembly
Members listed below.
We understand it was not easy getting every one of the
35 Simitian/Campbell signators on board, and we should
do what we can to support them. A defeat of the bill
here will also send a strong message to the Big Man.
Here they are, with sample
thank you letter and contact
info found below:
George Plescia (R,75th), Rebecca
Cohn (D,24th), Manny Diaz
(D,23rd), Carol Liu (D,44th), Gene
Mullin (D,19th), Fran Pavley
(D,41st), Sarah Reyes (D,31st), Mark
Wyland (R,74th).
Kudos: Action News In From Reed School District
“We are sending out a packet of letters and information
to our voting community (8600 pieces). It was signed
by leaders in our community, mayors, head of library,
bond committee, key seniors, etc. We are doing a phone
bank on the 23rd to follow up and make sure the letters
have been sent.” -Superintendent Chris Carter
Meanwhile, Take Your Vitamins
From our latest conversation with Simitian’s office,
it looks like if the proposal does show up in Davis’
May Revise, this turns into Night of the Living Dead.
All summer long. We’ll have to be ready to beat
back this proposal again and again as it winds through
both houses and through conference. If such a prospect
fills you with dread, give Davis another call. Chances
are good you will get a live, seemingly interested individual.
Very therapeutic in these impossible times.
P.S. We are waiting, patiently, for Bill Gates
and Steve Jobs to reach detente on our hyperlink/formatting
problems. We apologize on their behalves.
BACKGROUND LINKS
http://www.edsource.com
http://www.peninsulaschools.org
For instant news clippings and much more, email Lauren
Janov at janovll@yahoo.com
The Basic Aid Newsflash is
published by a group of concerned citizens in Bolinas
to support the organizing efforts of our communities
in opposition to Governor Davis’ proposed taking
of local property taxes. Help us build the network:
email this around to as many parents, grandparents,
press, staff, community members, etc. as you can. If
you received this as a forward from someone else, subscribe
by email to basicaidnews@earthlink.net.
Thank you!
* * * * * * *
ASSEMBLY
EDUCATION COMMITTEE SAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER &
CONTACT INFO BELOW
(Copy, then paste the sample letter in your word
processing program; contacts
are below)
[date]
Dear Assembly Member [____________],
I am writing to thank you for signing Assemblyman Simitian’s
letter in opposition to the proposed taking of property
taxes from Basic Aid school districts. I hope that you
will continue to support education by voting against
this proposal as a bill when the Education Policy Committee
holds its hearing on this issue.
I am glad that you see the Basic Aid proposal will
have an immediate, drastic and disproportionate impact
on a wide range of schools. These include Title 1 qualifying
schools and schools that will be forced into receivership.
This on top of widespread layoffs in the face of an
anticipated teacher shortage is misguided. There must
be more fair and accurate ways to pursue equity among
our schools, and I will support you in any efforts to
do so.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
[your signature]
THE
EIGHT WHO SIGNED:
Assemblyman Mark Wyland (R,74th)
State Capitol, Room 4130
Sacramento, CA 94249-0074
(916) 319-2074
Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes (D,31st)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0031
Phone: (916) 319-2031
Fax: (916) 319-2131
Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn (D,24th)
901 Campisi Way, Suite 300
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone: (408) 369-8170
Assemblyman George Plescia (R,75th)
9909 Mira Mesa Blvd., Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92131
Phone: (858) 689-6290
Fax: (858) 689-6296
Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D,41st)
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Phone: (916) 319-2041
Fax: (916) 319-2141
Assemblyman Manny Diaz (D,23rd)
State Capitol, Room 2136
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0023
Phone: (916) 319-2023
Fax: (916) 319-2123
Assemblywoman Carol Liu (D,44th)
State Capitol, Rm. 4112
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2044
Fax: (916) 319-2144
Assemblyman Gene Mullin (D,19th)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
Phone: (916) 319-2019
Fax: (916) 319-2119
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MORE
from the Superintendent’s Office on the fiscal
crisis
Fiscal crisis info (12-Apr-2003)
>> BasicAid
Newsflash V
Dr.
Levinson’s letter to Gov. Davis
printer-friendly pdf
version of this letter
WHAT TO WRITE
in your letter?
- Talking
Points
- Sample letter
ALL
fiscal crisis info…
KEY
CONTACTS IN SACRAMENTO
These are the telephone, fax and mailing addresses
of key officials. Faxed or US-mailed LETTERS rather
than emails are preferred.
Governor Gray Davis
c/o Michael Bustamante, Deputy Chief of Staff
State Capitol Bldg.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
Secretary for Education Kerry Mazzoni
Office of the Secretary for Education
1121 L Street, Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-323-0611
Fax: 916-323-3753
Senator John Burton
State Capitol Bldg., Room 205
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-445-1412
Fax: 916-445-4722
Assemblyman Joe Nation
State Capitol, Room 3013
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: 916-319-2006
Fax: 916-319-2106
Email addresses (note that faxed or US-mailed letters
are preferred):
Governor Davis: governor@governor.ca.gov
Joe Nation: joe.nation@asm.ca.gov
Senator Burton’s website: http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/burton/
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