Office of the Superintendent
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BASIC AID NEWSFLASH VI (24-Apr-2003)
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Addendum A1: “Unlikely Allies May Lose School Funds”
Addendum A2: “Take the money and ruin?” (Palo Alto Online article)

April 24, 2003

LEVEL UP, DON’T LEVEL DOWN
Well, the Legislature came back from the holiday with a bang. There’s a storm of news out there (nine publications counted so far) covering the victory we all shared this week when the Assembly Subcommittee voted 5-0 against including the Basic Aid proposal in their version of the Budget. Thanks go out to everyone who wrote in ahead of the vote.

So What Does It Mean? The Sacramento Funhouse Continues
As quoted in the Mercury News yesterday, Simitian cautioned, “The budget process is a risky one from start to finish. We won an important battle today, but it’s too soon to claim victory.” Though it seems unlikely, a legislator could still reintroduce Basic Aid as a new bill or in conference as a “not in conference” item. Go figure. More significantly:

Down To The Wire With The Governor’s Office
Davis has yet to signal he’ll remove the proposal from his revised budget, due for release May 14th. With May 15th as the date by which all layoffs must be finalized, Davis must know that the longer he waits, the more pain he creates. Stay mad: pick up the phone. Tell the man, now, then again and again: ph. (916) 445-2841 fax. 916-445-4633

Hanging On Every Nod: Dept. of Finance Gets Message?
Simitian directly addressed the Dept. of Finance representatives present on Tuesday, saying he hoped they got the message from the Assembly and Senate actions, and would pull the proposal. According to Palo Alto Weekly Online, they “nodded politely after the vote, indicating they got the message.” Here we are, looking to nods to know our fate.  

Big Article In The L.A. Times
[Accompanying this Newsflash] is the L.A. Times article looking at the Basic Aid hit. It dispels the notion that Basic Aid districts are uniformly “the rich guys”, but you decide how favorable it is. We’d of course like to see more on the leveling down problem, the tax-taking precedent, the extreme impact, and less on ocean views and yoga classes… but ink is ink.

It’s The Taxes, Stupid
Meanwhile, more emphasis is being placed on the long-term nature of this battle — how big deficits aren’t going anywhere soon, and how there will be more and smarter attempts to grab local monies in the future.

“One of the best solutions would be legislation or an initiative that says locally generated property taxes should be kept local,” opines Mandy Lowell, Pres. of the Palo Alto School Board, quoted in Palo Alto Weekly Online. More as these efforts develop.

Action Alert: Take Attached Article To Your Realtor Boards, Homeowners Assoc.
Sent in by Supt. Bill Levinson of Tamalpais, the accompanying article from Palo Alto Online is an excellent and persuasive resource outlining the impact on property values that drastic Basic Aid cuts may have. It also points out how these cuts may fuel the flight of the affluent to private schools. Hope it helps you — get these organizations to write the Governor, too!

P.S. Cockamamie formatting you say? Alors, Mac is a fickle mister.

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!

Addendum A1: “Unlikely Allies May Lose School Funds” (Los Angeles Times article)
Addendum A2: “Take the money and ruin?” (Palo Alto Online article)

MORE from the Superintendent’s Office on the fiscal crisis

Fiscal crisis info (24-Apr-2003)
>> BasicAid Newsflash VI
Addendum A1: “Unlikely Allies May Lose School Funds” (Los Angeles Times article)
Addendum A2: “Take the money and ruin?” (Palo Alto Online article)

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/