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May 9, 2003
LEVEL
UP, DON’T LEVEL DOWN
Playing the waiting
game here , but hearing murmurs of success, only murmurs.
In the meantime, we Newsflashers are resolved to make
two calls a day in what we are hoping will be the home
stretch. One call to keep after the Guv, one to thank
our friends in the Legislature.
Governor Fields Conference Call; Lempert A
Cautious Thumbs Up; Letter Campaign Lauded
As covered by David Boyce in the Almanac (below,
way below), Davis gave former Assemblyman Ted Lempert
reason to feel optimistic during a recent Basic Aid
conference call. Boyce also writes that many districts
are proceeding with only single digit cuts, and gives
credit for getting the governor’s attention largely
to the letter campaign. Huzzah.
Schools Vs. Prisons: Rally in Sacramento
There’s a group that is looking pretty organized,
and pretty angry, called Education Not Incarceration.
They held a rally in Sacramento yesterday nailing the
administration for going ahead with 7% prison guard
pay increases, the $395 million unneeded Delano Prison
construction, the $220 million Death Row at San Quentin
pork, all while education starves. Read about it: http://sfgate.com
and/or http://www.may8.org/TalkPoints.html
Looking Into The Cuts
Even with a win, there are the “fair share”
cuts to consider. How they will be calculated is a topic
of much discussion, but we are hearing 6% as a working
figure. It’s important that we stay organized
for our schools, not just for the long fight, but right
away, as many will need parcel tax support and foundation
leadership.
And Remembering
…a strong thank you letter is the first
step in our efforts to beat back this proposal in whatever
ghastly form it takes next year. So have some friends
over for a little wine and a round of thank you writing.
(We have found that the Montes Malbec out of Chile goes
as well with letters of thanks as it did with letters
of rant, if that’s helpful.)
Action Alert 1: IF
SF(2) is looking down the road, suggesting we shore
up support wherever we can now, for the grabs we’ll
face in the future. This may feel strange, but IF Davis
pulls the proposal, we want to shift gears and hit him
with thanks, fast. You will find a SAMPLE
LETTER on this site – just paste it into Word
for editing, ready to launch if the news is good.
Action Alert 2: Thanks Is Easy
The Senators and Assembly Members who listened and voted
our way should know that it mattered. Please use the
addresses and SAMPLE
LETTER below to draft your own thanks to these key
legislators. They deserve some praise after these months
of haranguing, and more importantly, we need them.
Schools Draft Proposal To Counter Davis Cuts
Today’s SF Chronicle features an
article on a “$1.85 billion budget savings
proposal [that] would slash money for school repairs,
slow textbook purchases, end one state-paid teacher
work day and reduce programs for high-achieving students.”
Also, Simitian is here quoted, “I’m
cautiously optimistic. My impression is the administration
is rethinking the proposal.”
Simitian Hosts Public Meetings This Month:
K-12 Budget Update
Assemblyman Joe Simitian will discuss the May Revise
aftermath, and welcomes our questions, comments and
the rest of it. Email your RSVPs to michele.lew@asm.ca.gov
• Sunday, May 18, 10am - 12pm
Palo Alto Unified School District Board
Room
25 Churchill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
• Saturday, May 31, 10am - 12pm
Redwood City School District Board Room
750 Bradford Street, Redwood City, CA 94062
Lauren Janov Pens Motherlode Memo to Davis
Meticulously organized and relentlessly footnoted, Basic
Aid parent and online maven Lauren Janov’s big
memo to the Governor argues the proposal into the ground,
point by point. Hope he winced. To read it, email a
request to Lauren at StateBudget2003@yahoogroups.com.
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!
Also
included with this Newsflash:
Action Alert A1 — Sample
letter of thanks, Governor! (IF he pulls the proposal)
Action Alert A2— Sample
Letter of Thanks to Subcommittee members
Article from Almanac: Raid
on School Budgets Faces Strong Opposition
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MORE
from the Superintendent’s Office on the fiscal
crisis
Fiscal crisis info (9-May-2003)
>> BasicAid
Newsflash VII
Sample Letter
of Thanks to the Governor
Sample
Letter of Thanks to Subcommittee members
Raid on
School Budgets Faces Strong Opposition (article
from Almanac)
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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