The so-called "Live Within Our Means"
Act is in reality a power grab by Governor
Schwarzenegger that would allow him, and
future governors, to create and then declare
a fiscal emergency, then slash funding
to schools and other vitally needed social
services, including police and fire
protection, and health care.
It would in essence eliminate Proposition
98's minimum funding guarantee for public
education. Under Prop 98, if the state
fails to make the minimum payment to schools
in a given year, it must restore the missing
money in following years, reestablishing
that "floor" for future funding.
Under Prop 76, catchup payments would
be treated as one time only funding, which
could be repaid over fifteen years, and
the lower amount paid by the state to
public education would become the new
funding floor.
Prop 76 would make permanent the
governor's failure to repay the $2 billion
he borrowed from education last year.
By reestablishing the floor for education
funding at the lower level, this would
in turn mean that Prop 76 cuts school
funding by more than $4 billion every
year, or $600 per student. Prop 76 would
result in a further plunge in California's
rankings in per-pupil funding, already
44th in the nation among the states.
Prop 76 is an attack on California's
system of checks and balances. It concentrates
too much power in the hands of just one
individual, the governor, without legislative
oversight. It would enable any governor
to declare a fiscal emergency and cut
any program without the approval of the
legislature or the people. It would deprive
cities and counties of hundreds of millions
of dollars needed for local protective
services and local health care that serves
children and the elderly.
Vote NO on Proposition 76.
