February 19 — Educators across the state are appalled that once again the Legislature and Governor have approved a horrible budget for public schools and important social services.

Enormous reductions in programs serving the people of California will result from the budget cuts.  Educators will be deeply affected in our ability to deliver a quality education to millions of students.  We are also disappointed that the entire revenue portion of the agreement is so regressive.  Sales taxes and an across-the-board per cent increase in the income tax are revenue options that disproportionately ask middle class, working class, and poor people to shoulder the financial responsibility for our state’s future.  The same amount of revenue could have been raised by closing corporate tax loopholes and returning the top income tax brackets on the wealthiest individuals to the rates that they paid ten years ago.  This would have helped working families stressed by the national recession, and asked those who would be hurt the least to help the most.

In addition, the proposed "single sales factor" tax provision is a corporate tax loophole worth over $750 million per year.  Its only purpose is to help corporations avoid paying their fair share of taxes. 

We are dismayed with the process by which our elected representatives arrived at the budget agreement.  It was designed to exclude the public from any input into the process.  It is all too clear that the Legislative leadership is not interested in full public policy discussions. 

We are distressed that the members of the Legislature seem unwilling to exercise their right to fully review and discuss the budget items before them.  They have a responsibility to participate in the development of policy, rather than put a rubber stamp on what their leaders bring them. 

Because of the closed-door nature of the budget proceedings, CFT has not had an opportunity to analyze and determine whether we will support or oppose the measures that will come before the voters on May 19 in the special election.