Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/25821
Tax extension key to education funding ACTION LEFT: State Council members wait to vote at the February meeting in Los Angeles. nate redevelopment agencies, generating about $1 billion in new funding for schools; and op- position to fee hikes that are making higher education unaf- fordable for college students. Dean E. Vogel becomes president-elect Council unanimously elected to hundreds of representatives at the February State Council meeting. He congratulated CTA members on how their hard work in the November election has paid off with leaders who will make education a priority. Sanchez also reminded educa- tors that the work is not done, since the governor’s budget plan needs to be approved with key tax extensions. “The governor’s plan to ex- C tend temporary taxes for five years is a necessary and viable option to prevent further cuts to schools, public safety, health and other vital state programs,” San- chez said. “California voters TA President David A. Sanchez mixed optimism with realism when he spoke must be allowed to decide whether they want to make our schools a priority and start re- building a world-class public ed- ucation system, or whether they want a world-class state budget catastrophe.” Council approves budget plan Council endorsed the gover- nor’s budget proposal aimed at resolving the state’s $25 billion deficit. This endorsement includes the governor’s call for a June election to extend certain tem- porary taxes. Council members were alarmed that without an ex- tension of current revenues, pub- lic schools and colleges would lose at least another $2.3 billion on top of the more than $18 bil- 32 California Educator | FEBRUARY 2011 lion in devastating cuts they have suffered over the past three years. (After State Council met, the Leg- islative Analyst’s Office released a new report changing this figure from $2.3 billion to $4.6 billion.) Council also approved prin- ciples for the 2011-12 state bud- get, including opposition to any additional cuts to schools and colleges; support for a balanced approach of cuts and revenues to resolve the budget crisis; support for the governor’s plan to elimi- CTA Vice President Dean E. Vo- gel as president of the 325,000-member union. Vogel was unopposed. His education career spans 37 years and in- cludes working as an elementary public school teacher and a mas- ter counselor for university stu- dents. David A. Sanchez will remain president until June 26, when Vogel’s term begins. “President Sanchez and I are more hopeful for the future of public education now that we have a governor who under- stands that state budgets should not be balanced with more dev- astating classroom cuts,” Vogel said. The new CTA secretary-trea- surer and vice president will be elected at the April State Council meeting. LEFT: CTA President-elect Dean Vo- gel describes how his work is focused on improving the lives of students. CTA photos by Malaika Costello-Dougherty