Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Dear Governor Schwarzenegger, Why do you care more for condemned prisoners than for the children of California? We find your proposed, across the board budget cuts for California to be outrageously irresponsible. You propose slashing 10% from our public schools, while at the same time you propose increasing funding by $136 million for a new death row facility at San Quentin State Prison. Year after year, we are being forced to fight to ensure our children receive the quality education they need and deserve. Your proposed 2008-2009 $4.8 billion budget cut will severely damage the quality of education in our state. The proposal would decimate the voter-approved minimum-funding guarantee for schools (Prop 98). That is incredibly short-sighted and simply unacceptable. Your proposed budget cuts will close 48 state parks, reduce benefits for poor children and state subsidies for the elderly, blind and disabled. These people will be hardest hit by your careless proposal.We strongly oppose your 2008-09 budget proposal and plans to eviscerate funding for students, schools and the needy. I urge you to evaluate the state budget and reduce or eliminate low-priority programs and minimize the impact on high priority programs like K-12 public education. Our kids are our future and their education must be protected. Sincerely, The Undersigned |
