With Governor Newsom’s endorsement, momentum is growing to pass Prop. 15
Last Friday Governor Newsom announced his support for Prop. 15, the Schools and Communities First initiative that will bring up to $12 billion a year for our schools and communities by closing corporate commercial property tax loopholes.
In making the endorsement Newsom said in a written statement, “It’s consistent with California’s progressive fiscal values, it will exempt small businesses and residential property owners, it will fund essential services such as public schools and public safety, and, most importantly, it will be decided by a vote of the people.”
We are heartened by Governor Newsom’s pledge to fight alongside us for the resources our students need to succeed. California schools have been critically underfunded for decades, and are now facing a $20 billion deficit because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Newsom’s support of Prop. 15 is critical to ensure that this essential initiative passes this November.
But wealthy corporations are doing everything they can to defeat Prop. 15, to keep exploiting outrageous loopholes and avoiding paying their fair share. And we’ve got our work cut out for us.
Sign up today to volunteer to help get Prop. 15 passed this election!
Ready to do your part to help pass Prop. 15? Sign up for one of our phone banks next week when we will reach out to fellow CFT members about why it is so important to pass the Schools and Communities First Initiative.
Tuesday, September 22 Phone Bank
4:00–6:00 p.m.
Sign up here
Thursday, September 24 Phone Bank
4:00– 6:00 p.m.
Sign up here
And, don’t forget to take the pledge online to support Prop. 15.
New AFT poll shows educators and parents concerned about rushing to reopen schools
Despite the national narrative that seems to suggest that parents and teachers don’t agree on how schools should reopen, a new poll from the American Federation of Teachers shows otherwise: 59% of parents and 64% of teachers said reopening schools too quickly is far more concerning than opening slowly.
AFT President Randi Weingarten says, “The message from the polling couldn’t be clearer: We all want to get back to in-person learning, but that cannot happen unless the safety guardrails are in place and the funding is there. There is a way to get back to in-school learning. We have to follow the science."
Read more about the survey in US News and World Report.
Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers President Tamara Fairbanks is the special guest on today’s CFT Facebook broadcast
Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers President Tamara Fairbanks joined CFT President Jeff Freitas today on his weekly Facebook broadcast. Jeff and Tamara discussed how her union is pushing back as their district moves to begin reopening schools on September 29, despite not meeting minimum safety standards. Watch the interview on the CFT Facebook page.
