PTA Action Alerts
Read California PTA Action Alerts at:
http://capta.org/sections/advocacy/legislative-alerts.cfm
Budget Cuts Will Hurt Children
Contact Congress Now!
The U.S. Congress will begin working on its 2006 budget tomorrow. The budget sets funding levels for 2006 as well as provides a budget blue print through 2010.
If Congress approves the Bush Administration's budget, it would lock in a budget blue print requiring $214 billion in domestic spending cuts between 2006-2010, causing real hardship for struggling children and families. By 2010, this could mean:
- 300,000 fewer children getting child care assistance.
- 118,000 fewer children getting Head Start, which provides early learning and care to 3- and 4-year olds.
- 360,000 fewer struggling families receiving help heating their homes.
- 370,000 fewer families receiving rental assistance.
- $11,500,000,000 in funding cuts to education programs, including Education for the Disadvantaged, Special Education funding, and School Improvement programs.
Action Items:
- Tell your Senators that we need a budget that invests in America's children and to oppose any budget that cuts programs that help children and families. To talk to your Senator, use this toll-free number, 1-800-247-2971, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, or find your Senators' direct lines at http://www.senate.gov/ and your Representative's direct line at http://www.house.gov/. The toll-free number will only work tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8.
- Share your stories about the impact of federal, state, and local budget cuts on children and families. While it's important to have accurate and compelling data on the impact of budget cuts, it's also important to have stories that put a human face on the impact of these cuts to reach policy makers, the media, and the public. Please share your stories with us at ogr_office@pta.org so we can more effectively communicate what cuts in federal programs will mean for America's children.
- Spread the word! Our voice raised together can make a difference!
The Legislative Analyst's Office has just issued the following report:
Proposition 98 Primer
Proposition 98 is a complex formula for setting a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges. This primer is intended to assist the Legislature in understanding the basic "mechanics" of the proposition and showing how it has affected school spending since its passage in 1988. We also describe the Governor's proposed changes to Proposition 98 and discuss our concerns about how they would diminish legislative budget authority. (14 pp.)
Available in the following formats:
HTML: http://www.lao.ca.gov/2005/prop_98_primer/prop_98_primer_020805.htm
PDF: http://www.lao.ca.gov/2005/prop_98_primer/prop_98_primer_020805.pdf