Thread: America Back on Track, CA Schools Ranked Near the Bottom

This article is a hodpodge of problems in America but I'd opine there's something missing from the following paragraph. Everyone here knows what's wrong with California schools -- and for that matter, it's the same thing that's wrong with their financial health. Any guesses? Overarching this problem is the axiom that it's a very bad idea for government to educate our children.

Originally Posted by Op Ed News (click masthead)

America Back on Track
Tony Seton, July 17, 2008 at 11:42:18

<snip>

The Golden State once was renown for its public education. Now California ranks near the bottom, amidst competition like Alabama and Mississippi. The school system is grossly over-burdened by a massively bloated administrative bureaucracy, counter-education teachers unions, and mindless regulations. They are so incompetent and self-protective they didn’t even know how many of their students were actually making it through high school. They thought the statewide dropout rate was about 13%, but they have new count now, and the figure is 24%. Said the schools chief, "I was quite shocked at how many students are falling through the cracks. This is a crisis." Yes, you idiot, and it has been getting rapdliy worse under your management.

<snip> Source (click here)

Oh yeah, now we have this compassionate liberal solution to the California budget crisis. Ironically, it comes from a meeting in the city that only recently declared bankruptcy. I'm not sure the California budget is in competent hands. Red emphasis below added by me.

Originally Posted by Jennie Rodriguez, Recordnet.com (click masthead)

Forum touts tax increase as remedy for budget woes
Jennie Rodriguez, Record Staff Writer, July 17, 2008 6:00 AM

STOCKTON - The California Budget Project warned at a forum organized by the League of Women Voters of San Joaquin County on Tuesday that low-income residents could face severe service reductions because of budget shortfalls. Besides the $1 billion state spending reduction already implemented, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's May revision calls for $12.5 billion more in cuts to state programs that benefit 6.6 million low-income children, parents, seniors and people with disabilities.

The May revision cuts Medi-Cal benefits to working parents making more than $11,000 a year for a family of three and legal immigrant residents. To fix an estimated $17 billion deficit, "cuts alone will not suffice," said Rebecca Gonzales, outreach coordinator of the California Budget Project, a nonprofit group that conducts independent fiscal and policy studies of California and public education. "We're supportive of a balanced solution." Gonzales favored a plan by legislative Democrats proposing $8.2 billion in tax increases to go with their proposed reduced budget cuts of $6 billion, a proposal facing opposition by legislative Republicans. Democrats hope to reinstate higher tax brackets for businesses and the wealthy, which were temporarily introduced by Republican Gov. Pete Wilson in the mid-1990s.

Under the plan, married couples with incomes of more than $321,000 would fall into a 10 percent income tax bracket, and couples making more than $642,000 would be in an 11 percent bracket. Currently, the highest income tax rate is 9.3 percent for those with less than $1 million taxable income and 10.3 percent for those making more. "We have been making tax cuts over and over again," Gonzales told 28 community members representing groups such as the American Association of University Women and the Sierra Club. Those cuts, she said, have contributed to the state's inability to make up deficits that have been covered in the past with bond debt. Republican legislators have vowed to block any tax increases. State income tax increases must be approved by a two-thirds majority in the state Senate and Assembly. In an attempt to bring in new revenue, the governor's proposal includes a plan borrow as much as $5 billion against future earnings of the state lottery, in addition to using $3.5 billion from past deficit bonds.

Gonzales also provided information on the budget process, from the state's planning period before the budget is introduced to the constitutional deadline of June 15. The state constitution requires lawmakers to pass a budget by June 15 and give it to the governor to sign by July 1. But over the past 30 years, that has happened only 12 times, the most recent in 1986. The explanation helped Susan Mora-Moyko of Stockton, a member of the League of Women Voters, better understand the system. "I think it was very helpful. She broke it down in a way that made it more relevant, because sometimes when they talk in millions and billions, it's hard to understand," Mora-Moyko said. Jerry Bailey, also from Stockton, blamed the state budget crisis on tax cuts for the wealthy. "As a result, our infrastructure is falling apart. Our schools are falling apart. Our health system is falling apart," Bailey said. "We can't cut our way out of this one." Source (click here)

I can't blame the Citizens of Cal . They knew what was coming and twice have had major popular prop's turned over by "Federal Courts".
But i can blame and will blame the Government of Cal . The Citizens must be at wit's end by now with their heavy handed Latino officals .
I offer this as "Food for Thought". Arnie was put in office by Warren Buffet, Fact !! Can anyone besides me see a plan being worked out by this sweet old Mutli-Billion . NO nice guy is worth 45 Billion imo . Cheap labor and government contracts coming his way by his huge list of companys.
Now i have nothing against a person getting filthy Rich .But i do have an axe to grind when they turn their backs on the Country that made them .
Which seems to be the case in America . No Loyalty from the Elites last 20 years(huge tax breaks to out-sourse) . Big problem starting with the agenda of the Dept of Education.
Dumb down America , make people feel useless .
I do have an opnion don't i ?

California is so bad that I think the only thing that could clean it up would be the national guard. They United States citizens hate it there.

Originally Posted by Paige

California is so bad that I think the only thing that could clean it up would be the national guard. They United States citizens hate it there.

Some life long residents (myself included) are starting to hate it here!

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Originally Posted by Paige

California is so bad that I think the only thing that could clean it up would be the national guard. They United States citizens hate it there.

Some life long residents (myself included) are starting to hate it here!

Yep, looking to get out next year when our health insurance changes and affordable. Let them who don't want to wake up pay for the mess. Not us anymore.