No on Proposition 38
Past the partisan bickering and campaign half-truths of the 2012 election season, it is integral that students take the initiative to educate themselves about the issues at stake on the November ballot.
The Daily Bruin editorial board, which represents the voice of the entire newspaper, has researched the measures and candidates that students will be voting on, and endorsed the ones we think do the most to support the UCLA community. We encourage students to use our endorsements as a starting point for conducting their own research, forming their own educated opinions and casting an informed vote come Election Day.
See who the board endorsed:
The people
The education propositions
The rest of the propositions
By Editorial Board
Nov. 1, 2012 12:29 a.m.
Though Proposition 38 has the noble intention of providing more funding to education programs, its passage may end up hurting state schools and universities more than it helps.
Proposition 38, sponsored by prominent Los Angeles attorney Molly Munger, would raise income taxes for low-, middle- and high-income brackets for 12 years, and direct almost all new revenue to K-12 and early childhood education.
The main problem with Proposition 38 stems from the fact that there is another tax measure on the ballot: Gov. Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30.
If voters approve both taxes, only the one with the most votes will go into effect. In other words, it comes down to a choice between Proposition 30 and Proposition 38.
And for us, the choice is clear: The University of California will lose $375 million in state funds, likely prompting tuition increases of 20 percent or more, if Proposition 30 does not become law.
For this reason, we have endorsed Proposition 30 and do not endorse Proposition 38.
Proposition 30 also provides substantial support to K-12 education. If the measure passes, schools will avoid a budget reduction of $5.4 billion, and are slated to receive 89 percent of revenue generated by the tax. The measure will also increase the funds available for public institutions such as the UC.
That’s why the California Teachers Association, which represents thousands of educators in public schools and colleges, has been vigorously campaigning for Proposition 30.
Proposition 30 provides benefits for all state students, from kindergarteners to those in the UC. For California education as a whole, it is integral that Proposition 38 does not pass.
