WHY WE ARE NOT TAKING A POSITION ON

Proposition 82--Preschool Education. Tax on Incomes over $400,000
for Individuals; $800,000 for Couples
Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute

At its March 2006 meeting, the LWVC board of directors decided that the League will remain neutral on Proposition 82, the Preschool for All Act initiative that will appear on the June ballot. This decision was based on the fact that the LWVC has conflicting positions with regard to the measure. Generally speaking, our PreK-12 Education positions would support the preschool program, but our State and Local Finances positions would not support the way in which it would be financed.

Proposition 82 is both a constitutional amendment and new statutory law. It would add sections to the state Constitution that establish an entitlement to one year of voluntary, free preschool education for all children and create a special fund which could not be used for any purpose other than supporting the preschool program. The tax revenues placed in that fund would not be subject to Proposition 98 or the state appropriations limit. Monies from the fund would be continuously appropriated for the program outside the regular budget process. Administration of the program would be through the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and at the local level through county superintendents or in some cases First Five Commissions.

Statutory provisions of the initiative include a 1.7 percent income tax surcharge on upper income taxpayers imposed for the support of the program. Minimum requirements for operational hours, staffing ratios, and teacher qualification are specified. The proposition provides for a 10-year phase-in period that includes workforce development and the establishment of governance, implementation, and public accountability structures, as well as program/curricular frameworks or state standards that are developmentally appropriate. The Preschool for All Act could be amended only by a two-thirds vote of the legislature or by going back to the ballot.

The LWVC Constitution position opposes Constitutional provisions which earmark tax funds for specific purposes. Under our State and Local Finances (SLF) position, we believe that earmarked funds and taxes should be adopted only in those situations where social benefit significantly outweighs the loss of flexibility, and that a fund or tax earmarked for a specific purpose should contain an automatic sunset date and provisions for mandatory government body review and reauthorization. We support legislative control of, and minimal use of direct voting by citizens on, tax sources and rates.

Speaking from the SLF policy standpoint, one League analyst says, "We favor giving the legislature the flexibility to set priorities based on changing needs. This measure would set up a preschool system with its own requirements, governance structure and funding at a time when the demands on the state are forcing hard choices throughout the government. We need to be able to weigh the relative need and effectiveness of various programs and to have the flexibility to change them without going back to the ballot."

The LWVC PreK-12 Education position supports improvements in public education, based on access with both equitable and sufficient opportunities to learn for all students. We believe all children should enter school ready to learn to their fullest potential, and that measures to ensure this include school readiness programs, including universal access to preschools that are high quality, developmentally appropriate, and voluntary.

Our position supports state policies, guidelines, and standards for curriculum that encourage the local districts to develop a broad curriculum, provide for an appropriate range of student abilities and interests, and evaluate feasibility of proposals and effectiveness of curriculum. Other relevant positions include our call for responsibility at the state level for developing guidelines for recruiting, training, certifying, and retraining teachers that maintain high standards and allocating sufficient funds to provide adequate and appropriate salaries for teachers and administrators. We support responsibility at the state level for primary funding of public education, with provision for as much local control as possible over local schools.

A League Education advocate points out that the initiative "goes beyond the 'tinkering around the edges' approach" and that, "More than one research project has demonstrated expanded societal and economic value for each dollar invested in quality preschool education, including reductions in grade retention, use of special education services, high school drop-out and graduation rates, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. Universal access to voluntary quality preschool programs can not only address the issue of uneven preparedness of children from different backgrounds, but also helps provide the very ACCESS to the opportunities that are available in the public education system if students are equipped to take advantage of them."

It was these conflicting positions that led the LWVC board to vote to remain neutral on the Proposition 82. It is important to stress that this position of neutrality precludes activity in the name of the League, either in support of or against this initiative.