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? That’s the good news. The bad news is Prop. 30’s additional tax on the rich was temporary. It expires in 2019. That means the education dollars will dry up again and we could see a return to cuts, layoffs and furloughs. That’s why education advocates, joined by health advocates, gathered thousands of signatures to get another proposition on the November 2016 ballot that would extend the tax on the rich for an additional 12 years —and ask even more from the super-rich. Be sure to get involved as we get closer to the November elections. We will have opportunities for SEIU Local 99 members to reach out to voters. Stay tuned. |
Today, Governor Brown signed the 2016-17 State Budget into law. This budget continues to invest in our infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and K-14 students. And it might seem like “ancient history,” but this budget victory is still directly due to the hard work of SEIU Local 99 members and education advocates throughout California who gathered signatures and talked to voters to make sure Proposition 30 passed in 2012. This is what finally stopped the years of devastating cuts to education.
Here’s what the 2016-17 Budget provides:
Early Education and Care
We are happy to report that because of efforts of union child care workers, Governor Brown has signed into law the largest new investment in recent history to early care and education—an additional $527 million.
This significant, ongoing investment will create more access to early care education for our children, help stabilize the system and enable both child care workers and the parents we support to lift their families out of poverty.
- $527 Million For Early Education—the largest investment in Child Care yet!
- Family child care providers will see direct increases to pay rate ceilings.
- This new funding means that child care center worker employers will now have more funding to keep workers’ pay rising as wages across California go up.
- This additional funding creates 8,877 more full-day preschool spaces.
This victory shows the power we created when we came together with other child care workers and advocates to win improvements that transform our lives and the lives of the children and parents we serve.
While this victory sends a strong message that California will no longer ignore an achievement gap that divides our kids into haves and have-nots before they even start kindergarten, our work is far from done. We must keep fighting to expand affordable child care until every growing girl and boy has access to a quality early learning experience each deserves, regardless of background.
K-12
Proposition 98 funds were higher than expected, which resulted in greater discretionary fund dollars and increased “Local Control Funding Formula” implementation monies.
- Proposition 98:
- Provides a total Proposition 98 funding level of $71.9 billion in 2016-17, up from $71.6 billion in the Governor’s January budget proposal.
- Increases the overall Proposition 98 funding level over the last three years (2014- 15 to 2016-17) by a total of $626 million above the Governor’s January budget proposal.
- Specifically, the Proposition 98 funding level increases by $463 million in 2014-15, decreases by $125 million in 2015-16, and increases by $288 million in 2016- 17.
- Local Control Funding Formula:
- Increases funding for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) by $154 million, for a total of $2.9 billion in 2016-17. This investment would fund the LCFF at 96% of full implementation.
- One-Time Discretionary Funds:
- Provides a total of $1.4 billion in discretionary funding for K-12 schools and community colleges in 2016-17, $134.8 million more than the Governor’s January budget. This funding would be allocated on a per-pupil basis.
- TRANSPORTATION
- Funding for School Pupil Transportation remained steady.
Community Colleges
- Operating Expenses
- California’s Community Colleges received an increase of $75 million in Prop 98 dollars to go to Employee Benefits, facilities, professional development and converting faculty from part-time to full-time.
