[Educationforall] Huffington Post Article on the March for California's Future!

[Kelly Mayhew]

Hi All,

Check this out from the California of Federation of Teachers President, Marty
Hittelman!  Jim's mentioned in it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-hittelman/the-time-to-march-for-cal_b_482
933.html

Marty HittelmanPresident, California Federation of Teachers
Posted: March 2, 2010 04:41 PM
The Time to March for California's Future Is Now

Marty Hittelman is the president of the California Federation of Teachers.

It is no longer enough to say that "Sacramento politics is dysfunctional," or
that the political and legislative processes in the Capitol are stymied by
"partisan gridlock." These first impressions have some basis in reality but
don't adequately address California's real problems. These impressions only
lead to a feeling of inevitability, cynicism, and despair.

What we need in public discussion is a clear picture of the problem and then
a plan to fix it. And we all need a sign of hope that change will come.
That's why, on March 5, we begin a "March for California's Future." The March
will start with a group of public employees who will walk from Bakersfield to
Sacramento. By April 21 the March will swell, as it reaches Sacramento, to
many thousands. This 250 mile march, sponsored by the California Federation
of Teachers and its diverse allies from labor, the faith community, and other
civic supporters, is designed to draw attention to the underlying causes of
the state's woes as well as gather signatures for a majority budget
initiative.

The "March for California's Future" plans to kick start a "reality"
discussion on how all Californians can join the fight for a livable
California. The three themes of the march are "restore the promise of public
education," "a government and economy that works for all," and "fair taxes to
fund California's future."

One of the marchers is Irene Gonzalez. She grew up in foster homes throughout
the Central Valley. Determined to make something of herself, she worked hard
to put herself through school, eventually earning a masters degree. Today she
is a probation officer, helping her clients stay out of trouble and on the
right track to become productive members of society. In that process she
keeps the rest of us safer too.

Gonzalez's job would be difficult under any circumstances. But now it's
almost impossible. State funding cuts over the last few years have eliminated
counseling and educational services for her clients, and the economic
recession has narrowed what limited employment options they might have had.
"I'm marching," says Gonzalez, "because I want the people I work with to have
an opportunity, like I did, to become somebody--so that they don't sink back
to where they came from."

Another marcher is Jim Miller. He's a professor of English and Labor Studies
at San Diego City College. Due to funding reductions to public education,
SDCC offers hundreds of fewer classes than it did a year ago. Lost classes
throughout California represent lost opportunities, and coupled with student
fee increases, have meant the path to a better job or career through higher
education is being blocked. Hundreds of thousands of potential community
college students have already been forced from the system. Miller has another
reason for marching: "My son is in kindergarten. I know it won't help his
education as class sizes rise in the first grade from 23 to 30 kids."

Why is this happening? California was heading in the wrong direction even
before the recession, due to two linked problems. First, tax rates for the
richest Californians and big business have been reduced over the past fifteen
years. In addition, between 1995 and the present, the top one percent of
income earners--people who make on average 2.1 million dollars per year--have
more than doubled their incomes in real terms. Their lowered state tax rates
have cost the state billions of dollars in revenue each year. Most
Californians are paying a fair share while the rich and powerful continue to
receive more tax loopholes every year. We must reverse this trend and return
to the time when wealthy individuals and corporations contributed at a
reasonable rate.

Second, although a clear majority of the state Legislature understands the
value of public services, their efforts to restore the revenue sources once
available to fund education, public health and support services, and build
the infrastructure California requires, have been blocked by a unique,
undemocratic rule. California is the only state in the country to require a
2/3 supermajority vote to pass both a budget and any state tax increase. Just
over one third of the Legislature has signed anti-government activist Grover
Norquist's "No new taxes" pledge. Norquist famously remarked that his goal
was to cut government to a size it could be "drowned in a bathtub."
California is currently moving in that direction.

In the last two years, the California state budget has been reduced by 20%.
Our schools have been cut by over $17 billion. Irene Gonzalez, Jim Miller,
and the other public employees on the "March for California's Future" have
seen first hand the results of this choice. Democracy is no longer in charge
of Sacramento; instead, ideology is in control, benefiting the richest and
most powerful while dismantling the California Dream for the rest of us.

We don't have to let California go down that drain. March with us to restore
the promise of the golden state.

For more about the March for California's Future, go to
www.Fight4CAFuture.com.

 
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