Note: Updated Link! You can reach lawmakers via cta.org or via our CapWiz center.  Click on the link below to take you directly to the on-line edition of this LegAlert and connections ,to your legislators:
http://www.capwiz.com/nea/ca/issues/alert/?alertid=31012506

Your help is needed now to stave off additional devastating cuts to public education and other public services. Get in touch with your state Senator and state Assembly Member at their district offices and urge them to support Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget that would protect public education from more cuts.

Also urge your lawmakers to extend the temporary taxes or put the issue before the voters during a June special election. Lawmakers have a choice between extending the temporary taxes or authorizing billions of dollars more in devastating cuts to public schools and other public services.

Background:
To prevent a potential cut of $2 billion or more to our schools, the Legislature must agree to extend the temporary taxes or to place a measure on the June ballot to allow voters to extend them. Either option takes a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to achieve the goal, and it will require at least three Republicans in the state Senate and two in the state Assembly to join with all Democrats to extend the taxes or put the measure on a June special election ballot.

Your efforts can help convince both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to pass the governor's proposed budget and extend the temporary taxes. The governor's proposal will help erase the state's $25 billion budget deficit while protecting schools and other essential services from further cuts.

Key Points:

·         K-12 schools and colleges have already been cut over $20 billion over the last three years--$1,900 per K-12 student.
·         Class sizes are soaring, programs are disappearing and entire school years are shrinking in many school districts.
 ·         More than 30,000 California educators and 10,000 other public school employees have been laid off over the past three years.
·         The governor's plan to extend temporary taxes for five years will help prevent further cuts to schools, public safety, health and other vital state programs.
 ·         Without an extension of current revenues, public schools and colleges will lose more than $2.3 billion. 
·         The governor's balanced budget approach will help protect students and essential services, create jobs, and stabilize the economy. 

Here's what you can do to help!

Contact your legislators in their local offices by phone and use our CTA legislative portal to contact them, too. Find it at http://www.capwiz.com/nea/ca/issues/alert.
Urge your legislators to support the governor's budget plan and extend the temporary taxes.
 If they are unwilling to do so, ask them to let the voters decide by putting the issue before the electorate as a June 2011 ballot measure.  

Then close the loop by e-mailing lfeldman@cta.org to let us know: 1) Who did you meet with or reach by phone or e-mail? 

2) What was the response?  Will the lawmaker support the governor's budget?

For more information, contact Legislative Advocate Estelle Lemieux or GR Communications Consultant Len Feldman at 916.325.1500.