California 47th in the nation in education (Los Angeles, Irvine: low income, school district)

[Ultralight]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I am surprised there isn't anyone who is willing to ring in about how they feel things are going at their California public school for their child. Anyone?

Unfortanatly californians arent willing tio pay for their childrens education the public school system has ben deteriorating slowly for the last 30 years or so thanks to chronic underfunding it could have been much worse if sacramento had not been baling out califorinias localy driven public schools as it is doing now as the local government thanks to prop13 are not able to collect enough of revenues to the fund public education localy.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Ultralight

Unfortanatly californians arent willing tio pay for their childrens education the public school system has ben deteriorating slowly for the last 30 years or so thanks to chronic underfunding it could have been much worse if sacramento had not been baling out califorinias localy driven public schools as it is doing now as the local government thanks to prop13 are not able to collect enough of revenues to the fund public education localy.

Yep, prop 13 is to blame for everything wrong with Ca, just like Bush is to blame for whatever ails America...

Nita

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by Charles

It's hard to make comparisons but the schools in Huntsville, AL (seemed to) have had a lot more extracurricular activities involving science, robotics, mathematics, programming, and technology than some of the schools I've looked at in Southern California. The sad thing is, the AL school activities were led by parents (funded by PTA). It wasn't really a budget or school policy thing. (Realize Huntsville is loaded with engineers and techies so the tech culture is promoted big time.) We had four robotics teams at my oldest daughter's elementary school, two came in 1st and 2nd in Alabama. We had tech clubs, math clubs, and French clubs. I don't see that type of parent participation here (though like I wrote - I'm only comparing one a few schools in Huntsville to a few schools in SoCal).

I hadn't realized that you moved back to Southern California, Charles. You spent so much time in the California forum, it seemed like it was only a matter of time. Can I ask how you feel about the schools themselves? Were the schools in AL better kept up than the schools where you live now?

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by Ultralight

Unfortanatly californians arent willing tio pay for their childrens education the public school system has ben deteriorating slowly for the last 30 years or so thanks to chronic underfunding it could have been much worse if sacramento had not been baling out califorinias localy driven public schools as it is doing now as the local government thanks to prop13 are not able to collect enough of revenues to the fund public education localy.

Californians may or may not be willing to pay... however, thanks to Prop 13, Californians do have some say and when you get right down to it... what more can anyone ask for in a democracy?

Voters can and do approve extra funding for schools... at least the voters in my city regularly do.

Thank Goodness the people before me had the courage to at least make a genuine attempt to ring in spending... I could only imagine the devastation we would now be facing had Prop 13 not been in place to at least force legislators to at least look at spending in terms of revenue...

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by Ultralight

Unfortanatly californians arent willing tio pay for their childrens education the public school system has ben deteriorating slowly for the last 30 years or so thanks to chronic underfunding it could have been much worse if sacramento had not been baling out califorinias localy driven public schools as it is doing now as the local government thanks to prop13 are not able to collect enough of revenues to the fund public education localy.

Holy non-sequitur. Again, when you can explain what happened with all the funds California wasted to get up $26 billion in debt and why the state government should get anymore funds, then we'll talk about repealing Prop. 13.

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by Mr Floyd

Another over simplification, IMO. Yes. Property taxes are a great source of revenue but imagine tax based on FMV in an inflated market such as LA. By some estimates, the repealing of Prop 13 would price more than 40% of current homeowners out of their homes. The effects of that would likely do more damage than the Prop 13 limitations.

I hear what you are saying but it sounds to me like the other 60% are now subsidizing the 40% that would be priced out of their home should Prop. 13 be repealed. Is Prop. 13 holding the property values artifically high? If so, then Prop. 13 stinks. It stinks for the fact that ALL people are not paying property taxes based on the fair market value of their house. Why should someone be paying $700 per year because the parents left their house to them quietly before they passed while another person who just bought a house gets stuck with a $15,000 annual bill for a similiar property in the same neighborhood. Something is very amiss with this system.

Not saying that you say (or even think) this, but for the people that keep crying about how "liberal" CA is and "wealth re-distribution", it sure seems that they like this Prop. 13 which sure sounds like wealth re-distribution model to me. Seems that they like anything that props them and their agenda up regardless of who gets screwed in the process. I find it hard to believe that there are only two choices: (1) Prop. 13 or (2) wildly fluctuating property taxes every year.

Going from #1 to #47 indicates that there is a HUGE problem. All roads seem to point to Prop. 13 as being a leading factor in all of the mess. Sounds like Prop. 13 is some sort of holy grail or something in CA. Give us all a break. Some of us have money to spend and relocate, but I sure as heck do not feel like subsidizing some old-time home owner in CA who partakes of all the same infrastructure, services, schools as everyone else but gets their ride subsidized by those who just moved in and bought a home. Grossly unfair.

[jaynetarzana]

Donna7, I completely agree that it is unfair and from what I can gather, Prop 13 seems to be the leading cause of the deterioration of the education system in California. What are the chances it will be repealed?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Donna7, I completely agree that it is unfair and from what I can gather, Prop 13 seems to be the leading cause of the deterioration of the education system in California. What are the chances it will be repealed?

why repeal it? Most of the homes that were part of prop 13 have been sold over and over. All Prop 13 really, if you had been there at the time, was reduce taxes that were totally out of wack. Now, instead of high property taxes (which do exist) they have outlandish sales taxes, gas taxes and every other tax you can think of. Money does not always mean good schools. Good parenting, good teachers and a dedicated community will produce good schools. Why do you think so many are choosing home schooling and charter schools?

Nita

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Donna7, I completely agree that it is unfair and from what I can gather, Prop 13 seems to be the leading cause of the deterioration of the education system in California. What are the chances it will be repealed?

I'm pretty sure a law passed back in the 70s has nothing to do with California's budget crisis. Just a thought.

[jaynetarzana]

Experts agree that prop 13 is one of the top reasons schools are suffering in the state. It is pretty common sense; prior to prop 13 property taxes represented 50% of the funding for schools. Post prop 13, property taxes represent only 20% of the funding for schools, so schools are left struggling. Sure, there are people who benefit from prop 13 (and you can tell who they are because they will come onto this forum and tell everyone who speaks ill of prop 13 that they are wrong, wrong, wrong!), but it isn't our future generations. Yes, parent involvement is extremely important, but we owe it to our kids to offer them a solid public education.

Is Prop 13 to blame for California's near-bottom per-pupil funding in the country? Prop 13's Impact On Schools | KPBS.org

Prop 13: The Battle Between Taxpayer and Taxes | KPBS.org