Election time is approaching fast. Now is the time to research, to focus our interests and make a decision on which propositions and candidates to choose.
We’ve all heard of Proposition 30, hopefully. This initiative will directly affect our campus and student population.
Gov. Jerry Brown has supported his state’s education system this year by approving the merger of two initiatives: the “Millionaire’s Tax” and “Brown’s First Tax Increase Proposal.” Prop. 30 will impact universities, community colleges and K-12 schools in California.
It will raise sales tax from 7.25 percent to 7.50 percent for seven years. The personal income tax increase will affect taxpayers earning an excess of $250,000. These tax increases will be distributed, 89 percent to K-12 schools and 11 percent to community colleges. This is a way to help balance the ongoing budget crisis by having the wealthy bracket in our state give back to its youth for prosperity.
If this fails to pass, the Cal State University system will face a cut of $250 million. For CSULB, our tuition will rise by at least 5 percent. In the case that Prop. 30 passes, students will be reimbursed for this semester’s tuition hike.
Yes, it’s true! We will be paid!
The money credited to a student’s bill or bank account will be about $498.
Our university prepared for potential cuts like this one last year and raised the tuition prior to the election year to make the potential increase less severe to students.
Prop. 30 runs into a catch-22 situation because it intersects with a related initiative, Prop. 38. “Our Children, Our Future: Local Schools and Early Education Investment Act” will increase taxes for 12 years, if not reauthorized. These tax increases will affect all taxpayers earning more than $7,316. This means more people will have to pay, and for a longer time period than Prop. 30.
During the first four years, these collected taxes will be distributed, 60 percent to K-12 schools, 10 percent to early child development programs and 30 percent to repay our state’s debt.
Prop. 38 is very similar to Prop. 30 with the same hopes to give back to the state’s educational system and youth. So why is it a catch-22?
Only one of these propositions can pass this year. If both pass, the proposition with the greater number of votes will be instated and the other will be thrown out.
This competition between the two propositions should be a boost of motivation to make sure voters’ voices are heard.
Even though the two are competing, they are both similar in the fact that they will help our state’s budget and education system.
However, the tax increase will affect more wallets with Prop. 38, and its failure will not lower the funding already promised to these educational facilities, as Prop. 30 would for universities in California.
Krista Brooks is a junior journalism major and the assistant opinions editor for the Daily 49er.