New Study Finds Increased K-12 Funding, but Smaller Percentage Gets into the Classroom
The past several months, we have been expanding our analysis of K-12 expenditures to cover all the districts for which complete data are available in the state. Our analysis of K-12 public school district expenditures in California has four major findings. The first major finding is that, statewide, K-12 public school district expenditures per student in California increased more rapidly than per capita personal income (PCPI) from FY 2003-04 through FY 2008-09. Per student expenditures (excluding capital expenditures) increased from $7,734 in FY 2003-04 to $9,673 in FY 2008-09, an increase of 24.9 percent. This 24.9 percent increase in per student expenditures was substantially greater than the 15 percent increase in California PCPI during this period. Notably, average daily attendance statewide decreased 2.4 percent during this same timeframe.
The second major finding is that from FY 2003-04 through FY 2008-09 per student expenditures for administrative personnel salaries increased more rapidly than per student expenditures for teacher salaries. Per student expenditures for teacher salaries increased about 20 percent during this period, while per student expenditures for classified (non credentialed) administrator and supervisor salaries increased about 43 percent, and per student expenditures for certificated administrator and supervisor salaries increased 27 percent.
Enterprise Zones Key to California Job Creation
An article in Forbes shortly after the November
election charted California’s fall from role model to cautionary tale, aptly
noting that the decline of our economy was largely self-inflicted. We
have over-taxed and over-regulated businesses to the point that it no longer
makes financial sense for them to stay here, let alone move or expand
here. At a time when we should be doing everything in our power to
stimulate economic growth, Governor Brown has proposed extending tax increases
and eliminating tax credits. Rather than figuring out how to attract
businesses to California, these actions will do everything short of packing the
moving vans for them.
While cuts and tax extensions remain the most
controversial centerpieces of Governor Brown’s proposed budget, his call to
eliminate redevelopment agencies and Enterprise Zones has many local government
advocates, including myself, concerned. Enterprise Zones are an important
tool for local governments looking to spark job creation and economic
development. The impact of the Governor’s proposal on communities in my
district and around California would be devastating.
California Tax Increase Election w/o GOP?
Cross-posted at CalWatchdog.
Democrats are struggling to put Gov. Jerry Brown’s $12 billion tax increase proposal up for a June 2011 election of the voters of the state of California, which supposedly would help close the budget deficit of $25 billion. They need 2/3 votes in both houses of the Legislature to call a special election for the vote, but are just shy of that number. Which means they need a handful of Republican votes in each house of the Legislature to put the ballot measure to the people.
Callbuzz even said this was “undemocratic.”
But do they really need the minimum Republican support in the Legislature?
Actually, no. There’s a way around it, if Democrats dare. It involves a two-step process. The steps must be done in order.
Step 1. Do this quickly. Gather petitions to put the $12 billion tax increase on the next statewide ballot. Signature-gathering now costs about $2 million for each initiative petition.
Egypt’s Agony – Will it become ours?!?
We have spent last Friday and this past weekend glued to our
TV’s, pasted to the internet with mass anxiety rising like a Saturn rocket from
it’s launch pad, and the news from Egypt is so bad that adjectives fail. Mubarak, the now embattled BeAll&EndAll of Egypt’s government
for several decades; the lynchpin to keeping the peace between Egypt and our
closest Middle East ally, Israel, and; the recipient of annual Billions of US
aid (from my taxpayer pocket and yours, too) and our very best weaponry, is now
a Dead Man Walking, or so say the many TV Talking Heads and cyber-pundits. Did I forget to mention that he was also a
brutal dictator (sorry Joe Biden, you got that one wrong), employing his
dreaded security police (no over-used Nazi comparisons here, folks) to torture
and intimidate – until they all disappeared at some point Friday (our time),
leaving the most educated populace in the Middle East to literally fend for
themselves with knives and clubs to protect their loved ones and property. Gun control advocates, please take note of
what happens when chaos descends on civilized society – we can all recall the
’92 LA Riots, where similar things happened and whole neighborhoods, like my
own hillside one, were left without police and fire protection for a couple of
days – Police and Fire Dept. officers came door to door to tell us to keep our
weapons handy if we had any because we were on our own.
The sheer fright factor here cannot be over-emphasized. If you think I am overstating what is going
on in Egypt, you haven’t been paying attention.