Proposition 13

Jennifer Ayala, San Francisco | 4/25/19

Regarding “Hundreds of teachers at Sacramento City Unified walk out on one-day strike”(sacbee.com, April 11):

The Sacramento City Unified School District has struggled to financially support their schools and, although it has mismanaged funds, it wouldn’t be facing a budget crunch in the first place if schools were adequately funded. The recent teacher strikes in Sacramento and in other cities across the state highlight the need for more education funding in California. The state was once among the top 10 in per-pupil spending, but shamefully now ranks close to last. The lack of funds for our schools points to one long-term solution: reforming Proposition 13. The Schools and Communities First Initiative will reform Prop. 13 by creating a split-roll tax, which will keep protections for homeowners but make corporations pay their fair share in property taxes. If passed in 2020, this will restore over $11 billion to California’s schools and public services. It’s finally time to prioritize our schools. California’s teachers and students deserve better!