ARC students react after Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax plan wins with 53.9 percent of vote
Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax plan, passed 53.9 percent to 46.1 percent on Nov. 7.
The plan known as the “schools and local public safety protection act” creates four separate tax brackets for high-income families who make $250,000 a year and higher, as well as raising sales tax from 7.25 to 7.5 percent. The purpose of these taxes is to apply them to funding for education.
The Los Rios school district will be affected greatly by Proposition 30 passing. It will see $2 million dollars in growth and restoration, which will allow them to serve 10,000 more students on their campuses in 2012-2013. It will also add back 50 classroom faculty that includes adjunct and overload by 2013-2014, which will help with the growing number of students coming into the college. Los Rios will also be able to hire 16 non-faculty personnel and will have no salary rollbacks.
“Schools need funding desperately,” said Brandon Brown, a math major. “If we didn’t pass it, the schools would have taken a huge hit.”
Some other American River College students went to social media outlets to voice their opinions and frustrations on this important proposition.
English and theater arts major Rachel Peterson at the time thought Proposition 30, which was at 20 percent reported, was doomed to fail as it was far behind in the polls.
“Proposition 30. I felt that,” Peterson said on her Facebook page. As her friends with the same disbeliefs voiced their frustrations on her status.
“I felt it is extremely beneficial to the education system – not only for myself as a student, but to all teachers and classrooms throughout California,” said Peterson. “If we are not able to reach into our pockets and help the general good of educating the future generations then it shows a major lack of judgment and priority within our state.”
A lot of people thought Proposition 30 was doomed to fail because the “No on 30” campaign began pushing hard, with beliefs of raising taxes for anything is too risky even for education’s sake.
But ARC students including Christian Castaneda, an engineering major, felt like taxes are necessary.
“It probably is too much of a tax,” said Castaneda, “but my education is a priority and if they raise the taxes more, well, they will use it for other things. Why not for school as well.”
When Proposition 30 was finally passed on Nov. 7, Peterson was able to breath a sigh of relief.
“I felt the people had voted with thoughts other than how it would affect them personally and more so how it could positively affect our education system,” said Peterson.
