For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2006

Contact:
Susan Martin: 415-955-6120
smartin@pacificresearch.org

SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Research Institute (PRI) released today a new voter-education pamphlet on Proposition 88, the Classroom Learning and Accountability Act, set for the November 7, 2006 California ballot.

“Few initiatives in California history have incorporated so many flawed ideas as Proposition 88,” said Lance Izumi, director of Education Studies at PRI and co-author of “Proposition 88: No Bang for the Tax Buck.” The new pamphlet is part of a Decision 2006 policy series published by PRI.

Under Prop. 88, a $50 statewide parcel tax would be imposed on every property owner in California. The estimated revenue of approximately $450 million annually would be used to increase education spending for class size reduction, facilities grants, instructional materials, school safety programs, and a data collection system.

“The state has already spent around $16 billion over the past ten years on reducing class sizes in kindergarten through grade three with little effect on student achievement,” said Mr. Izumi. “Yet, Prop. 88 would pour an extra $175 million a year into this educational black hole.” Additionally, California secretary of education Alan Bersin recently noted, “The research is clear that class-size reduction, in and of itself, does not improve student achievement.”

The initiative would also spend $100 million a year on instructional materials. The state Legislative Analyst’s Office says that the $400 million a year that the state already spends on instructional materials is enough to provide a textbook for every child in every core subject. The fact that some schools may not be providing books to students may have more to do with bad local decision-making than lack of state funds, noted Mr. Izumi.

Prop. 88 would also set aside $85 million for facility grants for schools that have not received facilities funding from state general obligation bonds. Izumi notes, however, that Proposition 1d, also on the November ballot, would allot $7 billion to K-12 schools for facilities funding. If voters approve 1d, then it is likely that the facilities money raised by Prop. 88 would be superfluous.

“For all its education problems, the initiative’s fiscal problems are just as disturbing,” said Mr. Izumi.

Prop. 88’s tax would hurt small property holders proportionately more than large wealthy owners since the tax would be the same for all properties regardless of value. Prop. 88 would also undermine Prop. 13, which limited property tax increases at the local level. Under Prop. 13, it takes a two-thirds majority of local voters to increase local property taxes. Prop. 88, as a statewide property tax increase, requires only a majority of the vote. If successful, it could lead to future statewide end-runs around Prop. 13.

“Prop. 88’s flaws are plentiful and worthy of serious review,” said Mr. Izumi. “Not only is the new proposed tax a horrendous idea for many reasons, but it is virtually guaranteed that the increased education spending will fail to improve student achievement.”

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About PRI
For 27 years, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has championed freedom, opportunity, and individual responsibility through free-market policy solutions. PRI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. For more information please visit our web site at http://www.pacificresearch.org/