Sample Budget Proposal Letters

							                           SAMPLE LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR


The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor, State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As a California voter, parent, and member of ________ PTA/PTSA, I am concerned about the
effect of your proposed State Budget on public education. Not funding education as
Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools that are already suffering from
inadequate resources.

California’s schools are among the lowest funded in the nation. Our average class size is the
second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of school nurses, librarians,
and counselors. At the same time we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the
most stringent accountability systems in the nation. These high standards point the way to
academic success for our students and future workers, but schools need adequate funding in
order to fulfill that promise.

As governor, you have shown that you believe in and support the will of the people via the
initiative and proposition process. In 1988 voters throughout California approved Proposition 98
to guarantee a minimum level of funding for public schools. The proposed 2005-06 State Budget
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools and to our six million students to pay
back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to avoid more harmful cuts in future years,
despite the fact that state revenues are now higher than projections indicated when the promise
was made. I urge you to uphold your commitment and to provide our children with a quality
education to prepare them and our state to be competitive in a global society.

Sincerely,



Name
PTA title if applicable
Address
Phone number




California State PTA — January 2005
Sample letters to the Governor, continued—

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor, State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As a California voter, parent, and member of ________ PTA/PTSA, I am concerned about the
effect of your proposed State Budget on public education. Not funding education as
Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools that are already suffering from
inadequate resources. The California State PTA has long advocated for adequate funding to
support student academic achievement and to promote programs for the health and safety of
children and families.

California’s schools are among the lowest funded in the nation. Our average class size is the
second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of school nurses, librarians,
and counselors. Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most stringent
accountability systems in the nation. These high standards point the way to academic success for
our students and future workers, but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.

The education funding shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials, programs, and
personnel. These efforts create a gap between school communities that can provide additional
funds and those that cannot. The California State PTA believes that a strong statewide public
education system is vital to California’s well-being in a global society, and that optimum
educational opportunity for all students must be provided.

As governor, you have shown that you believe in and support the will of the people via the
initiative and proposition process. In 1988 voters throughout California approved Proposition 98
to guarantee a minimum level of funding for public schools. The proposed 2005-06 State Budget
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools and to our six million students to pay
back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to avoid more harmful cuts in future years,
despite the fact that state revenues are now higher than projections indicated when the promise
was made. I urge you to uphold your commitment and to provide our children with a quality
education to prepare them and our state to be competitive in a global society.

I understand that in a time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds.
The California State PTA believes that new revenue sources along with budget cuts are neces-
sary for consideration in balancing the State Budget. I urge you to consider all necessary actions,
including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and children as the first priority.

Sincerely,

Name
PTA title if applicable
Address
Phone number
California State PTA — January 2005
California State PTA — January 2005
                            SAMPLE LETTERS TO LEGISLATORS


The Honorable (name of your Senator)                         The Honorable (name of your
California State Senate                       - OR –            Assemblymember)
P.O. Box 942848                                              California State Assembly
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001                                    P.O. Box 942849
                                                             Sacramento, CA 94249-0001


Dear Senator (or Assemblymember) _______________ :

As a California voter, parent, and member of ________ PTA/PTSA, I am concerned about the
effect of the Governor’s proposed State Budget on public education. Not funding education as
Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools that are already suffering from
inadequate resources.

California’s schools are among the lowest funded in the nation. Our average class size is the
second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of school nurses, librarians,
and counselors. At the same time we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the
most stringent accountability systems in the nation. These high standards point the way to
academic success for our students and future workers, but schools need adequate funding in
order to fulfill that promise.

In 1988 voters throughout California approved Proposition 98 to guarantee a minimum level of
funding for public schools. The proposed 2005-06 State Budget breaks the promise made last
year to California’s schools and to our six million students to pay back the money borrowed from
Proposition 98 and to avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues
are now higher than projections indicated when the promise was made. I urge you to uphold the
provisions of Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare them
and our state to be competitive in a global society.


Sincerely,



Name
PTA title if applicable
Address
Phone number




California State PTA — January 2005
Sample letters to legislators, continued—

The Honorable (name of your Senator)                         The Honorable (name of your
California State Senate                       - OR –            Assemblymember)
P.O. Box 942848                                              California State Assembly
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001                                    P.O. Box 942849
                                                             Sacramento, CA 94249-0001

Dear Senator (or Assemblymember) ___________:
As a California voter, parent, and member of ________ PTA/PTSA, I am concerned about the
effect of the proposed 2005-06 State Budget on public education. Not funding education as Pro-
position 98 requires would further harm public schools that are already suffering from inadequate
resources. The California State PTA has long advocated for adequate funding to support student
academic achievement and to promote programs for the health and safety of children and families.
California’s schools are among the lowest funded in the nation. Our average class size is the
second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of school nurses, librarians,
and counselors. At the same time we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the
most stringent accountability systems in the nation. These high standards point the way to
academic success for our students and future workers, but schools need adequate funding in
order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials, programs, and
personnel. These efforts create a gap between school communities that can provide additional
funds and those that cannot. The California State PTA believes that a strong statewide public
education system is vital to California’s well-being in a global society, and that optimum
educational opportunity for all students must be provided.
The proposed 2005-06 State Budget breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools
and to our six million students to pay back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to
avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues are now higher than
projections indicated when the promise was made. I urge you to uphold the provisions of
Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare them and our state
to be competitive in a global society.
I understand that in a time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds.
The California State PTA believes that new revenue sources along with budget cuts are
necessary for consideration in balancing the State Budget. I urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to ensure that the needs of all of California’s
children, schools, and families are met.
Sincerely,


Name
PTA title if applicable
Address
Phone number

California State PTA — January 2005
                             SAMPLE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Dear Editor:                                     Dear Editor:

As a parent and as a member of the               Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2005-06 State
___________ PTA/PTSA, I am deeply                Budget proposal plunges education funding
concerned about the effects on children of the   below the Proposition 98 guaranteed
Governor’s 2005-06 State Budget proposal.        minimum and further harms public schools
The proposal funds education below the           that already suffer from inadequate resources.
Proposition 98 guaranteed minimum and            Legislators must consider the long term,
further harms public schools that already        negative effects of inadequate funding on
suffer from inadequate resources.                California’s children as they deliberate the
                                                 proposal.
This budget breaks the promise made last year
to California’s schools and to our six million   According to the January 2005 RAND
public school students to pay back the money     Corporation report, the decline of California’s
borrowed from Proposition 98 and to avoid        K-12 system parallels the shrinking of per
more harmful cuts in future years, despite the   pupil financial support for education during
fact that state revenues are now higher than     the past three decades. California’s ethnically
projections indicated when the promise was       diverse population poses many educational
made.                                            challenges.

Legislators must consider the long term,         The California State PTA believes that a
negative effects of inadequate funding on        strong public education system is vital to
California’s children as they deliberate the     California’s well-being in a global society,
proposal. We must meet our obligation to         and that optimum educational opportunity for
provide our children with a quality education    all students should be provided. As a member
to prepare them and our state to be              of the ___________ PTA/PTSA and as a
competitive in a global society.                 parent, I believe the Governor and Legislature
                                                 should consider all necessary actions,
Sincerely,                                       including state budget structural reform, to
                                                 ensure a budget that serves the needs of
                                                 children, schools and families. Our children
Name
                                                 deserve the best educational opportunity we
PTA title if applicable
                                                 can give them.
Address
Phone number
                                                 Sincerely,

                                                 Name
                                                 PTA title if applicable
                                                 Address
                                                 Phone number




California State PTA — January 2005
Sample letters to the editor, continued—

Dear Editor:                                      Dear Editor:

As a parent and as a member of the                As a parent and as a member of the
___________ PTA/PTSA, I am deeply                 ___________ PTA/PTSA, I am deeply
concerned about the effects on children of the    concerned about the effects on children of the
Governor’s 2005-06 State Budget proposal.         Governor’s 2005-06 State Budget proposal.
The proposal funds education below the            Not funding education as Proposition 98
Proposition 98 guaranteed minimum and             requires would further harm public schools
further harms public schools that already         that already suffer from inadequate resources.
suffer from inadequate resources. Legislators     Legislators must consider the long term,
must consider the long term, negative effects     negative effects of inadequate funding on
of inadequate funding on California’s children    California’s children as they deliberate the
as they deliberate the proposal.                  proposal.

California’s schools are among the lowest         The ongoing education funding shortfall has
funded in the nation and have suffered $9.8       resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds
billion in cuts in the last several years. Our    for their children’s schools to provide
average class size is the second largest in the   necessities such as instructional materials,
nation. We are last in the nation in the          programs, and personnel. While these efforts
funding of school nurses, librarians, and         add resources to schools in need, they create a
counselors. Yet we have the most rigorous         gap between school communities that can
academic standards and one of the most            provide additional funds and those that
stringent accountability systems in the nation.   cannot. PTA believes that public funds
These high standards point the way to             should pay for public schools.
academic success for our students and future
workers, but schools require adequate funding     The California State PTA believes that a
in order to fulfill that promise.                 strong public education system is vital to
                                                  California’s well-being in a global society,
The Governor and legislators must meet their      and that optimum educational opportunity for
responsibility to California’s children, on       all students should be provided. As a member
whose success the future of California rests.     of the ___________ PTA/PTSA and as a
They need to consider all necessary actions,      parent, I believe the Governor and Legislature
including state budget structural reform, to      must consider all necessary actions, including
ensure a budget that serves the needs of          state budget structural reform, to ensure a
children, schools and families. Our children      budget that serves the needs of children,
deserve the best educational opportunity we       schools and families. Our children deserve
can give them.                                    the best educational opportunity we can give
                                                  them.
Sincerely,
                                                  Sincerely,
Name
PTA title if applicable                           Name
Address                                           PTA title if applicable
Phone number                                      Address
                                                  Phone number

California State PTA — January 2005