Assembly Bill 121,
considered a “Trigger Bill”, was introduced by Huffman, Chesbro and other
members of the Committee on Budget. This bill called for the elimination of $248
Million from the Home-to-School transportation fund. It was voted on by the Assembly and Senate
floor on 6/28/11. The Assembly passed this bill 51-28 with both Huffman and
Chesbro as “Aye” votes. The Senate passed the bill 23-17 with Noreen Evans
voting “Aye”. The bill was enacted with Governor Jerry Brown signature.
I would venture
that when arguments were coming up about this bill, someone probably pointed
out that only 16% of the students in California use the bus, so this affects
only a small part of the population. But why did our rural legislative
representatives not consider how harshly this would affect our far north
counties? Or how can they justify what has happened. Stephen Rhoads of Strategic Education Services, which represents a coalition of school transportation departments. says that what has been rumored was that the Democrats thought that cutting transportation would hurt the Republicans. In the end, it doesn’t hurt the Republicans at all, because none of them voted for AB 121. Rhoads says that the Democrats were following the direction of their leadership and may not even have known what they were approving.
Both Evans and Chesbro seem to be experiencing regret on voting for this bill. Chesbro has been getting a lot of mail and phone calls and is meeting in caucus with his peers to come up with a way to restore the funding. Evans, too, is scrambling to undo the damage.
I appreciate that our legislators are now trying to do something about the issue, but what do you think those odds are? Not very good in my book.
(Thanks to Mary Anderson of the Redwood Times for some of this information)
16 comments:
What a mess! Thanks for publicizing this.
Julie,
Richard does not have his facts right. The decision to trigger these cuts was Jerry Brown's decision and his decision alone. All three legislators are working hard in Sacramento to find a solution.
This is just a smear attempt by Richard. Please take what he says at face value.
Thank you.
Andrew,
Exactly which of Richards facts are incorrect?
I also researshed the issue and found Richard to be totally accurate. Are Chesbro and Huffman not on the Budget Committee? Did the Budget Committee not author and send up the budget? Did Huffman, Chesbro and Evans not vote aye on the budget put out by the Budget Committee?
You shoud consider getting your facts straight before smearing someone who is obviously more informed than you are.
Anon,
Andrew is in part correct. All three legislators ARE working hard to find a solution to this problem......of course it is also a problem that THEY created.
Andrew: Again you have come on a blog refuting my claim with no facts. I am not smearing anybody! I am stating the truth!
Is Chesbro and Huffman on the Budget Committee? Yes
Did they introduce AB 121 to both the Assembly and Senate Floors? Yes
Did Chesbro, Evans and Huffman vote Aye on the floor on AB 121 which cut Home to School Transportation? Yes
I witnessed this question being asked of Assemblyman Jared Huffman and he took ownership and explained that this was a terrible budget and he had to compromise, and he pointed out that Chesbro and Evans did the same. If Huffman can come out and face this head on, why can't Chesbro's staff, that would be you Andrew, face up to that. HYPOCRITE!
Stephen Rhoads of Strategic Education Services, which represents a coalition of school transportation departments. says that what has been rumored was that the Democrats thought that cutting transportation would hurt the Republicans. In the end, it doesn’t hurt the Republicans at all, because none of them voted for AB 121.
Not exactly, because the cuts had to take place due to a shortfall in revenues, which could be mitigated by just two Republican votes to raise taxes. But the GOP has been taken over by a very cynical and extreme crowd. The only question is whether Brown will put public pressure on them to do so. He's been pretty quiet since this came down.
Eric Kirk, maybe your clients might start to pay taxes and cover their fair share. Thats one way to help out the budget situation. Instead, those you represent (low life marijuana producers and overall deadbeats) continue to hide in the shadows while apologists such as yourself continue to run a false theme that "medical" marijuana is benefiting the community. There may be disagreements on this thread on a great many topics, but the fact is you are the biggest liar here.
You've got a rough crowd here, Richard! What I don't understand/ see anyone address, is the inevitability of, if not this exact thing then something like it. When the state has (1) reduced income, (2) a constitutional need to balance the budget and (3)many many items that the electorate in their collective wisdom have dictated to be sacrosanct, what can the state do? Do you really think that the cuts will only hurt someone else? that there is no consequence when the lack of taxes and lack of volume of income come together?
People seem too think that one can cut government without cutting services, like you know, somebody is getting rich at the teat of the state, that the bulk of expenditures are not education, health and welfare and the prisons we enthusiastically funded. This is just the beginning of a reality check for the golden state.
"All three legislators" are the SOURCE of the problem.
The SoHum delegation will drag the kids down there, and get all kissy-face with Chesbro, who has been and is the problem. He is the REASON Jerry Brown is having to make these cuts. If Chesbro and his co-culprits had actually been doing their jobs right, there would be no budget crisis. Period. End of story.
As for the SoHum dopegrowers, who may pay property taxes but don't pay income tax, they are guilty as well. They are a drain on the system, others who do pay their taxes have been carrying them for years now. They voted against the legalization that would have brought them into the fold - why? Well, the #Occupiers would say it is greed.
Can't blame 'em - who does want to pay 50% of their six-figure income to a failed state.
Here's what I'm wondering
Would making parents responsible for getting their child to school 1)Save a district enough money so teachers don't have to buy classroom supplies out of their own pocket.
2) Save a district enough money that they could hire a much needed teacher or a few classroom aides.
3) Allow a district to keep it's lunch program.
Paying the upkeep and insurance on a bus cann't be cheap.
Most schools are in need of money and cuts need to be made for schools to remain viable, I would rather see the cuts made to transportation than to classrooms.
Amen Rose.
The left can only figure out how to spend money. They have no concept of what it is to cut back or reduce down. Look at the morons in southern humboldt. They ride around in their lifted trucks, blog about marijuana, smoke it up, then have the gall to come on here like some sort of junkyard dog and say "its two republicans holding the whole thing up!" "We're entitled to buses" Fuck you! PAy some goddamned taxes and sober the fuck up. Then you can complain. Until then youre just another junkie or enabler.
Eric Kirk, maybe your clients might start to pay taxes and cover their fair share. Thats one way to help out the budget situation. Instead, those you represent (low life marijuana producers and overall deadbeats) continue to hide in the shadows while apologists such as yourself continue to run a false theme that "medical" marijuana is benefiting the community. There may be disagreements on this thread on a great many topics, but the fact is you are the biggest liar here.
Actually, you really don't know anything about my clients, but since you asked so nicely, most of them do in fact pay taxes. As for what "themes" I've promoted, you clearly haven't paid attention and you really don't know what you're talking about.
The left can only figure out how to spend money. They have no concept of what it is to cut back or reduce down.
And yet the biggest deficits are run up by conservative administrations. Go figure!
"Most" of your clients pay their taxes Eric Kirk? Nobody believes you Eric Kirk because you are an enabler and apologist for Southern Humboldt drug production and distribution syndicates. These people engage in organized crime under a medical banner. They sell drugs to black urban youth NATIONWIDE. They are primarily composed of wealthy white families with inherited land. They are Eric Kirks masters. Urban youth across America are Eric Kirks victims.
Now does anyone have any sympathy for Eric Kirk when he comes on here and barks about school buses? I didn't think so. Sober up. Pay your taxes. Stop praying on poor black youth.
Wow! You tell him anonymous! Stand up for those black urban youth buying all that Southern Humboldt weed!
Bus Stop To Nowhere-
Southern Humboldt Chapter
We are Californians from the Southern Humboldt County region who see the latest State School transportation cuts as the further demise of public education in our state. If we continue to let someone else fix this problem, we will have no public schools left in California other than possibly in the more densely populated areas. It is now or never to take a last stand to keep our public education system equally available to all of the children in this state. Don't let the state limit an education to only those who have their own vehicle. We want education to thrive, not starve!
http://www.facebook.com/groups/244279015645988/
www.southernhumboldtkids.com
Please help us to support SB81 by writing, calling, or emailing the Governor and let him know that he must restore home-to-school transportation!
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