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Tom McClintock: To understand education budget, start with math
Los Angeles Daily News ^ | May 15, 2005 | Tom McClintock

Posted on 05/16/2005 2:24:48 PM PDT by calcowgirl

The multimillion-dollar campaign paid by starving teachers unions has finally placed our sadly neglected schools at the center of the budget debate.

Across California, children are bringing home notes warning of dire consequences if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's scorched-earth budget is approved -- a budget that slashes Proposition 98 public-school spending from $42.2 billion this year all the way down to $44.7 billion next year.

That should be proof enough that our math programs are suffering.

As a public-school parent, I have given this crisis a great deal of thought and have a modest suggestion to help weather these dark days.

Maybe -- as a temporary measure only -- we should spend our school dollars on our schools. I realize that this is a radical departure from current practice, but desperate times require desperate measures.

The governor proposed spending $10,084 per student from all sources. Devoting all of this money to the classroom would require turning tens of thousands of school bureaucrats, consultants, advisers and specialists onto the streets with no means of support or marketable job skills, something that no enlightened social democracy should allow.

So I will begin by excluding from this discussion the entire budget of the State Department of Education, as well as the pension system, debt service, special education, child care, nutrition programs and adult education. I also propose setting aside $3 billion to pay an additional 30,000 school bureaucrats $100,000 per year with the proviso that they stay away from the classroom and pay their own hotel bills at conferences.

This leaves a mere $6,937 per student, which, for the duration of the funding crisis, I propose devoting to the classroom.

To illustrate how we might scrape by at this subsistence level, let's use a hypothetical school of 180 students with only $1.2 million to get through the year.

We have all seen the pictures of filthy bathrooms, leaky roofs, peeling paint and crumbling plaster to which our children have been condemned. I propose that we rescue them from this squalor by leasing out luxury commercial office space. Our school will need 4,800 square feet for five classrooms (the sixth class is gym). At $33 per foot, an annual lease will cost $158,400.

This will provide executive washrooms, around-the-clock janitorial service, wall-to-wall carpeting, utilities and music in the elevators. We'll also need new desks to preserve the professional ambience.

Next, we'll need to hire five teachers, but not just any teachers. I propose hiring only associate professors from the California State University at their level of pay. Since university professors generally assign more reading, we'll need 12 of the latest edition, hardcover books for each student at an average $75 per book, plus an extra $5 to have the student's name engraved in gold leaf on the cover.

Since our conventional gym classes haven't stemmed the childhood obesity epidemic, I propose replacing them with an annual membership at a private health club for $39.95 per month. Finally, we'll hire an $80,000 administrator with a $40,000 secretary because, well, I don't know exactly why, but we always have.

Our bare-bones budget comes to this:

5 classrooms --                              $158,400
150 desks @ $130 --                           $19,500
180 annual health club memberships @ $480 --  $86,400
2,160 textbooks @ $80 --                     $172,800
5 CSU associate professors @ $67,093 --      $335,465
1 administrator --                            $80,000
1 secretary --                                $40,000
24 percent faculty and staff benefits --     $109,312
Offices, expenses and insurance --            $30,000
   TOTAL --                                  $1,031,877L 

The school I have just described is the school we're paying for. Maybe it's time to ask why it's not the school we're getting.

Other, wiser, governors have made the prudent decision not to ask such embarrassing questions of the education-industrial complex because it makes them very angry. Apparently the unions believe that with enough of a beating, Gov. Schwarzenegger will see things the same way.

Perhaps. But there's an old saying that you can't fill a broken bucket by pouring more water into it. Maybe it's time to fix the bucket.

Tom McClintock represents the 19th District in the California state Senate. Write to him by e-mail at tom.mcclintock@sen.ca.gov.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: budget; calbudget; california; education; mcclintock
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To: NormsRevenge
What Tom McClintock put on display here in the CA election for Gov showed he has major ambitions that are personal at everyone else's expense.

----

Like showing up at all the debates and not playing the crowd with a bunch of hype, but rather doing his homework and being prepared with plans and solid proposals that make sense.

Like I just said, you're so far out there, for whatever reason, you make Bob Mulholland look like a piker.

81 posted on 05/16/2005 7:24:09 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: A CA Guy

Post 81 is for you.


82 posted on 05/16/2005 7:24:49 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: luckystarmom

Not only can you not paint the janitor's closet, or anything else, the schools under new California law can't contract any maintenance if they have anyone on the maintenance staff that can do the work, even if it cost more to do the work internally and even if they're not qualified or trained. The union jobs must be protected, costs and public be damned.
There is no question the custodial work cold be done for less, and much better with contract custodians. Same goes for most maintenance.
But would the union workers do when they were turned out on the street and actually had to work for a living.


83 posted on 05/16/2005 7:30:57 PM PDT by RLM
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To: Carry_Okie
LA Times, September 26, 2003
Today, Schwarzenegger is expected to announce the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, the San Diego County Republican who financed the petition drive that put the recall on the ballot.

That will undoubtedly keep the campaign focused on the friction between Schwarzenegger and McClintock. Issa told CNN this week that McClintock had promised him months ago that he would abort his candidacy if it looked as if he would be a spoiler for Republicans.

"That is flatly wrong," McClintock said. "Winston Churchill would call it 'terminological inexactitude,' because the word 'lie' was disallowed in parliamentary debate."


84 posted on 05/16/2005 7:31:06 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: Carry_Okie



http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/9/24/92001.shtml

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/6847469.htm

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030925-115143-8944r.htm

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0926/p01s03-uspo.html

http://faculty.smu.edu/jkobylka/newsItems/Recall%20in%20California%20Is%20Put%20Back%20on%20Schedule.htm

Tom McClintock can only get the other Democrat elected if he is ever the nominated candidate for a high office like Governor as Republican.

I wish him all of the success in the world for office of dog catcher, but he's burned too many bridges to ever be a uniting force for the Republicans in California.


85 posted on 05/16/2005 7:31:15 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Carry_Okie



http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/9/24/92001.shtml

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/6847469.htm

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030925-115143-8944r.htm

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0926/p01s03-uspo.html

http://faculty.smu.edu/jkobylka/newsItems/Recall%20in%20California%20Is%20Put%20Back%20on%20Schedule.htm

Tom McClintock can only get the other Democrat elected if he is ever the nominated candidate for a high office like Governor as Republican.

I wish him all of the success in the world for office of dog catcher, but he's burned too many bridges to ever be a uniting force for the Republicans in California.


86 posted on 05/16/2005 7:31:56 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: A CA Guy

Ping to #84


87 posted on 05/16/2005 7:32:23 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: RLM

It's obvious that the unions last refuge is in government employment and it is unfair to the people to allow them such power and payments with public funds.


88 posted on 05/16/2005 7:33:46 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: calcowgirl

Bump. Do the math. Works every time.

The school administrators get fat on these scare tactics.

Simple ask them how much the class room and teacher costs and where does the rest go?


89 posted on 05/16/2005 7:34:39 PM PDT by shellshocked (They're undocumented Border Patrol agents, not vigilantes.)
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To: A CA Guy

Nice Links!

Most do not address the question posed to you and I can't find one quote, from anyone other than Issa, that the fantasy discussion ever took place.

Why on earth would (car thief) Issa be the only one Tom discussed his campaign plans with? Give me a break. It is beyond incredulous. Issa lied. End of story.


90 posted on 05/16/2005 7:37:45 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: forester

>>BTW, thanks for membership in yer ping list.

You're welcome! :-)


91 posted on 05/16/2005 7:38:28 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: calcowgirl

I get that you would like to dilute the issue with all kinds of side issues in some desperate attempt to save McClintock's political career, but that horse won't swim.


92 posted on 05/16/2005 7:52:28 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: RLM

It's obvious that the unions last refuge is in government employment and it is unfair to the people to allow them such power and payments with public funds.


93 posted on 05/16/2005 7:52:32 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: calcowgirl

Put me on the list!


94 posted on 05/16/2005 7:53:51 PM PDT by Rabid Dog (Make a difference in your community - Join your local Free Republic Chapter!)
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To: A CA Guy; Carry_Okie; SierraWasp

No, I'm not trying to dilute anything.
I, and others, would like you to quit posting lies.


95 posted on 05/16/2005 7:54:47 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: Rabid Dog

Done! :-)


96 posted on 05/16/2005 7:55:50 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: A CA Guy
Your first reference is according to Issa:

That was the bombshell revelation yesterday from the driving force behind the recall movement, Rep. Darryl Issa, who described to nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity a conversation he had with the conservative favorite several months ago.

Your second reference requires registration. Why don't you quote it this third party who witnessed this "promise"?

Your third reference is according to Issa:

"Tom made a promise to me that he, in fact, wouldn't be a spoiler," Mr. Issa said. "So the pressure is on Tom to decide whether that has become the reality, that he might be becoming a spoiler."

Your fourth reference doesn't say ANYTHING about a promise.

Your final reference is according to Issa:

Mr. Issa said he would decide in the next few days who he believed should get out of the race. But he said that Mr. McClintock had promised him at the start of the recall contest that he would not carve up the Republican vote and be a spoiler.

So far, all you've managed to "prove" is that you DON'T know for a fact that Tom McClintock made that promise; all you know is that Issa said he did.

You have failed.

97 posted on 05/16/2005 7:58:04 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The fourth estate is the fifth column.)
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To: Carry_Okie

Reading those articles again proves what a sleaze Issa is. "Driving force behind the Recall movement"?????

Pleaaaaaaaaaase!!! He came in at the eleventh hour and tried to take credit for the whole thing. What a joke.


98 posted on 05/16/2005 8:06:13 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: Carry_Okie; A CA Guy; calcowgirl
"You have failed."

And you have finally pulled his covers!!! Ha Ha Ha!!! This is truly fun!!!

calcowgirl, you din't want me to encourage him, but I think it's GREAT! Look how it's streched this great thread and how many more pingees you'll have on the burgeoning Tom McClintock Ping List!!!

I sure don't see nobody startin up a Darrel Issa Ping list!!! Too funny!!! Ya know... I don't think there's a Arnold Schwarzenegger "Ping List" to this day!!! How 'bout THAT???

99 posted on 05/16/2005 8:08:32 PM PDT by SierraWasp (The "Heritage Oaks" in the Sierra-Nevada Conservancy are full of parasitic GovernMental mistletoe!!!)
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To: SierraWasp

Issa needs to be replaced, sorry to say that he's my congresscritter.

It will not only take a good candidate but a lot of money to take him out but whatever Republican wins the primary is a shoein in the general election.


100 posted on 05/16/2005 8:14:28 PM PDT by dalereed
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