Calif. preschool measure runs into trouble (.. hits a bit of a head wind,, a MeatHead wind. Prop 82)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Provide free preschool for all California children, tax the rich to pay for it, and get a famous Hollywood director to sell it.

A measure on Tuesday's ballot to create universal preschool in the nation's most populous state seemed like a can't-miss idea in heavily Democratic California. But the $2.4 billion-a-year plan has been a tough sell.

The Preschool for All initiative's best-known supporter, "When Harry Met Sally" director Rob Reiner, ducked out of the campaign spotlight this spring after a state education commission he headed was accused of improperly using taxpayer money to run TV commercials in favor of preschool. Critics said it was a ploy to promote the ballot measure.

Since then, voters' mood about the economy has soured as gas prices have soared, raising questions about whether they will support a tax increase, even one on the wealthy.

Opponents of the preschool measure say it will burden the state's already troubled public school system with yet another big-ticket bureaucracy.

"It looks like (Reiner) overestimated the potential for support from this side of the fence," said Republican strategist Dan Schnur, who is not involved with either side in the campaign.

Reiner's measure would be paid for with a 1.7 percent tax increase on individual incomes of more than $400,000 and couples' incomes of more than $800,000. The voluntary program would be available to any 4-year-old whose parents want it. The money would go toward public preschools, as well as private ones that meet the state's standards.

Also, preschool teachers would be required to have bachelor's degrees in early education and would be paid salaries comparable to those of public school teachers. That provision helped win the support of the state's teachers unions.

In a recent poll, eight in 10 Californians said they believe preschool helps students later, but only half of all likely voters said they support the ballot measure. That support has been pretty much flat throughout the campaign.

Reiner has kept out of sight since he was forced to resign from the state's early childhood education commission in March. The Preschool for All campaign turned down a request for an interview with him.

Two weeks before he stepped down, a defiant Reiner said the commission did nothing wrong when it spent $23 million in state money for the ad campaign. He blamed the attacks on ideological opponents of preschool.

"I think the other side realizes that it's hard to debate this policy," he said. "The one thing they have is to demonize me in some manner."

The man who played Meathead on TV's "All in the Family" has contributed $2.8 million to the campaign. Reiner's wife and his father, comic Carl Reiner, have pumped in $1.8 million, helping buy commercials featuring teachers who support preschool.

Preschool's supporters insist the measure is not in trouble. Campaign spokesman Nathan James noted that a tight Democratic primary for governor is on the same ballot, and that could bring to the polls a bloc of supportive voters.

"California voters have, in good times and bad, consistently supported education measures on the ballot," James said.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — who launched his own political career in 2002 by persuading the voters to spend millions in existing state revenue for after-school programs — opposes the preschool measure because it would raise taxes.

California taxpayers already spend $860 million a year on various early education programs, and about 60 percent of 4-year-olds are in some kind of preschool, public or private. Reiner and his supporters say the measure would establish a high-quality program for everyone.

The California Chamber of Commerce and other opponents say California should spend its money on the children who need it most — poor students and those learning English — rather than raising taxes to subsidize wealthier parents who already pay to send their children to private preschools.

Some of those private operators, such as the renowned Montessori schools, also would be shut out of the program unless they alter their curriculum and teacher training.

"For me, it doesn't make sense to turn over what we already have to a system that has enormous challenges they need to take care of first," said California Montessori Association President Pamela Zell Rigg.

Opponents and supporters differ on whether it is even needed. Studies of preschool offer conflicting results, with some saying most children reap the benefits all the way through their high school and others finding the benefits begin fading by third grade for children from higher-income homes.

Notable contributors to Prop 82

Good leftists:

• Soros George, Soros Fund Management, Llc, Business Executive, New York, Ny 10106
• Soros Jonathan T., Soros Fund Management Llc, Business Executive, New York, Ny 10106
• Bing Stephen L., Self, Investor, Los Angeles, Ca 90035
• Broad Eli, The Broad Foundations, Founder, Los Angeles, Ca 90024

The Venture Capital types looking to get rich:

• Kohlberg James A., Kohlberg & Company, Merchant Banker, Palo Alto, Ca 94301
• Kohlberg Jerome, Retired, Mt. Kisco, Ny 10549
• Doerr John, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Partner, Woodside, Ca 94062
• Hastings Reed, Netflix, Inc., Ceo, Los Gatos, Ca 95032

The Hollywood types:

• Begley, Jr. Ed, Self, Actor, Studio City, Ca 91604
• Saban Haim, Saban Entertainment, Chief Exec. Officer, Beverly Hills, Ca 90210
• Saban Cheryl, Self, Writer, Producer, Los Angeles, Ca 90067
• Spielberg Steven, Dream Works, Director, Los Angeles, Ca 90064
• Geffen David, Dreamworks Studios, Ceo, Los Angeles, Ca 90049-4926
• Katzenberg Jeffrey, Dreamworks, Producer, Los Angeles, Ca 90064
• Bergen Candice, Self, Actor, New York, Ny 10022
• Brooks Mel, Brooks Films Ltd., Producer, Culver City, Ca 90232
• Burrows James, Paramount Pictures, Director, Beverly Hills, Ca 90210
• Danson Ted, Self, Actor, Malibu, Ca 90265
• Franken Al, Alan Franken Inc., Radio Talk Show Host, Minneapolis, Mn 55404
• Jamie Lee Curtis & Christopher Guest,Syzygy Industries, Director/Actor, Santa Monica, Ca 90402
• Raitt Bonnie, Self, Entertainer, Los Angeles, Ca 90046
• Sheen Martin, Self, Actor, Malibu, Ca 90265
• Streisand Barbra, Self, Entertainment, Los Angeles, Ca 90067
• The Tr Family Trust, Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson, Self, Entertainers, Beverly Hills, Ca 90211
• Tom Cruise And Nicole Kidman, Self, Actor, Los Angeles, Ca 90067

and Big Arnold supporters:

• Riordan Richard J., Retired, Los Angeles, Ca 90024
• Riordan Nancy Daly, None, Children's Rights Activist, Los Angeles, Ca 90024
• Daly Robert A., Rulemaker, Inc., Executive, Los Angeles, Ca 90077
• Perenchio Jerry, Chartwell Partners, Partner, Los Angeles, Ca 90067
• Lowe Robert J., Lowe Enterprises, Inc., Chairman, Los Angeles, Ca 90049
• Lowe Elizabeth H., Self, Preschool Advocate, Santa Monica, Ca 90402
• Hellman F. Warren, Hellman & Friedman Llc, Chairman, San Francisco, Ca 94111

Also, preschool teachers would be required to have bachelor's degrees in early education and would be paid salaries comparable to those of public school teachers.

CAn you say "designed to put private preschools out of business", boys and girls?

I knew you could.

Anybody who thinks one needs a Bachelor's to teach preschoolers is a moron. Or a meathead.

It says in the voter guide for this there are about 100,000 people making over $400,000/year that are foolish enough to claim California as their primary residence. With that kind of income it's not hard to buy a second home in another state and "move". As long as they accumulate 12 weeks vacation per year outside of California they can live in California but "reside" out of state and not pay ANY state income taxes. This tax will result in a net loss of tax revenue from the rich and an eventual tax increase on the middle class.

The election is Tuesday? How do you think turnout will be?

Interesting that you should ask. My three Republican friends (yup; that's it) and I in Sacramento did NOT receive sample ballots nor absentee ballots (those who signed up for them), but my several dem friends did. I draw no conclusion from this; we all know where our polling places are and plan to vote anyway.

However, the dems are totally unenthused about both Wesley and Angileties - both have run very dirty campaigns and, unfortunately for them, have revealed the truth about themselves: raise taxes, approve gay marriage, and continue the open borders. The latest poll shows nearly 50% of dems are undecided, and you know what happens when a dem is undecided: he just sinks back on the couch and reaches for the remote. So. . . your guess is as good as mine!

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