Posted on 06/02/2006 7:17:26 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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.
Director and producer Rob Reiner (R) and actor Ed Begley, Jr. (L) pose with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at a party following the Los Angeles premiere of the documentary film 'An Inconvenient Truth' in Los Angeles May 16, 2006. The film by director Davis Guggenheim offers a look at Gore's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. The film opens in select theaters in the U.S. May 24. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
Not any longer, buddy. The abysmal performance of the teachers' unions doesn't deserve any more than the already $60 BILLION we're paying per year. And for what? For the pride and prestige of being 48th out of 50 states. Yay.
That's just for openers! This proposition is a bellweather for CA. If it fails, it's a good sign that some, a little, fiscal sanity may be returning. It would also kill Meathead's politicla career.
Moe, Larry, and Curly!!!!!!
Thank God for Arkansas and Mississippi! The election is Tuesday? How do you think turnout will be?
Do you want these bozos having any say in running your life?
This prop passes, I am seriesly outta here.
Seriesly????
Vey seriesly.
An old trick for bitchy girls...make sure all your best friends are fatter than you are.... ;)
I voted no and have encouraged others to as well. Here's hoping it doesn't pass.
The black sirted ones are back!
Of course a flaming liberal like Meathead sees nothing wrong with using taxpayer money to fund anything he likes. Just don't ask him to use his own money.
Too bad Archie isn't around to lay it on Meathead.
"Not any longer, buddy. The abysmal performance of the teachers' unions doesn't deserve any more than the already $60 BILLION we're paying per year. And for what? For the pride and prestige of being 48th out of 50 states. Yay."
I heard some idiot school board member from Oakland on the news tonight saying that the reason the 160 kids there couldn't pass the exit exams is they just don't have enough funding. They want to give them their diplomas anyway to be "fair" and to "promote democracy".
Most California kids do thirteen years in public school already. Don't they suffer enough?
It's hard to blame the kids for failing when this kind of fool is what's teaching them.
RichInOC wrote:
"Most California kids do thirteen years in public school already. Don't they suffer enough?"
---YES! ENUFF! ! ! Let me tell you, it was bad enough that i applied myself enough to NEVER have to repeat a year.
My senior year i barely made it, I realized if i didn't pass all my classes i would have to repeat a class and graduate later. I worked ALL night doing my geometry because i wasn't good at it, just so i could pass and never have to be in publik skool ever again.
My math class was the only class that would have hanged me up because it was required to graduate to accumulate enuff GPA.
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