Posted on 09/26/2002 8:24:47 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
From:
Puts an Official Price Tag on Class Size Initiative
How Much Money is $20 Billion - $27.5 Billion?
The validity of the estimates aside, the class size amendment would require a significant contribution from taxpayers. For perspective, the total General Revenue Fund for the current fiscal year is just under $20 billion, and the lottery provides less than $900 million annually to education.
Over eight years, the $20 billion - $27.5 billion total averages out to $2.5 billion-3.4 billion annually. Based on FY 2004 population, this means an average cost of $146 to $201 per Floridian annually or $369 to $507 per household. Over the eight years, the total cost would be $977 to $1,343 per capita and $2,460 to $3,382 per household.
Even assuming that tourists and other out-of-state taxpayers pay 20% of the cost burden, the total investment by Floridians would be $781 to $1,074 per capita and $1,968 to $2,705 per household.
The universal pre-K amendment would add another $25 to $39 per capita and $64 to $97 per household.
Reducing class size to the prescribed limits would be a challenging undertaking. Without a significant overhaul of state spending patterns, the class size proposal would likely require some new or increased taxes. A 1-penny increase to the state's 6-cent sales tax would raise $2.9 billion (based on FY 2004 estimated collections.).
To further illustrate the scope of the estimated required investment, the gross receipts tax on utilities, which funds public school construction, raises less than $800 million annually. Moreover, it would take a tripling of the state corporate income tax to raise the additional revenue called for in the estimates. In fact, four major tax sources combined (gross receipts, corporate income, beverage, and tobacco taxes) are expected to bring in $2.97 billion in FY 2004, so it would take a doubling of all those to raise the revenue. Lastly, a state personal income tax (currently prohibited by the state Constitution) of 1 per cent of Floridians' federal taxable income would raise approximately $2.4 billion.
This Briefing was researched and written by
Kurt Wenner, Senior Research Analyst, under the direction of
Keith G. Baker, Ph.D., Senior Vice President & COO.
Steven L. Evans, Chairman; Dominic M. Calabro, President and Publisher
© Copyright Florida TaxWatch, April 2002
(Excerpt) Read more at floridataxwatch.org ...
Political Allure of education (class size is down, BUT it isn't helping), National Center for Policy Analysis, 1998
Class-size reduction hurts lower income districts as teachers flee to meet the demand in more affluent districts.
It's led to an increase in more poorly trained teachers. The number of non-credentialed teachers has jumped from almost zero in 1995 to 12% in 1997.
It's stuck low-income districts with big bills, drained other programs and made crowded facilities worse.
What's more, the California program even at its highest funding levels will still not reach the level of the Tennessee program. California is shooting for classes of about 20 students each. Tennessee had about 15.
But all this debate about class size is moot. No study is going to be able to definitively answer the question. There are just too many variables. Take South Korea. It leads the world in mathematics achievement among fourth graders. Average class size: 43.
THE SCHOOL CLASS SIZE POWER GRAB
According to published reports, the one thing President Clinton is adamant about in the current budget negotiations is inclusion of his "100,000 new teachers" proposal. In a two-year propaganda blitz, reducing class size (the number of students per teacher) has been touted as one of the single most important factors in improving the quality of public education. In reality the proposal is a ploy to make a quantum leap in federal control of K-12 education in the public schools. Here's how it works.
First the public had to be convinced that reducing class size is critical to providing a "better" quality of education for the nation's students. Phony statistics are presented purporting to show that schools with smaller class sizes have better test results. The statistics assume that class size is the only factor involved in higher test results. That is patently untrue. What is taught, and how it is taught, are much more important than class size alone. Even if the proper subjects are included in the curriculum, if they are presented in an incomprehensible way, students will have poor test scores regardless of class size.
Another part of the scam is how class size; e.g. the ratio of "teachers" to students is calculated. In many schools a teacher has one or two "teaching assistants" in the classroom. Should these assistants be included in the calculation of class size? In many districts they are not.
So, not only does this amendment cost Florida voters big $$$, instead of helping children, it hurts those who need help the most. The only ones benefiting are the teachers' unions, the Democratic Party elites. It's a scheme. It's a crime. It's fraud, theft, money laundering (teacher's unions -> DNC), with the press as willing accomplices, imho.
Florida press e-mail links:
How tiny???......
Rudyard Kipling
knew about lawyers...and crocodiles.
Well, that's a start. Thanks, Pogy. I know that there are members of the local editorial boards who are just waiting for the opportunity to tell our side. A young man at our local NBC station during a Janet Reno "Do the Right Thing" event (really!) was so glad that I called to protest Ms. Reno's involvement with anything related to children. That night, 3 others called to complain (in our area of ~ half million). Usually, I'm the only one (or so I'm told). Republicans don't even think of complaining....being responsible, realistic sorts mostly...a disadvantage in politics when the opposition is the VLWC.
There is nothing that can be gained politically by coming out against it, hence Jebs adoption of his own plan to decrease class size.
In spite of Jebs proposal, he STILL will be accused of being against education in rat commercial after commercial, and he very well may lose the election because of it.
Assuming he is able to survive the onslaught of socialist teacher union lies and wholsesale voter fraud, these ammendments will be repealed in a future election, as will the high speed train ammendment.
The key is putting the savings to the average taxpayer in the repeal ammendment language.
Who isn't going to vote for a tax cut for themselves?
Jeb's record on education is solid and unassailable. This amendment's even being on our ballot is an indictment of the Florida newsmedia, the Democratic Party and Bill McBride. Bottom line, if Floridians knew the truth...this amendment would tank.
They're great most of the time for protecting citizens rights and pocketbooks but open to abuse by dishonest socialist Democrat jackass party members, who try to get massive tax increases passed in the guise of "education" or "children".
When the price tag for future ballot intiatives and ammendments is included in the ballot language,(something that of course the socialist democrats oppose), the subterfuge will stop.
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