Proposition 13 reform ballot measure will be on the November ballot. Enough signatures have been collected to place the measure on the November ballot.  This amendment would repeal a portion of the original Prop 13 (the 1978 California ballot initiative that  placed limits on property taxes, made homeownership out of reach for many Californians, and cut revenues for schools.  It overall changed how California taxes property (with a cap of property tax increases at no more than 2% each year on homes, businesses and agricultural land).   In terms of its affects on education, our community parents and students are interested in this initiative because of how the original prop 13 has impacted local governments and school districts (when a big portion of their revenue has come from property taxes).  Hence, this proposed amendment will require California to tax commercial and industrial property based on the market value (rather than their purchase price) and  raise taxes on those properties - but not on homes, farmland and owners of commercial or industrial property with a combined value of $3 million or less.  This is what is called the “split roll” since the amendment proposes to assess taxes on commercial and industrial properties at market value while continuing to assess taxes on residential properties based on purchase price.  This amendment, if passed, will restore over $11 Billion a year in revenue for schools and close the billionaire and big corporation tax loopholes.

AB – 1835 (the Educational Finance and Accountability bill)  will ensure accountability of school districts to identify and report supplemental LCFF concentration grant funds and ensure that these funds are spent on unduplicated students or students who need them the most.

AB-1930 – (the Student eligibility in Public Postsecondary Education bill) – questions the Cal State University system’s consideration of raising admissions requirements to include an additional year of quantitative reasoning which will deepen the divide in the student achievement gap across the state and impact the admission of underrepresented students.  This bill will require the Cal State and UC system to discuss the impact of these changes on underrepresented communities, require an independent study, and require consultation with the k-12 and community college systems before moving ahead.

ACA-5 (the Affirmative Action and Opportunity Bill) – will turn around the reality that California is only one of nine states to have banned affirmative action.  The banning of affirmative action has led to a 12 -60% reduction in enrollment of students of color in the UC system.  This bill, thus,  allow for the operating of programs that provide equal opportunity and economic advancement.

SB-1130 (the Telecommunications California Advanced Services Fund bill) - deals with outdated broadband requirements that don’t meet the needs of modern applications, remote education, and the needs of underserved areas.  This bill will raise the California Advanced Services funds requirements in terms of what communities are served and provides a path for the development of broadband and modern fiber infrastructure development in underserved communities.