Restoring Democracy to our state

Today Laney College students will unite with thousands of students, teachers, professors, and public school supporters statewide to shout with one voice: no more cuts in state education funds! Surely Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will hear our resolve-and so should the gridlocked bunch in the State Legislature.

Laboring diligently for many months, Laney's No Cuts Peralta Committee has ignited student power to show the district that cutting 580 classes (2009-2010) at Peralta's four colleges is unacceptable. Laney students have rallied, marched, and spoken out at board meetings to protest the cuts in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), the frustrating long lines at registration and at financial aid because personnel has been pink-slipped, as well as the resulting overcrowded classrooms due to teacher lay-offs.

But at 1 p.m. today when we march to Oakland City Hall, we will remind our community that California as recent as the 1960's topped the nation in education. Our Community College system was unparalleled, offering an affordable pathway to a four-year college degree, career training basic skills instruction, and life enhancement through education.

Now the state Legislative Analyst Office estimates that by 2012 California will spend more money annually on prisons than it spends on higher education. What an unacceptable investment of our taxes!

Meanwhile annually the State Legislature proclaims the budget must be balanced, but instead its inaction causes gridlock. So what can you do to end the budget impasse in Sacramento?

Sign the California Democracy Act (CDA) petitions that volunteers are circulating at Laney today. This March 4th-initiative is what is necessary to restore democracy to California: "All legislative actions on revenue and budget must be determined by a majority vote."

California is the only state in the union that requires a 2/3 vote on all bills concerning budget and revenue. This enables a small band of extremists in Sacramento to block every attempt to maintain and restore California's infrastructure and that includes funds for education.

To qualify for the November 2010 election the CDA needs 1.3 million signatures by April 5. After the marching and rallying, signing the CDA petition is positive action.

--Visit the CDA website at www.Ca4Democracy.com