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MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

March 1, 2018

Contact: Dave Jacobson, (818) 943-2348
Maclen Zilber, (510) 508-9142
Jacobson & Zilber Strategies

CA PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION SAYS: CLOSE THE PROP 13 CORPORATE LOOPHOLE

The loophole closure would provide $11 billion every year to public services as part of the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the California State Parent Teacher Association announced its support for the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2018.  With more than 750,000 members, California State PTA is the state’s largest volunteer-led child-advocacy association working to improve the education, health and well-being of all children and families.

“California State PTA strongly supports the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald. “Our schools have been desperately underfunded for years, and we need this measure to ensure our children have the resources they need in order to learn. PTA believes it is necessary to close corporate loopholes that are starving our schools of much needed funding, so that our schools have resources to give our young people a world-class education. We urge parents across the state to support this act to give classrooms – and our children – the funding they need.”

The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act, led by Advancement Project California, California Calls, Common Sense Kids Action, Evolve California, League of Women Voters of California, and PICO California, would provide $11 billion every year to K-12 education and local schools by assessing commercial/industry properties at fair market value. Under Proposition 13, corporations and billionaires are allowed to take advantage of this provision to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes. The proposed reform would eliminate this loophole, while ensuring protections for agriculture, small businesses, homeowners, and renters.

Since the passage of Prop. 13, spending per student in California has dramatically decreased. The state’s K-12 education quality has followed suit, dropping from 14th in the national rankings to 41st over the past 40 years.

Last week, the coalition was cleared by the Office of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to start collecting the 584,407 signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot. The loophole closure picked up a key endorsement from technology entrepreneur and philanthropist David Bohnett as well, who penned his support in the Mercury News.

Veronica Carrizales, Policy and Campaign Development Director of California Calls, issued this statement following the California State PTA endorsement:

“We are grateful for the support of parents and teachers across California. California State PTA is a dedicated leader advocating for the success of our children and the future of our state. The strength of our movement comes from the dedication of families and communities, and we are proud to welcome the PTA into the fold. I look forward to working with California State PTA and our other partners to build support for this measure.”

For more information on the measure, visit www.SchoolFundingNow.com.