Francisco Rodriguez (third from right), president of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, talks at a press conference Wednesday at the Towers on Green Valley Road about statewide budget rules. (Photo by Tarmo Hannula)

A group of educators and school workers gathered at Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s main office Wednesday to discuss the impacts of budget cuts on education and other programs statewide, and to support a change to state law that would streamline budget changes.

Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers president Francisco Rodriguez said the two-thirds majority vote required to pass a state budget and to approve new revenue sources for schools makes it difficult for lawmakers to pass legislation.

According to Rodriguez, California is one of a few states in the U.S. that require a supermajority vote to approve new taxes.

Rodriguez said the PVFT will submit a resolution to the PVUSD Board of Trustees, which if approved would show district support for a possible measure for the November 2010 ballot that would end the supermajority requirement. If successful, the Legislature will be able to raise taxes through a simple majority vote.



For the complete article see the 11-19-2009 issue.

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