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COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT TRUSTEES VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO OPPOSE THE “VOUCHER INITIATIVE” (PROPOSITION
38)
The Coast Community College District board of trustees, at their September 20 regular meeting, took action on a
Resolution pertaining
to Proposition 38.
The Resolution, prepared and provided at the expense of
the Board’s vice president, Walter Howald, was adopted by unanimous vote. Given the potential
negative financial impact of the “Voucher Initiative” for community colleges, Coast board members
determined it was appropriate to join educators statewide in expressing
opposition.
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CONTACT:
Joanne Rose-Johnson
Public Affairs Director
(714) 438-4605
October 6, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Copy by Laurie Camody
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Coast Board President Jerry Patterson expressed serious
concern over the ballot measure, stating, “Prop 38 is misleading to voters, and
has serious financial consequences for public institutions.” Specifically, the Proposition calls
for providing $4,000 for the estimated 700,000 current private school students,
which will require nearly $3 billion, while at the same time
provides no funding source for this purpose.
An analyst’s opinion, presented by Tina Bruning, president of the Coast
Federation of Educators, states that Proposition 38 will undo the guarantee of
Proposition 98 funding to community colleges, and this is cause for alarm among
concerned educators.
Proposition 38, the “Voucher Initiative,” is on the
November ballot for voter consideration.
The measure is intended to provide vouchers to parents so that they may choose to send their children to public or private schools. Proponents believe this can be
accomplished without a tax increase. Opponents say it is unlikely to increase choice for
public school students, given the potential number of available seats in
private schools, and therefore, will only increase the tax burden to the tune
of billions of dollars with no increase in accountability or results.
Educators express concern that they will educate
approximately the same number of students, but with fewer dollars. Community college districts,
providing an affordable option to students of all ages to ensure equal access to educational
opportunities, are particularly concerned about loss of funding to fulfill
their critical mission.
Copies of the Board’s adopted resolution may be obtained
in the District’s Public Affairs Office at 1370 Adams Avenue in Costa Mesa,
(714) 438-4605.
The Coast Community
College District, the fourth largest community college district in the nation
in credit enrollment, comprises Coastline Community College headquartered in Fountain Valley, Golden West College and
KOCE-TV located in Huntington Beach,
and Orange Coast College located in Costa Mesa.
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