Where are YOU doing?

Jorge Cruz

S. Knapp
English 2
October 14^th, 2012

Where are YOU going?

                In these up and coming elections taking place in November many big changes will be decided upon within them there is a hidden one called Proposition 30. As for those who do not know Prop 30 is brought up by our Governor Jerry Brown. The action it will take if it passes is increasing sales tax .25% and 1%-3% on income taxes for those who make $250,000 or as a family make over $500,000 annually in California. Although increases in taxes sound intimidating it is for the greater good, education, proposition 30 passing will greatly benefit students from K-12^th grade and those in colleges and CSU`s.
                Proposition 30 passing, as I have mentioned, would increase sales tax but for four years and income tax for seven years. The money gained from that will be split. 89% would go to K-12<sup>th</sup> grade and 11% for colleges. But what would happen to the education system if 30 does not pass considering it specifically benefits education?  Education will take a huge hit financially. As a result of 30 not passing, there will be  $6 billion in budget cuts. Out of those $6 billion the majority of that money ($5.5 billion) will be cut from K-12<sup>th</sup> grade, CSU`s get cut $250 million. While classes get cut from CSU`s, staff and other employees get laid off. Let us not forget:  tuition fees will increase. Over the last decade tuition fees have increased dramatically by 300% and just 9% this last fall continuously making it difficult for students to pay off tuition, classes and for other school essentials.
                As a current student in Cabrillo College paying for school with money out of my own pocket, I personally believe tuition fees are high enough as it is and honestly fear facing what would happen if Prop 30 does not pass. For those who do not know CSU students alone will have to pay up to $150 more in tuition than what they are already paying to get in, but “[i]f Proposition 30 passes, CSU and UC campuses will receive $125 million from the state, and CSU trustees will rescind a 9-percent tuition increase that took effect this fall.” (CSU Board) Community college students alone used to pay $26 per unit in the spring of 2010, now in the fall of 2012 it has being raised to $46 per unit. Prop 30 will keep these prices from rising any longer and assures stability for CSU`s and colleges as well keeping three weeks of schools being cut from the K-12^th grade. Aside from the budgets cuts, our schools current shape is not in the best condition. Good teachers have been laid off, might be laid off and will be laid off because of cuts from the past and those coming up in the future. Think of the condition of our schools in the long run. While education is being stripped of the money it needs continuously , what does the future for education look like? Its shape? The progress it will have in shaping kids for the future? The impression it will leave on your kids?
                 I work part time during the school year but that has begun to get more and more ridiculously challenging as the classes I enroll in require more time to be spent on homework, studying the material for tests and yet manage to get a good amount of sleep, all while being a full-time student. Most of what I earn goes to paying off my tuition and the rest covers the expenses of the essential school materials such as books, supplies and transportation. 30 will do so much good for thousands of students and I by keeping classes from being cut. I have not experienced having a class that I require to take being cut, but for those who have it must have been a huge setback in their career plan. Devastating in fact because there would be higher demand for classes that have limited open spaces for students. I would not want to face that struggle if 30 does not pass. The way things are currently is already difficult for many students. The failure of 30 passing would completely crush their and my own will of continuing on with college. Prices increasing, classes being cut, limited space, programs eliminated, and overall the thought of having restrictions with what we can do as students to progress. I can`t imagine how frustrating it would be. What I expect to feel or happen is having lost the essence of time by working more than usual by trying to find a second job to cover for my expenses. Most importantly: the loss of hours to that would be spent on homework. Determined to continue on with school my hours of sleep will disintegrate as they will be sacrificed to be spent on homework. 

                 As we all know taxes have been increased for the past decade multiple times, and it is being raised again with 30. Just the thought of it may drive fear into people.  Small business owners worry about how they will be affected over the course of the next four years. Rest assure though sales tax will only increase .25%, that being 25 cents for each $100. Next is the “unfairness” going on with California`s top 3%. Why should they, who make so much money, have to pay more taxes? Even though they may be rich and pay for school for their own children already 30 basically wants to tax them more to get money to schools. They argue because they are so successful, what makes it right to tax them more? In the online article “The Reactionary Essence of California`s Proposition 30” the author David Brown says “[t]he income tax on those making over $250,000 does not ultimately change the character of Prop 30 as anti-working class. The wealthiest layers of society have at their disposal countless loopholes and ways of avoiding taxes. As noted by the California Budget Project, the poorest fifth of California’s families pay 10.2 percent of their household income on state and local taxes, while the top 1 percent pay only 7.4 percent of their income.” If we speak of this being unfair for them the reality lies in how the unfairness lies upon the middle and lower class paying more taxes than the top 3%.

              I`d like to think of Prop 30 as a temporary, but at the same time a start to improve our education system and its shape in the future. Instead of issuing cuts in education, the students of whichever grade he or she may be in, school they attend to, will benefit from it greatly. As for the time being, if Proposition 30 passes imagine the faces of the thousands of students thanking you for this opportunity to continue with school and education in their career of choice without the struggles they would have faced if Prop 30 didn`t pass. I imagine being asked “where are you going?” And responding with a bright smile “i`m going to school.” 

First Draft Essay #1

Jorge Cruz

S. Knapp

English 2

October 7^th, 2012

                In these up and coming elections taking place in November many big changes will be occurring nationwide, of course, decided by the people. Many of these grand changes include the election of a new president or the re-election of our current one, but there`s a hidden one specifically for California which is Proposition 30. As for those who do not know what the intentions of Prop 30 are, it is to increase sale taxes for about a quarter of a cent and 1%-3% for income taxes for those who make $250,000 or as a family make over $500,000 annually. Although increases in taxes sound intimidating it is for the greater good, education, proposition 30 passing will greatly benefit students from K-12<sup>th</sup> grade and those in colleges and CSU`s.

                Proposition 30 if passed, as I have mentioned, would increase sales tax by a quarter of a cent for four years, it would also increase 1%-3% tax for those who make $250,000 annually for seven years. The money gained from that will be split 89% would go to K-12^th grade and the remaining 11% for colleges. But what would happen to the education system if Prop 30 doesn`t pass considering it specifically benefits education? Taxes will remain the way they are but on the other hand education will take a huge hit financially wise. As a result of Prop 30 not passing there will be a $6 billion in budget cuts. Out of those $6 billion the majority of that money $5.5 billion will be cut from K-12<sup>th</sup> grade, CSU`s get cut $250 million. While classes get cut from CSU`s, staff and other employees get laid off. Let us not forget:  tuition fees will increase. Over the last decade tuition fees has increased dramatically by 300% and just 9% this last fall continuously making it difficult for students to pay off tuition, classes and for other school essentials.

                As a current student in Cabrillo College paying for school with money out of his own pocket, I personally believe tuition fees are high enough as it is and honestly fear facing what would happen if Prop 30 does not pass. For those who do not know CSU students alone will have to pay up to $150 more in tuition than what they are already paying to get in, but “[i]f Proposition 30 passes, CSU and UC campuses will receive $125 million from the state, and CSU trustees will rescind a 9-percent tuition increase that took effect this fall.” (Abc) Community college students alone used to pay $26 per unit in the spring of 2010, now in the fall of 2012 it has being raised to $46 per unit. Prop 30 will keep these prices from rising any longer and assures stability for CSU`s and colleges as well keeping three weeks of schools being cut from the K-12^th grade. As long as Pro 30 passes it relieves stress from other students and I financially who are under the same situation or relate to it.

Working part time during the school year has begun to get more and more difficult as the classes I enroll in requires more time spent on homework, studying the material for tests and yet manage to get a good amount of sleep to show up to class well rested while being a full-time student. When it comes to money most of what I make goes to paying off tuition, the other majority covers the expenses of the essentials such as books, school supplies and transportation. More importantly what proposition 30 does for many students and I is keeping classes from being cut, I have not experienced having a class that I require to take being cut, but for those who have it must have been a huge setback. Devastating in fact because there would be higher demand for a class that has now limited space for students, I would not want to face that struggle. The way things are currently is difficult for many students; with the failure of prop 30 passing it would completely crush even my own will of continuing on with college because of the prices rising, classes being cut, less space for students, programs being eliminated, overall it is just the thought of having restrictions with what we can do as students such as the amount of attempts we can have in repeating a course.

As we all know taxes have been increased for the past decade multiple times, it being raised again with Proposition 30 may drive fear into people.  Small business owners worry about how they will be affected over the course of the next four years with the sales tax increase and with the seven years the income tax increase will stay in place. Rest assure though sales tax will only increase .25% although it doesn`t seem like much being about a 25 cents for each $100. Then there is the “unfairness” going on with California`s top 3%. Why should they, who make so much money, have to pay more taxes? Even though they may be rich and pay for school for their own children Prop 30 basically messages them that they would be paying for school for the many other students out there because they earn over $250,000 annually. There is that argument that because they are so successful, what makes it right for them to pay more in taxes? In the online article The reactionary essence of California`s Proposition 30 the author David Brown says “[t]he income tax on those making over $250,000 does not ultimately change the character of Prop 30 as anti-working class. The wealthiest layers of society have at their disposal countless loopholes and ways of avoiding taxes. As noted by the California Budget Project, the poorest fifth of California’s families pay 10.2 percent of their household income on state and local taxes, while the top 1 percent pay only 7.4 percent of their income.” If we speak of this being unfair for them the reality lies in how the unfairness lies upon the middle and lower class paying more taxes than the top 3%.

                

Proposal

Title:

Author: Jorge Cruz

Date: 9/30/2012

Topic: Vote for Prop 30

Exigence: If Prop 30 fails to pass there will be major budget cuts for education.

Intended Audience: Non-Voters, Voters, Undecided Voters, Students and the uninformed.

Purpose: Explain, inform and persuade the intended audience to vote “Yes” on Prop 30.

Claim: If Prop 30 does not pass there will be budget cuts of around $5 billion for schools which will make it difficult for students to continue on in schools and face new hardships.

Writer`s Strategy #1: The logical reasoning I will use in my op-ed is including facts that will defend Proposition 30 such as: the education system getting a $5.5 billion budget cut for those in the K-12<sup>th</sup> grade, higher educational schools like colleges and CSU`s raising tuition fees which will make it incredibly more difficult for both continuing and new students. Prices are high enough already and if they are increased students will face economic hardships which in return will make them lose interest or their confidence in continuing on because they will face that economic struggle.

Readers Effect #1: I hope that the readers understand how this will affect the future of schools, using Aristotle`s Logos I will explain the hardships schools and students will face if Prop 30 doesn`t pass.

Writer`s Strategy #2: As a student currently working on getting a permit to be here in the United States and also going along the path of getting citizenship I struggle with paying off each semester for the classes I take and the books necessary to buy for classes. I work part time now and as school starts I get fewer hours, the money I earn goes mostly all into materials and paying off each semester with money out of my own pocket. Financial aid isn`t an option because I can`t apply, scholarships help, yet if Prop 30 doesn`t pass tuition and the prices for each unit of a class will increase it won`t as easy any longer. I started out as a full time student being able to pay for about 15 units to now only managing to be able to pay about 9 units including books and other school materials along with transportation.

Readers Effect #2: I will be using Pathos to show the audience and share information about what I am facing and will be facing if Prop 30 doesn`t pass, along with the fact that I am not the only student who will be having it difficult since there are many others who it will affect much more. Prop 30 passing will be a huge relief for us students.

Writer`s Strategy #3: As a student paying for his college education with money out of his own pocket it is difficult to continue own if prices are increased. With the many others that will face this crisis if Prop 30 doesn`t pass eventually they will become discouraged wondering if they should continue on with school. It`s a fight going on within our minds, to stay in school and continue on, face the hardships head on for which in the end it will be worth it. Will it really? Discouragement from knowing that if Prop 30 doesn`t pass and having classes cut and having fewer spots for students in classes is an extremely rough problem they will have.

Readers Effect #3: I hope that by sharing experience as a continuing student, using Aristotle`s Ethos, the audience will know exactly how devastating life will be for students and the conditions schools with have in Prop 30 does not pass. In return, will hopefully be an eye opener for the audience to vote “Yes” on prop 30 for they will, by making that choice, be helping out students in such an incredible way. 

Annotated Bibliography.

Brown, David. "The Reactionary Essence of California's Proposition 30." World Socialist Web Site. International    Committee of the Fourth International, 7 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/sep2012/prop-s08.shtml>.

                In this article by David Brown he discusses about Proposition 30, which is a series of taxincreases being pushed by our own Governor Jerry Brown onto the ballot this November. Brown explains that Prop. 30 is basically going to increase taxes 1 to 3 percent on people who make over $250,000 annually as well increasing sales tax. Jerry Brown, in order to get Prop. 30 passed, says Brown “[b]rown is holding the state’s school system hostage . . . it would trigger $6 billion in cuts, $5 billion of which would come from education.” The problem with Prop 30 is that those wealthy people making over a quarter million can find loopholes to avoid paying those taxes and to prove this statement Brown includes this statistic “[a]s noted by the California Budget Project, the poorest fifth of California’s families pay 10.2 percent of their household income on state and local taxes, while the top 1 percent pay only 7.4 percent of their income.”

Coupal, Jon. "Spending Taxpayer Dollars to Push Prop. 30 Is Illegal. Los Angeles Daily News. Howard   Jarvis Taxpayers Association, 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Sept. 2012.   <http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_21585612/jon-coupal-spending-taxpayer-dollars-push-prop-30>.

      This article points out ironic and questionable actions done by our Governor Jerry Brown and his approach towards Prop 30. Coupal explains how Brown wanted Prop 30 to show up first on the ballot in this upcoming November, yet he Coupal explains how Browns actions and “other silly deeds of state government seem designed to give California voters every reason to vote no.” His overall message is stating if Governor Brown secretly doesn`t want Prop 30 to pass. Meanwhile this is going on, Coupal informs tax backers that money (from taxes for state parks), just about $54 million, was kept hidden by the California parks department. And yet they had the nerve to threaten to close 70 parks (probably saying how they were short on money to keep them maintained) with that much money being kept secretly? At the end of this article UC’s and CSU’s have been sending letters home to applicants with the hidden message of telling them to vote “Yes” on Prop 30 by stating that if it doesn`t pass they are quite unsure if they will be able to take many students in because of the budget cuts.

"CSU Board Approves Contingency Plan for Proposition 30." Abclocal.go.com. Abc.com, 19 Sept. 2012. Web.         23 Sept. 2012. <http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=8816873>.

                This article by Abc news brings up the topic of what will happen if Prop 30 doesn`t pass. The main issue they bring up is if it fails to pass, they (the board) will increase tuition fee’s up to about $125 more for each semester. As they all came to this agreement and approve this plan it leaves many people without a choice but other than just vote “Yes” on Prop 30. Just like Jon Coupal was informing people on how UC’s and CSU’s have been sending out letters to applicants, in this article they bring up the same issue but CSU officials have been denying that their hidden message is to convince people to vote “Yes” on Prop 30.

RR#1: Idiot Nation

     In Michael Moore`s Idiot Nation, written in 2002, he discusses the many and important problems that affect our education system and schools conditions along with the thought that sticks to the reader throughout this work “what are our superiors thinking?” He is an insightful man, like him or dislike him Moore attacks the school systems and educational priority standing in this country with the question “do you feel like you live in a nation of idiots?” Backing up that question are his intellectual knowledge of education and his own personal school life experiences.
     A nation of idiots is what goes through our mind while we read this, is it everyone or just a specific group of people? Moore hones in specifically on politicians and just about everyone who complains about the way our schools are and the state of American education. He defends teachers, although knowing there are probably some bad ones, believing they should be praised for making their career the one who will eventually be preparing our kids for the world outside of those walls instead of being criticized and looked down upon. A talk host, Fred Barns, is one of these people that Moore put to shame. Barns said “these kids don`t even know what The Iliad and The Odyssey are!” That following morning Moore called him and asked if he himself knew what those two epic stories were, Barns responded “Well, they`re . . . uh . . . you know . . . uh.” As for the politicians saying how our education is falling behind from many other countries, you are the very ones who refuse to fund education!
     Moore`s personal school experience started out, like with many other kids I imagine, exciting, except for Moore who had hit a brick wall already knowing how to read and write which is what you begin to learn in the first grade. Disliking being forced to stay put in the first grade class after his mother rejected the teachers offer to skip him to the second grade he grew bored of school. That continued on to his high school years where one of his biggest triumphs took place, becoming the boss of his own principal after winning a campaign to be become the school board’s president with the slogan “Fire the high school principal and assistant principal!” Going into college he took an unexpected decision to drop out after not being able to find a parking spot. My own school experiences can`t compare to Moore`s very much other than having that feeling of being a subservient student, in which I just went along with being the carefree person I tend to be.
     Overall, I feel that Moore is for schools and schooling even after his own experience.  This “Idiot Nation” has to be an eye opener for the many others who have not realized what is truly going on with our education and schools.  Although Moore doesn`t come out flat and say it straightforward that our education is important and should be one of our highest priorities to maintain working with great results schools should not have high budget cuts, such as that of Bush’s proposal of cutting $39 million off of libraries down to $168 million. What is he thinking? How can anyone complain about school results while they know schools are getting budget cuts that keep and have kept increasing since the date this was released in 2002? Even so, as a college student, for us and the many others we should keep moving forward. After all, school is about struggle, survival, defeat and achieving victory.

Week One

     The article “The reactionary essence of California’s Proposition 30” discussed the issues of California’s own Governor Jerry Brown is taking on November, adding on the ballot as Proposition 30 an increase of taxes for the working class. The main course of action it will take, if passed, is a small increase in sale taxes and as it is mentioned in the article “an increase in the income tax rate of between 1 and 3 percent for annual incomes over $250,000.” The bright side to this is that if it is passed it would mean the state will generate about $6 billion each year. But since there is a bright side, there must be a bad side to it as well. Brown, in order to get Prop. 30 passed, is taking the risk of holding California schools as the first thing that will be greatly affected if Prop. 30 doesn`t pass. By “greatly affected” they mean that incase of Prop. 30 not passing there will be a $6 billion in cuts, the majority of that tremendous amount of money will be cut from education. Statistics showed that since 2008 over $18 billion has been cut from k through 12th grades education. The author David Brown then continues to go on addressing the topic of how the wealthy people have ways to find loopholes to not pay their taxes in full, the example he gives for that is "the poorest fifth of California's families pay 10.2 percent of their household income on state and local taxes, while the top 1 percent pay 7.4 of their income."

                Education has taken a turn to where people begin to doubt if schools are doing their jobs properly in educating and preparing their students for the world outside of the school walls. We, the general public, people on television, authors and sometimes those in politics seem to not understand what the truth behind failing schools really are. Most of us tend to blame the teachers, we think or say “the teachers are bad,” “they are not doing their jobs properly,” and as Michael Moore includes in his work Idiot Nation “You`ve got to wonder about teachers who claim to put the interests of children first – and then look to milk the system dry through wage hikes.” (New York Post, 12/26/00) Moore expands his thoughts of this nation being “Idiots” throughout his work, going from speaking about T.V host Fred Barns making remarks about students not knowing things  such as “These kids don`t even know what The Iliad and The Odyssey are!”  When he himself doesn`t know what they are about. Later on Moore questions education itself, using the fact that a multiple choice high school level question test was given  556 students that attended high prestigious universities had 50 percent of them fail it. Out of the 34 questions, he said only one student got them all right. Throughout this reading Moore mentions politicians numerous times, how they themselves aren`t as “smart” as they seem to be and want the kids of the future generations to be. He includes a small 10 question quiz near the end which he firmly believes that the political leaders wouldn`t even score 50 percent on. Moore says “the ultimate irony in all of this is that the very politicians who refuse to fund education in America adequately re the same ones who go ballistic over how our kids have fallen behind the Germans, the Japanese, and just about every country.”  With budgets cut on education the school system isn`t as great as shape as it used to be, the money they get now is from advertisement from several different companies varying from Coca-Cola, Burger King, and even pictures of FOX TV personalities. Overall, Moore has a point in how this is an “Idiot Nation. Not because we are stupid, but for our actions in how we approach and affect our education system which should be one of the most important things throughout the country! In the end he advises students to take a stand, speak up and make the most and do what you think should be done to make this a better experience for you and the rest of us. 

     

Prop. 30

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/sep2012/prop-s08.shtml