Libraries and pre-school.  Wow, is that the best we can come up with?  This election’s statewide ballot measures will go down in election history as 1) the most boring and 2) the most worthless.

The independent library system is one of the least important government institution of this century.  I don’t discount their value in certain communities.  But in your typical middle class community where there is a library at each school site, a (or a network of) city or county library(s) and college or university library(s), I think that makes a few too many librarians.

I have nothing against them.  In fact, I quite enjoyed going to the library as a kid.  Getting my own library card at 6 was a special event.  But times have changed and I no longer have to go to the library on a hot summer day because it is the only place in town with an air conditioner (I am being dramatic–we had air conditioning as a kid). 

I also know that large amounts of research that could once be the done exclusively at ‘the library’ can now be done on ‘the Internet’.  I recognize that not all research resources are available on-line and that there is a value in teaching our youth the traditional methods of study and research, but how about we do a bit of consolidation? 

I propose first that California voters should vote NO on 81–the $600,000,000 library bond measure.  And then we should, on a county by county basis explore the cost savings and service hours advantages of consolidating some libraries.  Perhaps closing independent library systems entirely, in favor of sending some portion of that system’s dollars to help beef-up local school libraries.  I think we might end up with a better product.

Now to the children.  According to just about everyone more than 60% of pre-school aged kids go to pre-school or at least have it available to them.  Most agree that that figure is actually TWO-THIRDS.  And this billion dollar proposal would do several things, but most important to the proponents, it would give about 70% of kids the chance to go to pre-school.  That means at best this is a solution for about 5% of kids who presently have to learn their ABCs the old fashion way–from mom and dad and grandma and grandpa.

I am not going to bother with Reiner bashing–but I highly recommend the South Park episode where they have a field day with him.

But the most important aspect of the whole measure is its tax on the rich.  The wealthy elites are good for ANOTHER 1% and another and another.   Right???

The official YES campaign says:

How is Prop 82’s investment in our kids funded?

Prop 82 has no cost for 99.4% of California taxpayers. Prop 82 does require an additional investment of 1.7% of family income over $800,000 per year or individual income over $400,000. This would return state tax rates to those that prevailed under the leadership of California Governors Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson.

With each passing statewide election and ballot measure that further taxes rich California’s – more and more of them are going to take up official residence somewhere else.

I am not rich but if you want to send your kid to pre-school and can’t afford it, give me a call, I’ll see what I can do.  But don’t vote for Prop. 82.  Rich people own companies and companies employ people and if they are leaving to avoid taxes there are going to be some measure of fewer jobs in this state.

Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday and if you still have your absentee ballot- DELIVER IT BY HAND to your county Registrar of Voters or your local precinct.  Trust me, if you mail it Monday, it probably won’t get to the Registrar in time and it probably won’t be counted.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 4th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.