I know, I know; there’s so much noise surrounding the Proposition E issue. Why should I weigh in? I wrestled with this for long enough, though; thanks for bearing with a blogosphere amateur. A quick administrative note: at the date of writing, I’ve requested that this post allow comments from anyone. But I have a job, and a family, and if the workload that results is more than I can manage, I’ll have to close it to comments.
I truly hate the idea of Proposition E. Why? Because I’m tired of footing the bill for our various governments’ “good ideas.” Doesn’t it seem like there are always fewer dollars than “good ideas”? Now here’s another one, surrounded by more rhetoric than any Coronado ballot initiative I remember.
On the one hand, there’s a loud, vocal, and apparently well-organized movement to support this new parcel tax, with the argument that it’s good for property values; for our quality of life; and for the future of Coronado. Without Proposition E, they argue, we’ll see a decline in Coronado’s admittedly stellar academic performance, resulting in a lower perceived value of living here.
On the other hand, a much smaller, but even more vocal, collection of individuals argues that Prop E should be voted down; it’s too expensive. It’s just the latest attempt by CUSD bureaucrats to pay for their mismanagement. There’s no real way to tell how much it will cost us.
For me, the choice, sadly, is pretty clear. To understand why, you should know a little more about me. I was brought home to Coronado within days of being born. I’ve lived here off & on ever since. A Navy family, we moved around a lot; but Coronado was always home. Even stationed in London, surrounded with the best the world could offer, I couldn’t wait for our summers on A Avenue with my grandparents.
My parents always dreamed of retirement here; that dream never came true. So when my wife & I saw a chance to move our family to Coronado, we turned our lives upside down to make it happen. I left a great job, and took a flyer on an unknown company. We sold our enormous Northern Virginia house on its enormous lot, and squeezed all six of us into a smaller and pricier cottage in this exceptional little town.
But now, Sacramento has turned our exceptional little town into a victim of state-sponsored theft: our own tax dollars are being hijacked to fund the state’s social experiments elsewhere. Cynically, they call this the Local Control Funding Formula. “Local Control”? It’s more like a Remote Control that lets Sacramento zap our tax dollars into other schools’ pockets.
This is the reason why I’m reluctantly voting for Proposition E. Prop E allows the elected officials closest to us both the privilege – and the responsibility – of shepherding these funds. Unlike the enormous, self-motivated Sacramento machine, Prop E actually gives Coronado voters Local Control: if the School Board messes this up, we can replace them. The people responsible for Prop E decisions are as close as the next cart ahead of you at Vons; the next table over at Cafe 1134; or the blanket next to you at the 4th of July parade.
That’s why it breaks my heart to see such reflexive, mindless opposition to Proposition E. People who don’t know this town like I do, who don’t appear to concern themselves with actual solutions, are robotically resisting the only plausible solution to this crisis.
Some of these people claim the school district is being profoundly mismanaged, as though there were a pattern of negligent, “eyes wide shut” spending that could be identified and stopped. It’s a great sound-bite, but I’ve seen absolutely no proof. In fact, working in various volunteer capacities, I’ve seen exactly the opposite; our school district is governed and run by smart, dedicated people who are open to new ideas, eager to understand our community’s multiple points of view, and desperate to avoid the crisis the state has created.
Others in opposition claim Proposition E is some kind of pocket-lining boondoggle. Again, I ask: where’s your proof? The “No on Proposition E” website is full of personal attacks, accusations, and invective; but there’s no factual basis for any of it. Irritatingly, the site puts more emphasis on shock value than substance: the grindingly negative tone reminds me of the “shout shows” I watched in DC.
Finally, for anyone who claims that Proposition E is the wrong solution: I ask you, with the utmost respect, what’s your idea? How are we going to close the budget gap, even as it’s being forced wider and wider by the Local Control Funding Formula? There are some belt-tightening ideas that Prop E opponents are recommending as replacements, but in my judgement, they’ll merely slow the decline, not prevent it. The time to take action is now. What do you propose?
I love this town. I’ve sacrificed a lot to be able to call it my home. And without the peerless schools we’ve all become accustomed to, this will not be the Coronado I remember; it will not be the Coronado the Caseys finally came home to, nearly nine years ago. Take a stand for Coronado: join me in supporting Proposition E.
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