California November 2022 Ballot - Prop 28

Proposition 28 is a proposal that does not institute any new taxes. It designates a portion of the budget for education to classes in arts and music education. As someone who attended public school in California before Proposition 13 was passed, I was fortunate to have been part of those programs at every level of my education. I imagine that a good portion of who I am was fostered in those classes, especially learning to play an instrument (or three). I fully support the idea of providing music and arts eduation in the public school.

That being written, I am voting no on Proposition 28. Why? A simple reason. My support for these types of courses in the public school is not as strong as my opposition to unfunded mandates. That is exactly what Prop 28 is. An unfunded mandate.

Congress does this to states all the time. Requires them to institute programs without providing the funds to pay for those programs.

Without increasing the budget for education, one wonders what programs will be slashed to pay for the $800 million to $1 billion being earmarked for arts and music classes? Sports programs? Those have their place as well. Sciences, math, English, history?

Write a proposition that earmarks funds for arts and music education that does not require cutting funding for other programss. Propositions that fund the programs/earmarks they propose.

I am voting No on Proposition 28.