Money, Smoke, and Mirrors

By James A. Cramer

Votes are usually bought.

Special interest people and groups give a lot to candidates. Voting is influenced through individual mailings (expensive, sometimes costing $50,000 or more), special interest group literature, phone bank calling, lawn and highway signs, precinct walking, and slate mailings.

The general public wants the best functioning schools their tax dollars can buy. However, what they hear is that there is not enough money and that the public should okay more. So, what is enough money? There is never enough:

Last year the Sacramento City Unified School District spent over $10,000 per regular student and the average teacher made about $300 a day. When money is available it is most often funneled into salaries. When negotiated salary contracts are already in place, attempts to create good new programs are often made. However, such programs are generally done away with when teacher contracts expire. Then renewed pressure is put on board members to again increase salaries. As a result what we get is a continually stripped down and inadequate educational system.

Most voters are unaware of the size of educational budgets, how their tax dollars are being spent, or the agendas of those who control the money. Generally the people close to the problem would rather the public was not aware of these dynamics.

We need people on the school board who will serve the public and not buckle to special interest and who will support programs that are good for kids and the community. I am pledged to the creation and keeping of good programs regardless of special interest pressures.