FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 10, 2020
Contact: Maria Mejia, (510) 763-2444 x108, [email protected]
Children Now Endorses Prop. 15 to Generate Increased Investments in Schools and Communities
Oakland, Calif., – Children Now announced today its support for Proposition 15, which will close corporate property tax loopholes to generate billions in investments for California’s schools and local communities – all while protecting homeowners and renters, small businesses, and agriculture.
“California has underfunded education, including child care and preschool, for decades. The passage of Schools and Communities First is a needed step towards adequately funding public education. New revenue is especially required to improve families’ access to quality child care and increase the number of teachers, counselors, school nurses and other professionals at schools, areas where California ranks at the bottom nationally,” said Ted Lempert, president of Children Now.
Research has shown that only 10% of the biggest, most valuable commercial and industrial property owners would generate 92% of the new revenue – illustrating the fact that a fraction of top corporations in the state would finally pay their fair share. Moreover, Schools & Communities First exempts owners of commercial and industrial properties with combined value of $3 million or less and implements vital new small business tax cuts to businesses hardest hit by the pandemic.
It’s clear that Californians overwhelmingly support closing corporate tax loopholes to reclaim investments for their schools and local communities. In addition to PPIC polling showing a 7 point increase in support for the measure between November 2019 and April 2020, polling of the ballot language that voters will see in November showed 58% support from likely California voters.
“Children have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic as child care and schools closed, and connections with a network of caring of adults were cut. This crisis has exacerbated pre-existing inequities in our education system caused by systemic racism, poverty and immigration threats on children,” Lempert said. “This measure is a step toward ensuring children and families have the support they need.”
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Children Now is a non-partisan, whole-child research, policy development and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children’s health and education in California. The organization also leads The Children’s Movement of California, a network of over 4,000 direct service, parent, civil rights, faith-based and community groups dedicated to improving children’s well-being.