Professors weigh in on pivotal legislation as 2012 election season begins

Nick McNamara nmcnamara.roundupnews@gmail.com

Budget cuts at Pierce College may be looming in upcoming years surrounding the governor’s tax initiative in the upcoming state ballot resulting in more class cuts and possibly accreditation issues according to Pierce professors.

The governor’s tax initiative, Proposition 30, is a proposed tax plan that would implement a 0.25 percent sales tax as well as a 3 to 5 percent raise on income tax on individuals making over $250,000 a year and couples mak- ing over $500,000 a year, Sociology professor

Dr. James McKeever said.

The money from these taxes would go towards K-12 education, the California State University system, the University of California system, the California Community College system, as well as funding to public safety, the police departments and fire departments.

The Sociology professor expressed his support for the initiative citing that passing it would not hurt anyone.

“These people won’t even notice the money is gone,” McKeever said. “As for the sales tax, you’d only get taxed, what, $2.50 on a $1000 purchase?”

McKeever also said that low income families will not be negatively affected based on the fact they purchase low-priced goods.

“It’s not that I’m not concerned about these people,” McKeever said. “It’s just that I’m more concerned about these people not having access to education.”

But McKeever is much more worried about if the initiative does not pass, as is the Academic Senate president, professor Tom Rosdahl.

“Without the passage of Prop[osition] 30, life would get real bad,” Rosdahl said. “It would mean there’d be fewer classes than we have now.”

Fewer classes than now when Pierce has reduced classes already by 20 percent, higher fee costs, and less money for equipment and supplies, the budgets for which are already “unbelievably low,” according to Rosdahl.

Also, in the event the initiative does not pass, Pierce would have to dip into the district reserves to make sure the college meets the state mandated budget based on the number of students Pierce is educating, according to Rosdahl.

[See Prop.30, page 3]