Coloradans Against Unions Using Kids as Pawns Vote NO Amendment 66

Colorado’s Special Interest Education Industry Their argument: if we’d spend more -Dropout rates would decrease -Test scores would go up -Children would learn better Their solution: raise taxes “for the kids”

Not So Fast…

Colorado’s Schools: Top Heavy Less than half of public school employees are teachers Between 1992 to 2009 – public school administrators has increased 83%, – the number of students increased by only 38% – ROI = stagnant / null In 2009 – students to non-teaching staff 1:15 – student to teacher ratio: 1:17

But Did You Know? Even after the recession, Colorado’s real per- pupil spending has grown in past 10 years Colorado K-12 could save at least $330M/yr just by keeping same ratio of NON-teacher employees to students as 20 years ago Currently, there is a $1.6 Billion balance in State Education Fund

What is Amendment 66? Two-part process: 1.SB (141 pages) Legislation to change the public school funding formula 2.Nov 5. ballot issue needs voter approval to raise estimated $1B annual tax to implement the new funding scheme No cap: Tax collections grow annually as the economy improves

How Much Will You Pay? Redistribution = a two-tier progressive tax rate An estimated 68% of families will see their income taxes increase by 8%. Those earning more than $75,000 (the remaining 32%) will be taxed even more, up to a 27% increase. Is that fair? Taxpayers in some districts will pay substantially more – in some almost twice as much - than they receive for student funding

How Does The Redistribution Work? More $$ for full-day kindergarten and preschool ($250 million/year for paid childcare) More $$ to districts with highest # of at-risk students More $$ to English Language Learners (ELL) More $$ for Special Education Charter schools receive about $1,000 less per student Picks winners and losers – some districts will be required to seek additional tax increases if per pupil falls short of new formula requirements (in addition to the billion dollars a year) Removes local control – Centralizes and directs spending from the state level

Bait & Switch Proposed “reforms” could actually cost more than $1B/yr The Billion Dollar Tax is part of a strategy to repeal TABOR, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights A future voter initiative will be to ban TABOR Repealing TABOR would allow legislators to raise taxes to increase funding for anything, such as public schools or PERA mandates. You would lose your right to vote on how much tax you pay or how it is used.

100+ performance-based reforms were rejected: Tie at-risk student funding to test scores, in order to connect student performance with funding. Senator Scott Renfroe (R-Greeley) Guarantee charter schools full parity in funding. Rep. Kevin Priola (R-Brighton) Raise teacher pay based on performance. Rep. Carole Murray (R-Castle Rock) Doesn’t address tenure; doesn’t address growing burden of paying PERA pensions

More Money Does NOT Equal Reform Ed policy is highly regulated and political. Prioritizes interests of the adults (unions, legislators) over that of our kids

“For The Kids”? The Billion Dollar Tax would enable school districts to work-around required voter approval to pay more tax money for the pensions of government workers. Estimates are that Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) could receive between 20%-50% of the tax increase.

Quick Background on PERA Public Employees Retirement Assoc. $26 billion unfunded liability owed to PERA members PERA pays a Defined Benefit, instead of Defined Contribution A tax increase to directly fund PERA would require a vote. The Billion Dollar Tax is a clever work-around that allows school districts to “substitute” funds from their existing ed budget

The Billion Dollar Tax Unaccountable, Unwise, Unfair It’s wrong to use kids as pawns

Unaccountable Redistribution – ensures no student has any educational advantages over another Not a single reform measure – No measures to reduce class size – No plan to improve test scores – No guarantee of learning resources for students – No performance-based funding Severely limits local control by elected School Boards Encourages “substitution” so school districts can fund PERA without a vote of the people

Unwise – Hurts Families and Kills Jobs Annual hit on taxpayers with no limit as to how much may be collected if the economy improves Small businesses owners will have a greater burden if their taxable income exceeds $75K Less money for businesses to create jobs; less money for household budgets; no guarantees that students learn more or better

Unfair Will your tax dollars even go to your kid? Taxes from one school district are given to another using funding formulas crafted by bureaucrats in Denver – Example: Jefferson County has 10% of the State's pupils, but would receive back only 7.8% of the new tax they pay. That's a negative -2.2% outcome. – Denver has 9.5% of the State's pupils and would receive 16.4% of the new taxes. Benefit: + 6.9% How much more can you afford to give to government? We’ve heard this before: “Trust us with more of your money, and we’ll fix the education system.”

Where Does the Money Go? Into a new State Education Fund Controlled by an appointed, not elected, board Funding based on weighted student counts Changes how students are counted – English Language Learner can be double-counted as at-risk student and weighted more in an urban v. suburban school Redistribution is key to the funding formula – For every new tax dollar JeffCo citizens pay, local JeffCo schools get only 56 cents in funding

A Blank Check Largest-ever tax increase in Colorado history A progressive tax: those earning more, pay more No guarantees that kids will learn more Only needs to be approved one time Recurring annual tax increase There is no cap on how much can be collected

You Can Choose to Help! Vote No on the Billion Dollar Tax on Nov. 5th Donate securely online Volunteer for our Speakers Bureau Talk with your friends, family, neighbors and co- workers about why this bait-and-switch redistribution scheme is unaccountable, unwise, and unfair for Colorado

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I’m a No Vote on 66 Coloradans Against Unions Using Kids as Pawns Ask me why