We can put schools, communities first

In addition to being a mother, I am a Christian minister. I love that one of the stories of my Christian faith involves Jesus, as a middle schooler, who got separated from his parents, and when eventually found, was hanging out with teachers, learning and growing. In San Mateo County, and throughout California, we have countless teachers who, like those teachers Jesus encountered, give their time and energy to students of all ages and stages, helping our children grow in wisdom and knowledge.

My children’s teachers, and my teachers decades ago, have done a herculean job even though hobbled by Proposition 13, which severely limits the property taxes we can collect in California. Over the past 40 years, this reduction in property taxes has primarily hurt large, diverse counties over whiter, more affluent counties. This disparity in the educational system affects nearly every area of our communal life. This November we have the opportunity to restore some of the balance to school funding and take steps toward racial justice in California by passing Proposition 15, known as “Schools and Communities First.”

Without increasing property taxes on homeowners and small businesses, Proposition 15 closes tax loopholes that benefit wealthy corporations. By closing these loopholes, we will restore $12 billion in funding to schools and essential services here in San Mateo County and across the state. To reiterate, Proposition 15 will not affect your personal property taxes.

This shift to provide more funding to our schools may be more important than ever. As COVID-19 shut down schools and teachers pivoted to online teaching, we entered a period of crisis learning. Teachers taught while not every student had access to the technology necessary to learn online. Libraries distributed internet hotspots so kids could keep learning. School districts and community organizations quickly figured out how to get meals to students in safe ways. All the while, parents worried about their jobs and whether their students would fall behind, especially in crucial areas like reading and math. As we have sought solutions for the upcoming school year, school boards and district staff have remained limited by over 40 years of inadequate funding.

In the months and years to come, schools and local governments will be called upon to care for students and other vulnerable people as our communities recover from the physical, psychological and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers and school staff will again be asked to do more with less, both in distance learning models and when they return to the classroom. In the long run, however, it does not have to be this way. “Schools and Communities First” begins to restore hundreds of millions of dollars to San Mateo County schools and local governments.

“Schools and Communities First” is a long-term solution to inadequate funding for our schools and local governments. It is a moral statement that California puts people ahead of profits. This isn’t just about our schools, it is about equity for all of us — especially homeowners. Over the last four decades the property tax burden in California has shifted from large businesses to homeowners. We can restore equity to our state.

“Schools and Communities First” is a moral statement that as a state we care for our most vulnerable residents. Let us recognize that education is a public good and that a well-funded school system serves the entire community. This November we can reimagine public education in California. Let us grab hold of this opportunity and create something new together.

The Rev. Katie Goetz serves as pastor of Woodside Road United Methodist Church in Redwood City. She is a member of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort, a group of over 35 religious leaders from diverse traditions working to “leverage moral power for the common good” in San Mateo County.