FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Butler
916.505.6602, cell
dbutler@leed.org
LEED BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECLARES PUBLIC EDUCATION STATE’S TOP FUNDING PRIORITY
CALLS FOR TWO-YEAR REVENUE EXTENSIONS, TWO-YEAR BUDGET CYCLE
The employer and education leaders who comprise the LEED board of directors recently declared that adequate, consistent and sustained funding for California’s public education system, from pre-school through graduate school, is critical to ensuring the employers and residents of California and California’s Capital Region are prepared to compete and succeed in economy of the 21st Century.
In a letter to Governor Brown, and copied to state and regional legislative leaders, the LEED board expressed gratitude to Brown for restoring funding to the K-12 system as part of the May Revise, while remaining concerned about California’s continued financial support for public education, including K-12, community colleges and university systems.
At their May 18 meeting, the LEED board of directors approved the following position, with respect to California’s ongoing financial support of public education and state’s fiscal policy in general:
- Investment in California’s system of public education system (P-20) is critical to ensure California’s future economic competitiveness.
- Funding for California’s public education system must be one of the state’s few core priorities.
- California’s public education system needs and deserves an adequate and stable source of revenue to enhance planning, budgeting and operational effectiveness.
- LEED opposes a cuts only budget
- LEED supports extending revenue sources for two years
- LEED proposes the following reforms in California’s budget and legislative process:
o Immediately implement a two year-budget cycle
o Instruct the legislature to use the off year for legislative oversight to scrutinize state agency budgets and operations
o Implement zero based budgeting for all state agencies other than education
“The employer and education leaders who comprise the board of directors of LEED encourage Governor Brown and our legislative leaders from both political parties to consider these recommendations and develop a balanced resolution to California’s current fiscal and economic challenge,” noted Leroy Tripette, LEED board chair and Director of Public Affairs for Intel’s Folsom campus.
“Members of the LEED board believe that these recommendations provide two essential elements for responsible governance: stability and accountability,” noted David Butler, LEED’s CEO. “A two year revenue extension and a two year budget cycle provide greater stability for funding and planning, while ensuring voters can scrutinize the result and our elected leaders can properly review agency budgets and operations.”
To strengthen its collective voice and action, the LEED board of directors has expanded its membership to include employers and education leaders from all six counties in the Sacramento region, and formalized as the Capital Area P-20 Council. In acknowledging this critical step, California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, noted that, as the Capital Area P-20 Council, “LEED is a model collaborative partnership and key to advancing education objectives to further state and regional economic objectives.” The communication to Brown and legislative leaders is LEED’s first formal action as the Capital Area P-20 Council. LEED – Linking Education and Economic Development is the premiere employer-education partnership serving the six-county Sacramento region. LEED’s board of directors acts as the Capital Area P-20 Council and is comprised of leaders in business, labor and education, including K-12, community college and university. LEED’s role is to ‘align education to meet regional workforce needs.”
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