Today, Maple Grove Elementary School PTA approved a resolution to endorse Proposition 103. Thank you to them, and everyone, for the continued support. Together, we can help pass Proposition 103.

This November Coloradans will have the opportunity to stop short-sighted and irresponsible cuts to our schools by passing Proposition 103, the “Bright Colorado” Initiative.

Proposed by State Senator Rollie Heath, ― Proposition 103 would restore state income, corporate and
sales taxes to their 1999 levels for the benefit of education:

• Corporate income tax and personal income tax rates would increase from 4.63% to 5%.
• The state sales tax rate would increase from 2.9% to 3%.
• The initiative would raise an anticipated $532 million per year.
• The new funds would go toward preventing further cuts to education — preschool

… Read more »

Join Reps. Max Tyler, Andy Kerr, Sue Schafer and Sens. Cheri Jahn and Evie Hudak for their “Budget Listening Tour” – an opportunity for Jeffco residents to provide feedback and share their ideas, concerns, and suggestions about the state’s challenging budget situation.
Saturday, March 19th, 9-10:30am at Golden City Hall, 911 10th St, Golden, CO 80401.

Last night Adams 12 parents, teachers, students and others gathered to mourn the loss of education funding. More here.

Jeffco Schools is cutting $39.9 million and pulling another $35 million out of reserves, but click here to see a plan to cut funding even more…

Click here to listen.

In case you missed Tuesday night’s community discussion, click here to view coverage.

Colorado is facing a $1.1 billion dollar shortfall in the 2011-12 year. K-12 education has been slated to take a $375 million cut below the minimum funding requirement, approximately $500 per pupil. How do other states compare? Education Week reports:

1. Alaska – expanding scholarship program, NO K-12 reduction
2. Arkansas – 2% INCREASE to foundation or base amount, a 3.7% INCREASE from previous year
3. Arizona – INCREASING funding by $519 million from previous year
4. California – NO reductions in K-12, also going to voters for tax extensions
5. Idaho – INCREASING funding for… Read more »

On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, Carol Hedges, Director of the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, will provide concerned Jeffco citizens, business owners and civic leaders critical insight into the efficiency and adequacy of spending and taxation in Colorado. Along with a panel of Jeffco leaders, we’ll explore what we can do to ensure the future prosperity of our Jeffco community. We need engaged citizens, business owners and civic leaders to rally around a commonsense approach – one based on facts – to develop solutions and take action. We hope you will join us in this conversation, and we look forward to… Read more »

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Colorado PTA, I am writing to urge your help in defeating three measures on November’s ballot that are certain to harm our ability to provide essential programs and services to Coloradans. They would also push Colorado’s economy further into recession by cutting 70,000 more jobs – mainly in transportation, healthcare, and construction – in addition to 110,000 already lost. With regard to education these three ballot initiatives that would reduce spending for public services, including education even further.

Amendments 60, 61, and Proposition 101 would create an unprecedented $4.2 billion deficit at… Read more »