State Representative Tim O'Brien

Education Funding Petition:

Feel free to join in the call for increased state funding for our local schools...

To all state leaders,

The time has come for the state to fulfill its responsibility to fund education, to ensure quality local schools and lower property taxes.

Sincerely,

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The State Constitution requires that the State ensure that every kid get a quality education, But, rather than providing funding for education for education, the State has pushed too much of the responsibility onto local governments...and local governments have to use property taxes to fund schools.

The State has long had the goal of funding at least 50% of the cost of education. But, it does not provide even this modest goal. In fact the amount the state actually provides is less than 40% of the cost of funding our local schools.

The results are that class sizes are increasing - harming the quality of education - and property taxes are going up.

The State can do something about it. For example, if the State simply asked the wealthiest people in the state to pay the same tax rate that middle class families pay (counting the property, sales and income taxes), there would be enough money to greatly increase state funding for education.

Regardless of the exact solution that is passed, something must be done to ensure that the quality of our local schools goes up... and without excessive property taxes.