On Tuesday Nov. 6, California voters will be asked to decide on the most important measure this election; the fate of the education system hangs in the balance.

The Channels urges you vote yes on Proposition 30 on the Election Day ballot.

The proposition is Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to raise an estimated $6 billion a year in state revenue through a four-year, quarter-cent sales tax increase and a seven-year tax increase on the income of those who make more than $250,000 a year.

If the proposal fails, City College faces a cut of over 200 sections, a loss of over 1,000 students in enrollment, a loss of on-campus student jobs, further reduction of critical support staff and additional cuts to critical student support services. In total, nearly $6 billion will be cut from the budgets of the state’s public schools and universities.

City College has suffered enough budget cuts in the recent years and only the success of Prop 30 keeps that trend from continuing.

The number of sections the college has offered has been drastically reduced, it’s harder than ever to get into the classes needed to transfer or graduate. Full-time faculty positions aren’t being replaced, classified staff isn’t being replaced and student worker salaries are at an all time low.

Support for Prop 30 has dropped below 50 percent in the recent weeks and it’s going to take a surge of undecided voter support to pass the measure. The proposals failure would trigger a series of cuts to a variety of state programs, with K-12 and higher education colleges receiving the worst of it.

The cuts need to stop.

Those who oppose Prop 30 say there is no guarantee the extra revenue will go to schools, that schools don’t even need the extra money, that this is just another legislative gimmick to put more money in the pockets of Sacramento politicians who will squander it.

There is no doubt that the California Government deserves to be criticized for their mishandling of state funds in the past.

However, instead of voting “no” to stick it to the politicians, vote “yes” to save an education system that sorely needs a pick-me up. Talk to an informed student, faculty member or administrator at any California community college to understand how much we need this measure to pass.

City College has set up next year’s budget in anticipation of the proposal failing, we are planning for the worst. If it passes, the college’s revenue will increase by a $4.6 million workload reduction and by $600,000 in available growth and restoration. If the act fails, revenue will remain constant, but expenditures will be reduced, resulting in a $600,000 loss.

More importantly, the college won’t be forced to make any more significant cuts for the foreseeable future.

Don’t confuse Proposition 30 with Proposition 38, which only benefits K-12 and delivers no money to public colleges and universities. Vote no on 38.

California education may be too wounded to survive another round of cuts.

City College may be too wounded.

Prop 30 stops the bleeding. Vote yes.