California’s deficit has totaled to a staggering $15.7 billion, leaves public education susceptible to more cuts; but if passed, Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax initiative will offer mild relief to public education’s chronic financial problems.

In an effort to provide public education and the state with some relief, Brown and the California Federation of Teachers proposed what some people are calling the “millionaires tax,” to help bring money to the state.

The proposed tax initiative would increase income tax on single filers making over $250,000 a year, and households making over $500,000 a year for seven years, while also increasing sales tax by a quarter of a cent. The tax initiative is estimated to make $9 billion in its first year, of which about $8 billion would come from the increased income tax, according to Courage Campaign, an online multi-issue advocacy organization. 

If Brown’s tax initiative does not pass the November ballot, deeper cuts will be made to California’s public education.

“If the governor’s tax initiative doesn’t pass, the level of cuts to services and classes campuswide will truly be devastating,” said Academic Senate President Karen Chow. “Among these cuts, De Anza may lose 10 or more full-time counselors, as well as the Assessment Office, and drastically reduced services in Financial Aid and Outreach. If the tax initiative does pass, it still won’t be enough to protect California public education from budget cuts.” 

The Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees notified De Anza of possible budget difficulties for the 2013-14 school year. The last time the college received notification to prepare for possible budget difficulties for the school years from 2011 to 2013, the college actually had to follow through with a planned $7 million deficit. 

The Instructional Planning and Budget Team is already planning for a $5 million decrease solely for instruction. Because of the threatened budget deficit, the IPBT will be forced to cut fundamental programs for De Anza students.

The Community College League released an estimated Statewide Budget Impact so that each Community College district can have an estimation of their school’s budget with and without passing the tax initiative. With the apportionment cuts made statewide, there will be an estimated loss of 61,700 full time enrolled community college students in California. For the Foothill-De Anza District, the approximate net apportionment cut will amount to $8.2 million. That will lead to an estimated 6.4 percent drop in full time enrolled students, which equals an estimated loss of about 1,857.57 Foothill-De Anza students.

Brown submitted signatures May 10 to qualify for Nov. 6. Meanwhile, a competing group proposing a tax increase to fund education hasalso submitted signatures. No student can benefit if Brown’s tax initiative does not pass, because whenever California finds itself in financial trouble, public education is never safe from budget cuts.