Eli Jacks-in-the-Box

Phil has a proven track record as a courageous and thoughtful advocate for schools, teachers and students. He was the first statewide elected official in 2002 to call for a $25 billion school bond package. In 2003, he was alone among statewide elected officials to criticize the deep cuts proposed in education, becoming, the Sacramento Bee wrote, “the first statewide officer to question the prevailing assumption that California’s budget crisis means the schools must suffer.” When Governor Schwarzenegger tried to turn away 25,000 students who had done all the work and made all the grades from UC and CSU, Phil stood up for the students while others stood with the Governor. He launched a tax-advantaged savings plan that is now helping over 140,000 California families save for college. He created a new program that has provided down-payment assistance and low-interest loans to help over 1,200 teachers, school employees, and administrators who commit to working in a low-performing school buy their first home. Phil made education the subject of his first major campaign proposal this year, “College Opportunity for All,” which sets sweeping goals to help more young Californians, not fewer, get the higher education they need.

# posted by Eli Jacks @ 9:25 PM