Deide: Proposition 1 is not the solution, it's a union investment

By: Darrel deide

Edition Date: 10-01-2006

Idaho Statesman Reader’s Opinion

The authors and supporters of Proposition 1 have one thing right: Idaho public schools need improving. The vast majority of Idahoans believe that school improvement is a priority, they support and respect their teachers and they want them fairly compensated. However, Prop 1 is not the solution, it is bad for Idaho's kids and families. Here's why:

• Proposition 1 would squeeze nearly $4 billion from Idaho's taxpayers over the next 13 years. Worse, there is not a single plan for spending the money. That makes it highly unlikely that our children will see a penny of it.

• Supporters can't say what tax would have to be raised. Do they want to raise the sales tax to 7 percent? Do they want to raise property tax again? Idahoans deserve answers to this very basic question.

• Proposition 1 is a blank check for Idaho schools. If you give government a blank check for any amount, government will always find ways to spend it. Usually that money will be poorly spent.

• Proposition 1 is a social experiment on our kids. The law would stay in effect until 2020. We would have to wait an entire generation and spend nearly $4 billion before getting a chance to examine whether the law has worked.

• Proposition 1 cons voters into thinking that students will benefit from the money. In fact, there is no guarantee that a single book or computer will be funded by Prop 1.

Proposition 1 is divisive as it singles out a particular employee group for large salary increases. Teachers are highly valued public employees but so are our policemen and firemen. Once $4 billion is siphoned away it will be nearly impossible to reward other public employees.

According to the American Federation of Teachers web site (www.aft.org) the Idaho average teacher salary in 2003-2004 was $40,111 and Idaho ranks third in teacher salary improvement.

Proposition 1 does nothing to pay good teachers more than poor teachers nor does it do anything to reward those teachers in high demand such as math and science. Also it does nothing to expand education choice within our public education system, a measure that a vast majority of Idaho families support.

Proposition 1 uses the "shot-gun" approach to education funding. Taxpayer money should be targeted towards needs, not allocated randomly as proposed in this initiative.

Proposition 1 will increase expenditures but NOT student achievement. Utah spends less than Idaho on education, but has better results with student achievement. Likewise, there are states that spend more than Idaho and their students do not perform as well as Idaho students. Also, Idaho's charter schools provide an equal or better education at a significantly lower cost.

Idaho tried a dramatic increase in expenditures per child before when the legislature appropriated a 20 percent increase. What was the result? In the next 10 years enrollment grew by ONLY 7 percent, certified staff grew by 34 percent, non-certified staff grew by 49 percent and student performance remained relatively flat. Do we want to do this again and for 13 years?

The teacher union (IEA) thinks Idaho's tax policy is for sale. The union will spend millions of dollars to convince you that Proposition 1 is an investment in kids. In fact, it is an investment in the union, as it will be the direct beneficiary. Proposition 1 is NOT about your child's teacher, it is about the union using its political muscle for its own interests.

Darrel Deide, chairman for Idahoans for Excellence in Education, is a former Idaho public school superintendent and state senator.