Tough Issues Require a Mature Discussion : Governor, educators: Stop shouting and start talking

“Line in the sand”--”repugnant”--”exploiting children”--no change unless there’s an “act of God.”

Rhetoric from the Iraq war? No, just strident potshots between the California Teachers Union and the governor over education funding. If the heated verbal volleys between one of the state’s most powerful unions and the state chief executive strike you as less than constructive, then we’re with you.

THE QUARREL: Gov. Wilson is piqued over a television ad campaign in which the CTA criticizes his proposal to suspend Proposition 98, the voter-approved constitutional amendment that guarantees about 40% of the general fund for schools. Wilson has said that the proposition’s restrictions must be set aside because the state faces a $10-billion deficit, according to the latest estimates. Proposition 98 is held precious by many educators, who understandably cling to it as the one funding source that the schools can count on.

In lashing back at the CTA as “repugnant” and “union bosses,” Wilson has shown some thin skin that he’d best toughen as he goes into bare-knuckle budget negotiations. He seems to have stopped just short of removing a glove and challenging the union to a duel. As many students would say, governor, “Chill.”

And the CTA, in launching the television ad attack on Wilson to begin with, showed a disturbing lack of political judgment that could well backfire in this leanest and meanest of budget years. Memo to the union: This is supposed to be a governor you’re trying to work with, remember? All together now: “This isn’t Deukmejian, this isn’t Deukmejian.”

Of course, at the core of the bickering is a serious and difficult issue: what to do about a record deficit compounded by a recession. Wilson and the union disagree about the level of taxes that should be raised. The governor says Proposition 98 must be suspended in order to bring the budget into line. The CTA says Wilson refuses to consider raising taxes on the rich, preferring instead to use Proposition 98 education funds as a bank to solve the budget mess.

Although Proposition 98 allows for suspension in case of fiscal emergencies, the CTA now says it should be untouchable unless there is an “act of God” emergency, like an earthquake. That’s quite a leap.

THE REALITY: It’s true that under Proposition 111, passed by voters last year, the education community made a concession by agreeing to split excess revenues between schools and tax rebates. But that’s not enough this year.

All the more reason Gov. Wilson and the CTA should relax their rigid positions. Right now, CTA officials say absolutely no suspension of 98. (Translation: Why should we give away our only assurance that education programs--and teachers’ salaries--can keep pace?) The governor says beyond the closing of sales tax loopholes and cutting already paltry renters’ credits, he will not do “anything to chase business out of California.” (Translation: No additional taxes on corporations or the wealthy).

The governor and the CTA need to talk, civilly, about the trade-offs that are in their interests and in the state’s interests. If the union were to allow the suspension of Proposition 98, what concrete and specific guarantees can the governor give that the education budget would not be decimated? And if the governor cannot live with new taxes on business during a recession, he might find that many Californians in the $200,000-plus income bracket would be willing, if not eager, to pay a little more personal tax if they had confidence that the state has an equitable budget process. A small tax on personal services, which could affect a broad cross section, from lawyers to tailors, may be another option. Maybe not. Neither side will know until it tries. The rest of California needs for them to try harder.