tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819005.post114953865931848922..comments2024-03-16T02:17:55.433-07:00Comments on Programming and politics: Elections Part 2: PropositionsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698131967747444207noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5819005.post-1149557562036496952006-06-05T18:32:00.000-07:002006-06-05T18:32:00.000-07:00Bring out Prop 13, nice! Like everyone else in the...Bring out Prop 13, nice! Like everyone else in the Bay Area or in LA, I feel the effects that Prop 13 has had on home prices. However, it is too easy to blame things on Prop 13. It's yet another case of logical fallacy.<BR/><BR/>As of 1998, Californians paid 11.7% of their income to taxes. The national average was 11.5%. So despite Prop 13, Californians are still more taxed than people in other states. So if Californian schools are underfunded, does that mean that other state schools are even more underfunded? <BR/><BR/>The funding problem does not come from a lack of taxes. It comes from beauractic inefficiencies. There is no accountability in public schools and there never will be. It is impossible. Parents are under-motivted because their lack of investment, and teachers lack incentive. Who makes more money, a great teacher who has been teaching for two years or a terrible teacher who has been teaching for ten years? That's right, the latter. That's how it will always be with public schools.<BR/><BR/>As for preschool effectiveness and head start... does your brother's study say that if you are younger when you start school then you will do better than a older child, or is the other way around? This sounds interesting, show me some links. Most things I had read about Head Start indicated that its effects were very positive in the short term, but were statistically insignificant long term. That's why I'd like to see evidence to the contrary.<BR/><BR/>Finally, your response to "$400K earners getting shafted" is exactly why Prop 82 will pass. People look at such people with disdain, just as some people look at Koreans with disdain. They say who cares about those people? It's democratic rule-by-majority at its worst. I don't make $400K, far from it. But I think a tax should benefit the people being taxed. Is that such an awful perspective?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08698131967747444207noreply@blogger.com