Proposition Positions

Nothing could be more important to California’s economic future than our schools and our students. On March 26, voters will have an opportunity to renew their commitment to education by voting in favor of Proposition 203, the school bond.

If approved, Proposition 203 would provide $3 billion in bond funds to help upgrade schools, community colleges and public universities for new technologies, to improve earthquake safety and to lessen overcrowding. This statewide school bond is desperately needed. Every penny voters have previously authorized for school construction, seismic upgrades and technological improvements has already been spent or has been spoken for. There is no more money. Plus, Proposition 203 conforms to both the letter and the spirit of the state’s spending limit laws without raising taxes.

The California Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters of California, California State PTA, California Building Industry Assn., California Teachers Assn. and others all support Proposition 203. Vote yes for schools, yes for students and yes on Proposition 203!

ROBERT DEBERRY

Principal

Walker Elementary School

Santa Ana

In answer to the comments by Thomas A. Fuentes, chairman of the Orange County Republican Party (Letters, March 3):

I have lived in California all of my 71 1/2 years and I remember California’s having an open primary. We were not troubled by any of the dire consequences which Fuentes predicts. The open primary was abolished for the same reason that the political parties now want to retain the closed primary--so that there will be partisanship, something which shows in Fuentes’ claim that the ideological platforms would no longer be relevant in an open primary.

When we had open primaries, we in California had the best public education, best roads and first 100% rural electrification in the country. We had an Assembly which could pass budgets.

In spite of what Fuentes fears, the open primary did not destroy the multiple-party system. Maybe it would be a good thing if, as he fears, politicians did base their messages upon polling results instead of standing on ideological platforms which the public does not want.

I am tired of being held hostage to party ideology; I want my voting freedom back and I want the accountability to voters which we had under the open primary. I am voting for Proposition 198.

JUANITA MATASSA

Santa Ana