Letter: Not in favor of a parcel tax hike

Last November, California politicians persuaded voters to support a proposed seven-year, $50-billion tax increase, largely on the vow that the money would go to public education.

The first five words of the Proposition 30 initiative are “Temporary Taxes To Fund Education.” It hiked both sales and state income tax on the top earners.

In the next seven years billions of dollars from Proposition 30 will go to service the debt of the California State Teacher’s Retirement System and not our schools. As a result, our school districts pick up the cost. The kids in our schools will be hurt because more dollars will go to pension costs and fewer dollars will go to classrooms. Our state also picks up the cost so that residents receive fewer services.

I look forward to solutions of our underfunded school district without more taxes. Until the high cost of public sector benefits/pensions is resolved, we will continue to pay higher and higher taxes for less and less services. No to a La Cañada parcel tax.

Denise Soto
La Cañada Flintridge