San Juan Parents Lobby for Tax Extensions, Education Spending

They've watched Capistrano Unified  and increase their children's class sizes. Fearing that the cutbacks  will escalate, about 30 San Juan Capistrano parents organized Wednesday to lobby state Sen. Tom Harman to take a stand against any further cuts to education.

Putting "more kids in each classroom makes it harder on the teachers," said Karla Cedillo, a mother of three. She used her cell phone to participate  in the phone bank and letter-writing campaign near Stonefield Park.

With the help of CREER Comunidad y Familia and the Orange County Congregation Community Organization, the parents—mostly moms—and some Capistrano Unified School District students phoned San Juan residents, urging them to contact Harman's office in support of extending state tax extensions set to expire June 30. The money, they say, should be used to fully fund schools.

Harman, a Republican who represents communities along Orange County's coastline, has yet to publicly take a stance on the tax extensions, said OCCCO Executive Director Debbie Phares. "He has indicted a willingness to negotiate," she said.

Similar movements are happening across California. On May 24, Educate Our State organized , many of them in Southern California, where parents pushed for the tax extension bill. The bill is attracting support from teacher unions, school districts and the California PTA.

OCCCO spokeswoman Aura Vasquez said the response from those who answered calls Wednesday afternoon was "very positive."

"This is a universal issue. CREER is often the target of a lot of controversy, but everyone is on the same page," she said, knocking on a wood desk.

For years, the Legislature has slashed California's education budget to balance massive shortfalls in the general fund. Dependent on the limited state funds, the Capistrano Unified board of trustees responded by .

Gov. Jerry Brown's calls for $3 billion more funds for schools than his January pitch. He said, though, that even with this new infusion of money, California schools are still owed billions by the state.

San Juan Capistrano resident Rosa Maria Melo, a mother of three, said Wednesday that while she recognizes a tax extension will hurt those still struggling in the economy—her family included—her children are her main priority.

“It is our calling to protect the earth we were given for our children and to protect and educate our children," she said. "But these imperatives will be made impossible if Sen. Harman stands by while another $10 billion in cuts are made to schools, children’s health care and protection of our natural resources.”

Melo initiated the phone bank and letter-writing campaign in San Juan Capistrano. She said she was inspired to do so after attending an OCCCO conference in May in Santa Ana, where she learned about the state's financial crisis and its impact on education.

"This is the first time these moms have gotten involved in something like this," said Vasquez. "Even the most humble people who have never been involved in civic action are here."