The following education-related proposals will appear on state ballots in the Nov. 3 general elections: |
ALASKA |
Initiative 97ENGL. Would adopt English as Alaska’s official language and require that state legislature, state agencies, universities, local governments, and public corporations use English in their actions. |
ARKANSAS |
Referred Amendment 2. Would amend state constitution to bar the legislature from enacting a law to levy taxes or acting to increase or decrease tax rates or otherwise amend tax provisions without a 3/5 vote of each legislative chamber. |
CALIFORNIA |
Proposition 1A. Would authorize a $9.2 billion bond for capital projects for schools and higher education institutions. Proposition 8. Would make funding permanent for K-3 class-size-reduction program, expand oversight of schools on several fronts, create a new office of the chief inspector of public schools, and require a zero-tolerance policy for student drug offenses. Proposition 10. Would boost the tobacco surtax to provide funding for state and county early-childhood-development programs. |
COLORADO |
Amendment 17. Would create income-tax credit for education expenses, including private school tuition. Referendum B. Would allow the state to retain up to $200 million in excess of the state limit on spending for fiscal 1998 and the four succeeding fiscal years to pay for school construction, state and local transportation needs, and capital-construction projects of state colleges and universities. |
FLORIDA |
Amendment 6. Would establish adequate provision for education as a paramount duty of the state and require that the state make adequate provision for an efficient, safe, secure, and high-quality public school system. |
GEORGIA |
SR 529. Would specify educational purposes and programs for which lottery proceeds may be appropriated. |
IDAHO |
HJR 6. Would allow the state to establish a “land bank” that could be used to buy more land for the benefit of Idaho’s Public School Endowment Fund. HJR 8. Would allow the state more freedom in how it invests the money in the Public School Permanent Endowment Fund. |
MISSOURI |
Constitutional Amendment No. 2. Would change limits on tax levies imposed by school districts by ordering that school boards may set operating levies no higher than $2.75 without a vote. |
NEBRASKA |
Initiative 413. Would limit government spending by limiting tax-revenue increases by state and local governments. |
OREGON |
Ballot Measure #54. Would amend state constitution to allow state to guarantee general-obligation bonds issued by school districts and other education agencies. Ballot Measure #55. Would make effective the prepaid college tuition program adopted by the 1997 legislature. Ballot Measure #59. Would prohibit union-dues payroll deductions from any entity that uses any funds deducted for political purposes or that commingles political and non-political funds. |
SOUTH DAKOTA |
Constitutional Amendment A. Would prohibit the use of property taxes to fund public schools. Constitutional Amendment F. Would allow agricultural property to be taxed at different rates for school taxation purposes. Constitutional Amendment G. Would allow the South Dakota Investment Council to invest money from the state permanent school fund in stocks, bonds, and similar items. |
UTAH |
Proposition 3. Would clarify the status, purposes, and beneficiaries of school and institutional lands held by the state. |
SOURCE: Free Congress Foundation. |