Press Release: Assembly Candidate Virginia Chang Kiraly Supports Budget that Moves California Forward
Spending Plan Funds Schools, Roads and Public Safety, Pays Down Debt
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2006
CONTACT:
Honore Siri
(408) 888-7254
ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE VIRGINIA CHANG KIRALY SUPPORTS BUDGET THAT MOVES CALIFORNIA FORWARD
Spending Plan Funds Schools, Roads and Public Safety, Pays Down Debt
MENLO PARK – Virginia Chang Kiraly, the Republican Assembly Candidate for District 21, applauds Republican and Democrat lawmakers in voting to approve the 2006-07 state budget, praising the bipartisan agreement reached between Gov. Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders as an important investment in the future of Silicon Valley.
The 2006-07 state budget invests billions of dollars of additional funding into education – increasing per pupil spending by 11.4 percent to $8,244. Proposition 42 transportation projects are fully funded in the budget, and $1.415 billion in borrowed gas tax funds will be repaid ahead of schedule. The budget dedicates $2.8 billion to pay state debt related to transportation and state mandates owed to local governments, and establishes a prudent $2 billion budget reserve.
Chang Kiraly was pleased the budget invests in education, stating that “parents in Silicon Valley are concerned about funding for public education. For Assembly District 21, increasing the minimum funding level will help school districts that need it. I’m also encouraged that Governor Schwarzenegger wants to fund art education and physical education for our schools. Ninety percent of Santa Clara County residents believe that art education is crucial to a child’s creative learning process and should be a part of the school day, and many San Mateo County residents believe the same. Physical education programs will help curb adolescent obesity, which is one of the most pressing issues in children’s health care today. Even in an excellent school district like Las Lomitas, our PE “scores” are not as strong as our academic scores.”
Chang Kiraly added, “Reducing fees for community college students is a positive step to ensure that students who do not fit the traditional four-year university track also have great opportunities at schools like Foothill-De Anza College. These students’ success is tied with so many parts of our community, such as nursing, dental assistance, and radiologic technician. We must provide them as many opportunities as possible.”
“Republicans fought hard to craft a balanced budget that meets the needs of Californians and furthers the progress made in restoring fiscal sanity to our state, without raising taxes. While this budget agreement is by no means perfect, I believe it is a fiscally-responsible plan that pays down the debt, while investing in education, safer neighborhoods, and traffic relief to get our state moving again,” she said.
Virginia Chang Kiraly is the Republican State Assembly Candidate for the California Legislature in Assembly District 21, which includes the communities of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Portola Valley, San Carlos, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Almaden Valley in San Jose. Virginia is past PTA President for Las Lomitas Elementary School and is currently on the board of the Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, and Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaChangKiraly.com.
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