In 2016, Prop 55 passed for the first time in California history. It went into effect on
January 1st, 2017. This proposition was the extension of Proposition 30, which was effective
after the 2012 election. Prop 30 temporarily increases the state sales tax and personal income tax
for upper-income earners, generally single filers with an income over $250k, or joint filers with
an income over $500k. This was to support the funding of K-12 schools and community
colleges. Proposition 55 was the extension of only the personal income tax portion of the proposition
30, and an extension of the expiration of the tax to 2030. This year, different groups, such as the
California Teachers Association is campaigning to make this proposition permanent.
This tax is already in place, and would not create a new tax on Californian tax-payers
Who is in the tax bracket for this proposition? Its only initiative is to keep it in place
permanently. Only the upper 10% of income earners pay this tax, and the bracket has changed
due to annual inflation adjustments since 2016 to single filers earning $400k and over, and joint
filers paying $700k and over. If the Proposition doesn’t make it on the ballot, it would mean
roughly $8 billion in budget cuts in the California education system. The majority of this money
goes to K-12 schools, a portion of this money goes to community colleges, and some
healthcare programs.
“The only change we’ll see is if it doesn’t pass, and that will be in what we as districts get
to spend on things. We won’t be able to spend what we’ve been spending in the last 10 years.
People will have to pay the price because the money will have to come from somewhere. The
schools are going to lose, and the staff will be penalized as well”, says Mrs. Macomber, English
9 and an AVID teacher at Downey High School, as well as the High School Director for the
Teacher Association at Downey High School. “I’ve been the longest rep here at our school, and I
get information and updates that other teachers may not. I see our budget every year, I see where
the money is allotted, and I see where the money is gonna be lost. For me, it’s all about fairness and
equity, and part of that is having the community that can afford it help support public education.”
Some of the benefits of the funding coming from Prop 55 are the preservation of certain
programs like arts, sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities. It funds important student health services,
particularly for low-income students, and helps maintain lower class sizes to prevent overfilled
classes. In the 2024-25 school year, the budget for K-12 schools in California was about $136
billion. Also in the 2024-25 school year, $9 to $15 billion dollars were generated from Prop 55.
If this Prop is not renewed, California schools would be facing about a 15% budget cut,
drastically affecting staff reductions, larger classes, fewer services, and reduced opportunities for
students. This is why the California Teachers’ Association is working so hard to make Prop 55 a
permanent fixture in California. “It’s always good to ask questions, and if anybody is unsure
about something, go and find the information yourself. Don’t take someone’s word of mouth. Not
even mine. Don’t take what the media says, do your research, and that way you can make the
most educated choice that works for you.”