A surprisingly broad coalition supports the initiative, including numerous business and labor groups, the governing boards of the University of California, the California State University System, and the California Network of Educational Charters. The Irascible Professor frequently has been critical of the quality of teachers and teaching in our K-12 schools. However, he also realizes that if we ever want to attract competent teachers to the profession we must provide them with adequate salaries and reasonable working conditions. While this proposition does not address the salary issue, if it passes it would go a long way towards improving working conditions for teachers and learning conditions for students. The passage of Prop. 39 would make it easier to raise the money needed to address these issues.
Bond issues are a sensible way to fund school construction and repairs.
Thus, the effective interest rate typically is only a few percent in constant dollars. However, this is a specious argument. All except the homeless pay property taxes. Landlords simply pass along the taxes to their renters. Good schools benefit all of us.