To my fellow educators:
Happy Fall Break! (For most of you, and mahalo to those year-round and non-classroom teachers who continue to work this week.) As you probably know, we are working hard to gain support in favor of a “YES” vote for the constitutional amendment on the November 6 ballot. The amendment provides an opportunity to provide more funding for our public schools with a surcharge on investment properties. Our well-funded opposition is bankrolled by millionaire executives, billion-dollar corporations, luxury developers and real estate companies. They are more worried about profits that are mostly exported outside Hawaii’s shores. And they're spending a lot of money on misleading TV commercials that distort the intent and the effects of the proposed amendment. They are trying to scare Hawaii residents into voting no against our children and their own best interests. I'd like to explain the constitutional amendment to our members and answer any questions and concerns you have during a Facebook Live broadcast tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 11 from 8 to about 8:40 a.m. The live on HSTA's Facebook page will be archived so that you can review it anytime. Feel free to send us your questions in the comments section during the broadcast, and I will answer them.The amendment reads: "Shall the Legislature be authorized to establish, as provided by law, a surcharge on investment real property to be used to support public education?" Please see the Con Am's website here at yesforourkeiki.com, and please like the Con Am's Facebook page and share it widely with your family, friends and fellow educators.
With the amendment's approval, the Legislature can place a surcharge on second homes worth more than $1 million to fund Hawaii’s schools. We estimate that surcharge would bring in somewhere between $200-400 million of additional revenue each year for our schools.
As you have already seen, the business community is spending lots of money trying to kill this amendment. Our biggest asset comes when we tell our friends and neighbors why increasing funding would help their keiki. We need volunteers to help us pass this amendment. If you have some time to volunteer, could you please click on this link and tell us how you’d like to help. Or go to http://bit.ly/conamvolunteer
Don't forget to tune into HSTA's Facebook page tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. to get the truth about the constitutional amendment!
Thank you for the work you do,
Corey Rosenlee
HSTA President
P.S.: As educators, we want to know as much information as possible. Here are three links.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment