Letter: College system needs Prop. 30 funds

I am writing this letter to ask my friends, neighbors and former students to vote in favor of Proposition 30.

I know that times are tough for many in the community, but further cuts to education and public services will only make this bad situation even worse.

Especially at the community college level, education is the best hope for many who are unemployed or stuck in low wage jobs.

Those of us who teach in the community college system dread the prospect of making further cuts.

We have already seen a decline in funding each year since 2009, even as the demand for classes has increased each year.

I am lucky to live in this state, where public education played a transformative role in my life.

If I care about the well being of my neighbors and of my students, it is my duty to accept the fact that taxes are necessary for the common good.

My high school diploma and my degrees from the University of California at San Diego were earned many years ago, at a time when California's education system was in great shape. I was so lucky to grow up in those times, and I want to see my own students be able to follow a similar path.

Sara Sealander

Yuba City