Last week, the City Council in Oakland, California voted to continue funding for youth employment programs focusing specifically on young people deemed to be at risk of involvement in violence. These "at-risk" populations include youth who were recently released from incarceration as well those who have quit school.

For a minute there, it looked like many Oakland non-profits were about to have to close their doors because most of their money came from a special funding source called Measure Y. Measure Y is basically a voter approved property tax where all the money goes to police and violence prevention programs (which includes job and educational programs.) Measure Y is a great idea because we know from firsthand experience that young people are much less likely to get involved with crime if they have some money in their pockets and support resources like housing help. But when the Oakland Police Department started to go into a financial crisis of their own, the City Council had to decide if they were gonna cut programs or police jobs.

By Anna Bloom and Maggie Fazeli Fard

The following was broadcast on KQED-FM.

The California budget crisis is affecting all levels of public education, and community colleges are getting pinched in a surprising way. Increasingly, students from elite four year universities like UC Berkeley are enrolling in classes at community colleges and bumping two year students out of their seats.

Check out the video to see how these new dynamics are playing out for one community college student, Jessica Martin. Plus, you'll get to watch Jessica discover whether she gets into her dream school, UC Berkeley!

Previously:

• UC Students Turnout for Budget Cut Protest
• Recession Affecting My Education
• A College Grad's Education Bailout Plan

In 1978, a measure called Proposition 13 was passed by California voters in a landslide. The purpose of this proposition was (and still is), to limit the taxation on property. In '78 this meant property owners were voting themselves a 57% tax cut. Since the passing of this initiative, funding for public education and other public-funded services has decreased over the decades, since these services were traditionally funded through property taxes. The funding for the University of California system for this school year (2009-10) was cut back by $553.8 million.

Before the late 1970's, local property taxes went straight to the local school system, which were under local control. All this changed after the California State Supreme Court made landmark rulings in three cases collectivity known as Serrano v. Priest. With the way school money was handled declared unconstitutional, the legislature gained the "power of the purse" over education funds. Their solution was to limit the amount each district could get from its own local property taxes and spread the surplus around to the districts that did not have as strong a tax base.

Meanwhile property values in the 70's were soaring in California, and as the values went up so did the taxes. The red hot market led to fears that people, especially the elderly, would wind up priced out of their homes thanks to out-of-control tax bills. A growing sense of the tax code being unfair gripped the state, sowing the seeds for a taxpayer revolt.

Enter Proposition 13-- the primary backer of this measure was the late Howard Jarvis.  Jarvis, a lobbyist for the Los Angeles Apartment Owners Association, led the fight for the initiative to appear on the ballot by garnering tens of thousands of signatures.

Proposition 13 continues to be the scapegoat of the deep fiscal crisis California is facing, yet it has yet to be seriously challenged. During our recent interview State Senator Loni Hancock (D-CA), identifies Prop 13 root cause of the fiscal chaos and lack of funding for public services we are currently dealing with:

Well, we got to this point really in many ways through Proposition 13 in 1977...during the 50s and 60s, California built new campuses of CSU and UC. It passed this great master plan which was a vision of the opportunity for education for every young person -- older person too in California for that matter -- all of that stopped in 1977 with prop 13 -- the state money was capped, local governments and schools just about collapsed. Schools used to be funded primarily through local property tax. Proposition 13 basically took away the ability of local government to tax so the state bailed out education and now the state pays 80% of the cost of education and that meant it stopped investing in new campuses -- it stopped expanding.

But there are those who have argued otherwise; Joel Fox, who served as the president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (1986-1998), argues in this LA Times opinion post that Proposition 13 isn't the problem, it's a State legislature that's addicted to spending.

Either way, it is inevitable that public colleges and universities across the State are going through a budget nightmare.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

SACRAMENTO-- California colleges and universities have been hit hard by state budget cuts cuts. Fewer classes are being offered, pay cuts for staff and faculty have been handed down, and classes sizes are blooming. In response to all this, protesters against these drastic cuts have held numerous demonstrations across the state at various college campuses.

We spoke with California State Senator Loni Hancock, a member of the State Senate's Education Committee about the budget cuts. Senator Hancock discusses the root of the budget crisis and what steps are being undertaken in Sacramento to address the budget shortfall.

Three SF State students shine a light on the impact of budget cuts in this Debate Club Ch@t Room video.

On Tuesday Oakland became the first city in the US to approve a tax increase on medical marijuana. In a mail-ballot 80 percent of the voters voted “yes” on measure F that will take affect on New Years Day. Cannabis businesses currently pay a tax of $1.20 for every $1000 in gross sale, with this new measure, the tax will increase to $18. 

Oakland voters also approved Measures C, D, and H.

University of California leaders decided to move forward to cut 4-10 percent of employees’ salaries and to take 11 to 26 furlough days.

The board of trustees met this Tuesday to decide the future of the CSU system. Scheduled for discussion is a 20 percent increase in student fees, a reduction in enrollment by 32,000 students systemwide for 2010-2011, and employee furloughs as a way to address a $584 million budget shortfall.

These cuts may address the budget crisis, but how are college students impacted by these changes?

21-year-old sociology major Nathanes Duro will be a senior at Cal State San Bernardino this fall—if her financial aid goes through. Until then, she will continue to work two jobs. She is currently working as a student assistant to the associate dean of undergraduates at San Bernardino and as a student organizer at the California Faculty Association.

We spoke with Miss Duro this week.

Have you been affected by CSU budget cuts?
Yes, I have been affected by the budget cuts. This summer I dropped out of summer school because financial aid ran out. I was enrolled in two classes that cost about $1300. I depended on financial aid. Numerous students applied for financial aid but it’s first come, first serve and I was left out and had to drop out. Once I start school I will work three jobs. I’ve noticed in the past years that I can’t support myself financially. I can’t pay my bills, food, parking, books, and basic necessities. That’s why I have to juggle work and school.

Parking in downtown Oakland is bad already and to add to that pain, parking fees are going up. The measure is design to address Oakland’s $83 million budget deficit. In a press release the city says these increases will “help address an $83 million budget shortfall, the City increased hourly parking meter rates and certain parking fines and extended parking meter hours of operation Citywide. The new rates and hours took effect on July 1.”