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It is critical that all PTA members demonstrate
their role as child advocates by becoming educated about candidates for
public office and their positions on legislative issues that are
important to children and public schools. By exercising our democratic
right to vote, we are able to give children a voice. This is especially
critical in the upcoming elections on November 4, 2008.
In the 2008 federal elections, voters will
determine our president, our vice president, all 435 members of the U.S.
House of Representatives, and 35 U.S. senators. In state elections,
voters will elect 11 governors, more than 6,500 state house and senate
members, and countless mayors, regents, city council members, boards of
supervisors, county officials, and school board trustees. Your vote can
make a difference for our children and communities. PTA SAYS VOTE NO!
Vote NO on Amendments 5, 7 and 9. I encourage all
of you to visit
www.floridapta.org and click on the NEWS icon to the right. In
brief: Amendments 5 will eliminate the property taxes that fund public
schools. Amendment 7 will allow the legislature to enact a voucher
program that will deplete much needed funds from public schools, making
us compete with private schools for funding, not to mention the loss of
funds may lead to additional cuts in programs and services. If Amendment
9 passes, school districts will be unable to direct funding to meet the
needs of individual schools. Vouchers would divert money from public
schools. These Amendments deserve your attention. Flyers detailing each
Amendment will be distributed at our CLE PTA General Meeting, September
4th. I urge all of you to take an interest in these Amendments and learn
how they will affect our schools.
Thank You,
Jennifer Powers
PTA President
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