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Legislation & Politics | ||
Letter to House Committee on Education & Labor in Support of 21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 3021)April 30, 2008 Members of the Committee on Education and Labor Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), I urge you to vote in favor of the “21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act” (H.R. 3021), as amended by Representatives Loebsack and Kildee. This legislation, as amended, would make grants and low-interest loans to local educational agencies (LEAs) to construct, modernize, or repair K-12 facilities and annually authorize $6.4 billion for these purposes. Children need and deserve appropriate places to learn. They understand the importance society places on their education and they respond to their environment. When their public schools are too old, too crowded, and in too much disrepair, children also recognize it. We must demonstrate to our children – through actions as well as words – that their schools and education are of vital importance. Thanks to their regular interactions with students and daily work inside public schools delivering education-related services, the more than 130,000 AFSCME members working in K-12 education also live with the existing problems and want to translate America’s values into action. The “21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act” would provide localities with vitally needed funds to improve K-12 public school facilities and thereby improve learning conditions for our children. Evidence demonstrates that quality facilities lead to improved academic performance, reduced truancy and related social problems. Furthermore, the legislation ensures that local decision-makers will decide how to allocate their funds and which schools should be helped. At this time, 30 states are suffering projected fiscal year 2009 state budget deficits, totaling a cumulative $40 billion, which is forcing many to cut investments in education. Similarly, many counties, cities, localities, and school districts are suffering related fiscal problems which have forced them to defer routine school maintenance and delay some modernization and capital school projects. For these reasons, these federal funds are vitally needed now and, in the future, will help reduce the capital and modernization backlog afflicting our public schools. AFSCME urges you to support the “21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act” (H.R. 3021). Sincerely, Charles M. Loveless |
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