California

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CAMPAIGN 2006

Perata Withdraws Support for Reiner's Preschool Initiative Senate Boss Says Prop. 82 is Unfair to Low-income Families

Greg Lucas, Ilene Lelchuk, Chronicle Staff Writers
San Francisco Chronicle

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Sacramento -- Senate leader Don Perata withdrew his support for Proposition 82 on Tuesday, saying it costs too much to provide state paid preschool to all 4-year-olds and that the measure would be a subsidy to families who can already afford it.

The Oakland Democrat's defection is the latest blow to the June ballot measure, which is sponsored by film director Rob Reiner.

Lawmakers have called for audits and investigations of spending by a state children's commission -- also created by a Reiner-backed initiative -- that spent $23 million on television spots and other ads promoting preschool that ran between November and January, when Prop. 82 qualified for the ballot.

In a letter to Controller Steve Westly, who was asked to audit the commission's spending, Reiner said the charges are "politically motivated and baseless."

He did, however, take a leave as chairman of the First 5 California Children and Families Commission after the propriety of the commission's use of public money was questioned. The commission was created by the Proposition 10 tobacco tax initiative for early childhood programs.

Perata said he is troubled by the commission's spending on the ad campaign.

"That was over the line. A blatant effort to promote the initiative," Perata said.

First 5's executive director, Kris Perry, said the commission had been spending money promoting preschool since 2002 and ended the ad campaign when Prop. 82 qualified for the June ballot, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Perata sent a letter to Reiner on Tuesday saying he was withdrawing support for Prop. 82. The measure would increase state income taxes to 11 percent on individuals with taxable income of $400,000 or more and couples with $800,000 or more.

The money, some $2.6 billion annually, would be used to create a state-run half-day preschool program for all 4-year-olds.

Perata objected that the initiative does not focus on lower-income California families.

"I question if the billions of dollars mandated for preschool in Prop. 82 is equitable. Critics argue that Prop. 82 wouldn't improve access to those who need it most: poor, disadvantaged and English learners," Perata wrote. "Instead, the initiative would be a financial boon to families that already pay for their children's preschool education."

Perata also said the half-day program was expensive -- some $8,000 per student -- which is more than some kindergarten through Grade 12 schools pay for a full day.

Nathan James, spokesman for Prop. 82, said Tuesday that the campaign has heard nothing formal from Perata about pulling his support.

"Don Perata can choose to be part of the solution or be part of the status quo," said James, adding that neither the loss of Perata's support nor this week's calls for audits of First 5 spending under Reiner's watch will throw the Prop. 82 campaign off track.

"We're going to continue talking about the reality that half of fourth-graders in California don't meet basic reading standards. And unless we invest in preschool education, that is not going to change anytime soon," James said. "The opponents are desperate to talk about anything other than preschool."

Assembly GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield introduced legislation Tuesday that would strip First 5 of its advertising budget and one-third of the money used for its administration -- some $42 million -- and use it to expand to statewide a five week, half-day preschool program used by two school districts in Kern County.

McCarthy denied the bill introduction had anything to do with the opposition to Prop. 82.
"Instead of lining the pockets of L.A . ad executives, we're trying to do something for real children," McCarthy said.

Lawmakers publicly calling for audits or investigations of First 5's spending climbed from three to five Tuesday as state Sen. Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks (Sacramento County), asked the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to probe First 5's spending and state Sen. Chuck Poochigian, R-Fresno, called for an investigation by the attorney general.

The audit committee must vote on Cox's request. Two other GOP lawmakers and one Democratic assemblyman called for audits last week.