Students Fight to

Terminate Governor’s

Budget Cut Proposal

Claire Crosbie, Staff Reporter

Claire_Crosbie@csumb.edu

May 1, 2008

Students of CSU Monterey Bay

(CSUMB), along with other CSU,

University of California (UC) and

community colleges, marched

and rallied against the proposed

budget cuts at the state capitol on

April 21.

The California State Student

Association organized the “Day of

Action” in an effort to inform the

governor, the legislature, business,

as well as labor and community

leaders that education is a priority.

Students from all across the state

of California were asked to join

the rally to help coagulate a

strong message against the budget

cuts that have been proposed by

Governor Schwarzenegger.

CSUMB’s Associated Students

(AS) organized the opportunity for

students interested in attending the

protest by providing transportation

to the capitol and back.

Among the students from CSUMB

who woke up bright and early to

travel to the state capitol was Business

(BUS) freshman Oscar Calderon,

who felt the rally was important.

“It is our education that is at

risk right now. If we, the students,

do not do anything about it, who

will? It’s up to us to take action,”

said Calderon.

Speakers were present at the rally

on the steps of the capitol to voice

their opinions, educate attendees of

the affects the budget cut will have,

as well as encourage students to

find their own voice.

Fabian Nunez, a California State

Assembly Speaker, was amongst

the group of speakers. Nunez shared

with the crowd his frustration with

the governor and continued to talk

about how the capitol building truly

belongs to the students and the

decisions made inside should be

decisions in favor of the students.

He also added that resources should

be added to education, not taken

away from it.

Other speakers in attendance

were Julia Brownley and Anthony

Portantino, both Assembly members.

Students from schools across

California listened attentively as

well as chanted things like, “kick

us out, we’ll vote you out!”

While the action was going on

outside, another form of action

was taking place inside the

capitol building. Robert Graham,

AS President and BUS junior,

and Shamaila Taj, a Social and

Behavioral Science junior, lobbied

opposing the budget cut with Abel

Maldonado, State Senator of the

15th District, Anna Caballero,

Assemblywoman representing the

28th Assembly District, as well

as John Laird’s, Assemblymember

of the 27th Assembly District,

offices. The two students will

schedule follow up appointments

after May.

Many of the students, like Kate

Lewis, an undeclared freshman

from UC, Berkeley, who attended

the “Day of Action” already had

found their voice regarding the

budget cut.

“California is already ranked the

47th or 48th state for education,

with this cut we will become the

50th,” said Lewis.

Another rally will be held

on May 19 at the state capitol.

For more information visit

studentsforcalifornia.org.