We Are the Majority: Public Education & Public Opinion Tim Potts The Majority Party PA PARSS Conference April 26, 2012.

We Are the Majority:Public Education & Public Opinion

Tim PottsThe Majority Party PAPARSS ConferenceApril 26, 2012

Our Public Schools are Under Attack

Common Wealth to Private WealthThe “public” is under attack:•Public transportation•Public safety•Public libraries•Public health•Public parks and lands•Public welfare•Public pensions•Public univerisities•Public employees

The Majority of Pennsylvania Voters Support Public

Education

PA Voters Support School FundingF&M March 2011

Support school fundingCut school funding

The Arts are Essential

Support arts edu-cationOppose arts edu-cation

93% Support a Broad Curriculum

•Advanced placement courses•Career and technical courses•Arts•Foreign language•College courses

…4% Don’t

Voters Supported Funding Increases in 2008, 2009 & 2010

SupportOppose

62% Support Equity

•The state should “take steps to increase funding to poorer districts…to reduce funding disparity even if it means less funding… to wealthier districts.”

…28% oppose this strategy

Our Bully Pulpit

Use every opportunity to tell the public what the polls have proven

•79% of PA voters don’t want to cut state funding

•82% want funding maintained ▫Even in “hard times”▫Even if it means cutting other programs▫Even if taxes must be raised

If They Want to Talk Free Market, Give Them Free Market

•Bond rating and audits

•Broad and deep educational experiences •Long-term thinking

•Competition for talent

Why don’t our representatives actually represent us?

•The people have a right to govern themselves, and the role of government is to help them do it.▫Look for opportunities to get the word out ▫Use negative polling to your advantage. ▫Ask your lawmakers to come to a board

meeting and tell the public what they’re doing.

▫Post online comments to your paper’s website about what the public wants.

“NO ONE WANTS HIGHER TAXES!!!!!!!”

Not true – and we can prove it.

Life in the echo chamber.

•“…where exactly was this poll taken???  Cal-State Berkley Campus, or maybe an Occupy Philly / Wall Street encampment?? …Was it 'truly' a fair sample of "The Majority of PA Citizenry'! Somehow, I think not...”

www.themajoritypartypa.com

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•Free subscription for updates on policy polling.

It’s your choice…

We are The Majority

www.themajoritypartypa.com

Tim [email protected]