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We Are the Majority: Public Education & Public Opinion. Tim Potts The Majority Party PA PARSS Conference April 26, 2012. Our Public Schools are Under Attack. Common Wealth to Private Wealth. The “public” is under attack: Public transportation Public safety Public libraries
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We Are the Majority:Public Education & Public Opinion Tim Potts The Majority Party PA PARSS Conference April 26, 2012
Common Wealth to Private Wealth The “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
93% Support a Broad Curriculum • Advanced placement courses • Career and technical courses • Arts • Foreign language • College courses …4% Don’t
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
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 • All PA policy polling in one place. • Free subscription for updates on policy polling.
We are The Majority www.themajoritypartypa.com Tim Potts twpotts9@kuhncom.net 717-571-9471