"Who's to pay?"

 It usually begins with the best of intentions.  States look for ways to stimulate their local economies.  They give tax breaks to businesses that promise to locate in their cities.  In the process, they overlook the obvious:  the best investment in a local economy is an investment in public education.

Tax incentives for businesses have been a popular economic development tool for the past several years, rendering mixed results.  While Nevada businesses receive millions of dollars in tax breaks each year, we lose out on tax revenues for schools.  To make matters worse, they often find that businesses do not keep their promises to locate, create jobs, and contribute to the local economy in a meaningful way.  In the end, it's the students attending public schools-and those who will attend public schools in the future-who end up paying the price!  It's time we look at a better way of improving public education funding and not give tax incentives and tax breaks to companies that are here today and gone tomorrow.

The answer to improving our economy has been in front of us all along -- you, members and nonmembers (you can join CCEA) can have your voices heard.  CCEA has launched a full-fledged effort to educate, organize, and mobilize teachers to help in the fight to protect Nevada's public schools and educators in the midst of the state's economic crisis.  I encourage you to sign up for e-mail alerts right away if you haven't already done so, just click here.  The e-mail campaign is designed to create a rapid-response system with our members and concerned citizens.  We provide information on the latest issues affecting education and deliver messages with specific action to give public education a loud voice -- the voice of those who are in the trenches educating the children of Nevada.  

Join the fight and use your voice.  Our collective strength will overcome the obstacles and, together, we will provide our students with the best educational opportunities.