Nine California business leaders joined 111 others from around the country in signing a letter supporting President Barack Obama’s proposal for expanding public education for disadvantaged children from birth to 5.
Business leaders from across the country, including a co-founder of Home Depot, the former CEO of Macy’s, a senior adviser to Vanguard and the CEO of State Farm Insurance Companies, signed the Nov. 5 appeal, which was addressed to the chairs of the Senate and House Budget Committees. The president’s early childhood initiative – a $75 billion proposal to provide states with grants to expand their public preschool programs, financed through an increased federal tobacco tax – was included in his 2014 budget proposal and requires approval by both budget committees. The Senate Budget chairs are Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who supports the president’s plan, and Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. The House Budget chairs are Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who helped lead the effort to shut down the federal government in October, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
“We urge you to make early investments in human capital development that drive greater economic productivity and strength for our nation,” the letter reads. Businesses face a lack of skilled workers and a shrinking middle class, according to the letter, and the signatories say the best solution is a federal investment in early childhood education. Legislation on the president’s proposal is expected to be introduced in both the House and Senate on Wednesday.
Opponents of the proposal have argued that it would not be a good use of public money and that any proposal to raise the federal tobacco tax faces a tough fight.
The Budget Committees have until Dec. 13 to submit a budget, which must be approved by Congress by mid-January to avoid another government shut down.
The business leaders from California who singed the letter are: Carl Guardino, president and chief executive officer of Silicon Valley Leadership Group; Bob Linscheid, president and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce; Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California; Lenny Mendonca, director of McKinsey and Company; Cynthia Murray, president and CEO of the North Bay Leadership Council; Gary L. Toebben, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; Harold M. Williams, president emeritus of the Getty Trust; Julie Meier Wright, strategic adviser to Collaborative Economics; Kurt E. Yeager, president emeritus of Electric Power Research Institute.
Lillian Mongeau covers early childhood education. Contact her or follow her @lrmongeau.
