We don’t normally laugh at propositions here at the Nexus, but we couldn’t help ourselves on this one.

Prop 76 would supposedly reduce California’s budget deficit by subjecting school funding to annual budget decisions and granting the governor “new authority to unilaterally reduce state spending” – we know, we couldn’t believe it either – during “certain fiscal situations.”

While its proponents claim more money could be directed to law enforcement, healthcare and road management, Prop 76 would strip $4 billion away from public school funding, placing the excess money towards budget reserve, specified construction and debt repayment.

California’s public schools are already ranked near the bottom of the country’s educational barrel – swiping money voters have earmarked for education funding is not the only way to fix our state’s budget problems. Giving the governor the unilateral power to veto certain portions of the budget is even less of a solution.

Deficits are a fact of life, but we think California, as the sixth largest economy in the world, can figure out a better way to balance its budget than allowing its governor to play “Kindergarten Chop” and hack into educational funding. Who does this guy think he is?