Angela Arriola is the Associated Students Inc. president.

Proposition 1D, on this November’s ballot, is an opportunity for students, our schools and California. The best way to grow our economy and create good-paying jobs is to create world-class public schools that provide students the skills they need to succeed in the workforce.

With a changing economy and a need to compete with other states and other countries, California needs to prepare for the jobs of the future; we, as students, need to learn with the latest technology. Prop 1D will take California in the right direction by investing billions in school construction and modernization – relieving overcrowding, and updating our schools with new technology and vocational education facilities so that all students are given the opportunity to learn the skills they need to succeed in life.

California’s community colleges and state universities (UC and CSU) continue to grow rapidly. With community colleges providing instruction to over 2 million students every year, and California’s universities expected to grow to accommodate nearly 650,000 students, we need to provide funding to modernize and upgrade teaching and research facilities to remain competitive with other states. Prop. 1D will provide resources to upgrade California’s higher education facilities with new technologies and career facilities to compete with growing workforce needs.

For decades California did virtually nothing to accommodate a growing student population and today continues to face overcrowding. Too many schools are not retrofitted to withstand earthquakes or are potentially hazardous due to asbestos that was used when many of the state’s schools were originally built. Prop 1D will provide funds specifically to tackle these problems.

California classrooms continue to be overcrowded. Students are trying to learn in schools that house 75% more students than they were built to accommodate. By building more classrooms, Yes on 1D will relieve overcrowding, help reduce class sizes, and give students a real opportunity to learn.

The California State Architect says that more than 7,000 schools may not be earthquake-safe. The safety of our students should be our top priority. Yes on 1D will allocate funds to retrofit and upgrade our schools and colleges to ensure they can withstand the impact of natural disasters like earthquakes.

Prop 1D also includes funding directed at removal of asbestos and replacing leaky restrooms and dangerous roofs.

Prop 1D would allocate $1.5 billion to the California Community Colleges, $890 million to the University of California system and $690 million to the California State University system.

For Sacramento State, if the proposition is approved, it would mean about $6.8 million dollars to fund minor capital outlay and capital renewal projects.

It is important to note that funds from 1D will be subjected to independent audits, and misusing them is a crime, punishable by time in jail. This information will be made available to the public so taxpayers can ensure their money is spent properly and will NOT go to waste.

Vote YES on 1D.