This Week in Northern California Special Edition: California Schools in the Crosshairs

There's a lot riding on the November 6 election for California's once prized public education system. With $6 billion in trigger cuts looming due to the state budget deficit, two competing tax measures on the ballot propose to temporarily help fill the gap. Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30 would raise the state sales tax a quarter cent and income tax on those earning more than $250,000 annually. Competing Proposition 38, sponsored by millionaire attorney Molly Munger, would increase income tax on a sliding scale for those earning at least $7,316 a year.

• NPR's State of the Re:Union

News Panel: California Schools in the Crosshairs

We devote the full program to looking at how public education is financed in California, and hear from educators, students, policy experts and politicians about how we got here, and what solutions might provide a way out.

Guest Host: Al Letson