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On the ballot for California’s June 6 primary election are two propositions aimed at changing the quality of education in California, though many debate their ability to make an effective change.

Proposition 81 would raise $600 million in taxes to build and revamp state libraries.

Proposition 82 would fund preschool for all 4-year-olds in the state.

The goal of Proposition 81 is to establish libraries as a center of learning for the entire community, especially young students who need a place to get help with homework or hang out after school, said Les Spahnn, a spokesman for Yes on 81.

But groups who oppose higher taxes criticize the proposition for looking for funds in the wrong place.

“A ‘no’ vote forces free-spending politicians to cut welfare for illegal aliens to pay for our libraries,” said Thomas Hudson, executive director for the California Taxpayer Protection Committee in his “con” statement for the California primary election ballot measure summary.

But Spahnn said the situation is not so simple.

“It’s far more complicated than that. Libraries cannot simply obtain funds reserved for welfare and use it,” Spahnn said, adding that this means the proposition is important to obtaining the necessary funds for library improvements.

Both propositions involve increases in taxes, but not for everyone.

Proposition 82, if passed, would fund preschool by taxing individuals who make more than $400,000 a year and couples who make more than $800,000 a year. Under these guidelines, less than 1 percent of the population would be taxed.

Because the proposition also requires preschool teachers and aides to meet higher qualifications, it sets aside $700 million for state colleges – $500 million to train teachers and $200,000 in financial aid for those teachers, said Nathan James, a spokesman for Yes on 82.

“The initiative in general is a huge opportunity to improve the education system as whole,” James said, because preschool increases children’s chances of being able to read by third grade, which consequently increases their chances of graduating from high school.

He said studies show that if preschool education were made available to 10,000 more Los Angeles children, 3,200 would be saved from dropping out of high school.

But some politicians who agree that preschool can benefit the state’s education system have decided to vote “no” on Proposition 82.

They say the initiative limits the power of the Legislature and arguing that existing preschool programs should be improved before new ones are introduced.

Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, initially supported the proposition, but upon further analysis, withdrew his support in a letter to Proposition 82 campaigner Carl Reiner.

“The initiative pays more per pupil for a three-hour educational program than many K-12 schools are able to pay for a full school day,” he wrote. “Our first priority must be serving the needs of K-12 students.”

Even if the state were to support preschool education, UCLA School of Law Professor Daniel Lowenstein said funding the preschool initiative through a proposition is inefficient, because the Legislature cannot change any part of the proposition after it is passed.

In order for anything to be changed, he said it would have to go to a public vote again.

“It usually is not a good idea to use the initiative process to commit substantial sums of money for a particular purpose,” he said.

“Budgeting decisions should be left to the Legislature, which unlike the voters is in a position to balance different spending needs against one another.”

Kathy Fairbanks, a spokeswoman for No on Prop 82, said there are already preschool programs, such as Head Start, aimed at helping low-income children, and the state should be focusing more on programs like that instead of creating a giant preschool bureaucracy.

Requests for absentee ballots must be postmarked by 5 p.m. today.