(Carole was an Assembly candidate in AD-38 last year, a red district, and she nearly took it. – promoted by David Dayen)

I was one of the activists who spoke against the Props on Tues night at LACDP.  I am from AFSCME, not SEIU although SEIU has also come out against the Props 1A, 1D & 1E.  I am responding to David’s blog on the LACDP’s courage not to succumb to the pressures of our Legislators to pass the May 19 election Props. In reviewing the responses to his Blog,  I wanted to make some points.  

(edited to put the rest on the flip for space)

Regarding Prop A, the worst part of it is the Constitutional amendment for Spending Caps and the Rainy Day Fund. Spending Caps and the Rainy Day Fund will be a permanent part of the constitution and even if we are able to overturn the 2/3rds it will take a proposition to undo Spending Caps  I do not fault our Democratic legislators for this deal.  As long as we have the 2/3rds, Repubs have the power. It’s like being on the playground and seeing your class leaders slammed up against the fence by some bully thugs with guns and our leaders calling to us to “give them your lunch money, give them what they want.”  My heart goes out to them and I know they are telling us that things are going to be a hell of a lot worse if 1A doesn’t pass but I will not/can not be bullied by those Repub thugs into voting for Props that so blatantly violate our Democratic values and that will institute permanent, structural changes to our constitution that will be extremely difficult to undo.

That’s why we need to let the chips fall where they may, as much as I hate to say it, about this budget/May19 election.  Look, the Props are based on a budget deal based on a $42 billion deficit.  We are now at $55 billion (I think that’s the figure) because we didn’t get the Stimulus $ projected, Income Tax revenues are way down, etc.  So even if the Props pass the Legislators are still to have to go back into negotiation.  These Props are horrible. And any deal that will be made will be horrible but we will not be approving a permanent structural change that we will live to deeply regret and we will not be going down the slippery slope of slowly dismantling Prop 10 and 63.(1D and 1E)

   Prop 1A – The structural changes with Spending Caps/Rainy Day Fund will hamstring us forever – especially if we don’t overthrow the 2/3rds.Just look at how Prop 13 has damaged us.  (BTW The 2/3rds is part of Prop 13 which is how the Right will fight us next June when we will have a Prop to overturn the 2/3rds) If our budget is frozen at a 10 year average, what happens if gas goes up?  Does that mean that there will not be gas for Social Workers to do home visits to protect children/the elderly?  Does that mean that governmental agencies won’t be able to buy toner much less replace equipment? And what about the deluge of Boomers entering old age?  Does that mean we won’t be able to provide services that will keep them in their homes? Much less continue to fund our schools.  etc, etc,etc.  Obviously this is just a way for the Repubs to “shrink government so small….etc”  Another ploy by the corporate forces to dismantle government.

Prop 1B – a pay off to CTA -( have you been hearing their ads?) to support the Props.  What a crock!  The CTA is putting in $1mil (or is it $2 mil? I’ve heard both) for media to get the Props to pass. This deal The Gov made w/ CTA.  The schools will get a bundle if 1A passes. Also the building trade unions who are desperate for work because of this economic Depression have come out for the Props. This ploy by the Gov to get CTA and the building trade unions to support the Props (and put money into the media campaign) is an effective way to split Labor.  Labor and the LACDP came out “neutral” on 1A because they can’t side with one big labor force against another (just like what happened with the Indian Gaming Prop and the Clean Money Prop a couple of years ago.)  The Gov is also looking for $25 mil from his corporate buddies to do a media blitzkrieg this month on a “Vote Yes” campaign.

Prop 1C- Ha, ha, ha – wanna buy some junk bonds on potential future earnings of the lottery when lottery revenue is down? And what about the high interest the State is going to have to pay to get people to buy these bonds??? (6.85%?)

Prop 1D – Repubs came in to negotiation with the intention of dismantling Prop 10 – the First 5 program, which has been very, very successful in early intervention, parent education and strong anti-tobacco info.  Paid for by a $.53? tax on cigs.  I wondered why the Repubs were getting so much money from the tobacco industry last year when I ran against Cameron Smyth. Now it’s very clear.  They intend to dismantle this program. Our Dems were able to keep it down to a small amount this year but unless we overturn the 2/3rds they will keep chipping away at this program as well as Prop 63 (1E) until they are both gone.

Prop 1E – The Repubs also wanted to totally dismantle Prop 63, the Mental Health Services Act, passed overwhelmingly by the voters in 2004 paid for by taxing 1% of their taxable income over $1million.  The MHSA is doing what then Gov. Reagan promised in the ’70s when he deinstitutionalized untold thousands of mentally ill people onto the streets and promised “the money will follow.”  Well, the money never did follow and that is one reason we have 73,000 homeless people – a large proportion of them mentally ill, sleeping on the LA streets.  The MHSA has 4 components – 1.homeless mentally ill, 2. elderly mentally ill, 3. TAY (Transitional Age Youth) mentally ill, and a strong Prevention components that works with the schools, etc to prevent mental illness.

It is VERY successful. For example the Skid Row Homeless Outreach program has an 83% success rate and they have seen a 40% reduction in incarceration.  That means the MHSA program which costs $16,000 a year for full services – meds/housing/day treatment/case management, etc. is saving the taxpayer millions because it costs about $94,000 to incarcerate a homeless mentally ill person in that largest of mental hospitals in the world – the LA County Jail!!  If the Repubs are able to dismantle this program little by little (see Prop D) we will have increased incarcerations, emergency services and hospitalization. A penny wise and pound foolish idea if there ever was one!

BUT the Repubs must do their corporate master’s bidding and work to dismantle this program as well at Prop 10.  Again, without overturning the 2/3rds they will succeed because THEY WILL CONTINUE TO CALL THE BUDGET/REVENUE SHOTS!  And do not be fooled by the contention that the pittance “borrowed” from 1E will be used for EPSDT Children’s Mental Health programs.  The money “borrowed” from 1E and 1D will go into the General Fund – there is no control about how it will be spent.  Also the pittance “borrowed” from 1D is 1/2 of 1% of the $42 billion shortfall and 1E is 1/4 of 1% of the $42 billion.  You have to wonder why the Repubs picked on these two programs !!!!!! (Duh! Just follow the money as always)

Prop 1F – actually it is a symbolic pittance and even most of our Legislators go along w/ it.

So this is why I cannot vote for these Props.  I won’t be blackmailed, bullied, extorted and threatened by the Republican thugs that must be laughing mightily  behind their closed doors smoking ceegars with the Gov that they have us over a barrel.

This is why we really have to push, scream and insist that CDP and Labor put the money up we are going to need to get the 2/3rds prop passed in 2010. (And also the Clean Money Prop that will also be on the June 2010 ballot)And get John Burton to lean on wealthy Dems to join the fight.

So please vote “NO” on the Props on May 19, especially 1A, 1D and 1E.  Also please see Dave Jones excellent article on the structural changes that need to be made to correct our budgetary problems. http://www.speakoutca.org/webl…

Regards,

Carole Lutness, LCSW CADC

AFSCME 2712

661-755-3772

P.S. BTW – My union, AFSCME Local 2712, the Psychiatric Social Workers is paying the LA County Department of Mental Health my salary to fight the Props.  I’m doing a lot of educating and organizing around LA if anyone would like me to speak to their groups or would like to join our Stop the Cuts and No on 1D & 1E coalitions. Please come to the “Stop the Cuts/Defeat the Props” rally on May 13 at the Gov’s office in LA at noon (300 S. Spring St).  Bring signs, etc.  Make sure he can hear us!! ([email protected], 661-755-3772) Thanks