Budget

May Revise Offers More Education Funding

Additional Revenue will be steered to education under Prop 98

by Brian Leubitz

The Proposition 30 funds will sunset in a few years, but the surplus revenue is nice while it lasts. With the economy picking up speed, and an additional few billion in unexpected revenue, Gov. Brown has some flexibility that wasn’t there a few years ago. So, he’s gone through his laundry list:

For the budget year (2014-15), the May Revision sets aside $1.6 billion to make the final payment on the Economic Recovery Bonds and another $1.6 billion for the Rainy Day Fund.

The May Revision reflects more than $2 billion in added costs over and above the January budget. This includes higher spending to provide health care coverage under Medi-Cal for a million more people, emergency drought assistance, added funding to meet the Proposition 98 guarantee for K-14 schools, caseload increases in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, additional contributions to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and added staffing to administer California’s unemployment insurance program.

When Governor Brown took office, the state faced a massive $26.6 billion budget deficit and estimated annual shortfalls of roughly $20 billion. These deficits, built up over a decade, have now been eliminated by a combination of budget cuts, temporary taxes and the recovering economy.

Could he have done more to restore some of the massive cuts of the 2007-2012 era? Probably, but Gov. Brown was never going to wipe all that away in one cycle. That has just not been his style since his Oakland mayoral days. But the May revise moves the state forward and is a solid foundational document for the future.

Parts of this will clearly change as the Speaker and Senate leader get a hold of it, and there are certainly improvements to be made. However, with the rainy day deal already done, half the battle is behind us and the politicians are looking to the upcoming elections.

California

California Unions Urge Support for State’s Veterans, Yes Vote on Prop 41

By Steve Smith

Over 200,000 California veterans live in poverty. More than a quarter of the nation’s homeless veterans are right here in our state. We see them on the street. Their injuries – both physical and emotional – are evident. Yet, far too little is being done to help the heroes who fought for our country find a roof over their heads at night. That’s simply shameful.

We can do better. We must do better.

Prop 41 directs $600 million of existing Proposition 12 (Veterans Bond Act of 2008) to housing options for veterans. On June 3, California voters have an opportunity to infuse much-needed funds into transitional housing for veterans, which would go a long way to providing a warm place to sleep at night for those who have sacrificed so much to defend the very freedoms many of us take for granted.

We proudly endorsed Prop 41 because it’s exactly the kind of thing we need to see more of here in California. The measure doesn’t ask voters for new money. It won’t cost taxpayers a dime. But what it will do is get veterans off the street. No one who has served our nation in uniform should live in poverty or be without a place to live.

So on June 3, cast a vote to curb homelessness among our state’s veterans. Cast a vote to give our heroes in uniform a chance to build a better life. Cast a vote for Prop. 41.

Learn more about Prop 41

Learn more about Veterans and Labor – Partners in Service

Uncategorized

California Unions Urge Support for State’s Veterans, Yes Vote on Prop 41

By Steve Smith

Over 200,000 California veterans live in poverty. More than a quarter of the nation’s homeless veterans our right here in our state. We see them on the street. Their injuries – both physical and emotional – are evident. Yet, far too little is being done to help the heroes who fought for our country find a roof over their heads at night. That’s simply shameful.

We can do better. We must do better.

Prop 41 directs $600 million of existing Proposition 12 (Veterans Bond Act of 2008) to housing options for veterans. On June 3, California voters have an opportunity to infuse much-needed funds into transitional housing for veterans, which would go a long way to providing a warm place to sleep at night for those who have sacrificed so much to defend the very freedoms many of us take for granted.

Over 200,000 California veterans live in poverty. More than a quarter of the nation’s

For labor unions, this issue is close to our hearts. Last year, the California Labor Federation, the Orange County Employees Association and unions around the state launched “Veterans and Labor – Partners in Service” with the express purpose of harnessing the power of working people in California to advocate on veterans’ issues.

We proudly endorsed Prop 41 because it’s exactly the kind of thing we need to see more of here in California. The measure doesn’t ask voters for new money. It won’t cost taxpayers a dime. But what it will do is get veterans off the street. No one who has served our nation in uniform should live in poverty or be without a place to live.

So on June 3, cast a vote to curb homelessness among our state’s veterans. Cast a vote to give our heroes in uniform a chance to build a better life. Cast a vote for Prop. 41.

Learn more about Prop 41

Learn more about Veterans and Labor – Partners in Service

Uncategorized

Pete Wilson Just Says It: Donnelly Is Bad for GOP Viability

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060510ED-0744Former governor worries at message he would send to voters

by Brian Leubitz

Back in 1994, Pete Wilson leveraged nativism and Prop 187 to a big re-election win over Kathleen Brown. But, apparently there is a bridge too far, and his name is Tim Donnelly: (h/t to David Siders)

“I respect and share the concern of Tea Party and other California voters who are determined to reverse the growth in the size and cost of our state government. I strongly urge them to vote for a candidate for Governor whose campaign can compel the public to focus on reform of our failing public schools and of the tax and regulatory burdens that are driving companies and good jobs out of California.

Neel Kashkari can and will produce such a campaign. Tim Donnelly will not because he cannot.

Keeping public focus on the real and important issues facing California will require a candidate who does not have to defend Tim Donnelly’s bizarre votes and statements or his irresponsible personal behavior. Donnelly’s record – not California’s critical challenges – is what would inescapably become the focus of a Donnelly campaign.

With Tim Donnelly on the ballot, it would be a losing campaign, risking injury to our party and our state, and to other Republican candidates who deserve to win.” (FlashReport)

Ouch! Now, unfortunately for Wilson and the GOP, the conservative base seems to like them some crazy. With the ballots already out, whether Kashkari can pick up the momentum he needs to pull into second is still a very open question. Meg Whitman and her millions of dollars aren’t walking through the door anytime soon, and the future of GOP as a viable party in California is looking rather hazy.

San Diego

Several Severe Fires Rage in San Diego

At least 9 separate fires rage as firefighters struggle to keep up

by Brian Leubitz

We were warned that due to the drought this was going to be a very bad fire year. However, just how bad is becoming painfully clear. Traditionally, we would be looking down the road a while from now before the most severe fire danger. However, there was no considerable rain this winter, and this early fire season shows it.

San Diego County authorities Wednesday declared a local emergency due to wildfires that destroyed more than 20 structures, including homes, in the northern part of the region. … Firefighters are battling wind-driven blazes in Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, Bonsall and Camp Pendleton. (San Diego 6)

The local declaration requests a similar state declaration, but the Governor has not yet issued that. When he does, that will allow the use of some state and federal resources.

Some footage of the firefighting from SD 6 is below. Stay safe out there.

Uncategorized

Bipartisan Prop 13 Reform?

2 Comments

Well, kinda. Enabling legislation will get a tweak

by Brian Leubitz

Call it the third rail, or whatever you so desire, but changing anything even remotely associated with Prop 13 was considered strictly verboten. However, Asm. Tom Ammiano has apparently broken through some of that muck. Ammiano’s legislation, AB 2372 has now received the support of a number of business organizations, and even the Howard Jarvis people say that they won’t rally the troops against the bill. This is rare:

“This particular loophole really pushed a button in people,” said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), coauthor of the measure, AB 2372, with Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima).

Lenny Goldberg, leader of the California Tax Reform Assn., praised the measure as a “step forward” and noted the irony of being on the same side as his frequent foes. (LA Times)

Now, to be clear, this is not the major Prop 13 reform that we’ve been talking about. It resolves a basic fairness question. Long story short, commercial real estate that never transferred over a 50% interest wasn’t reassessed for Prop 13 purposes. It got a lot of attention in a few very notable instances, and the public pressure was even getting to Jon Coupal and his HJTA horde.

Don’t expect this to become a trend. The Chamber of Commerce is unlikely to have wholeheartedly changed their tune, but this is solid policy. However you look at it, this small change makes sense.

Uncategorized

Sign the Petition for Paid Sick Days

By Krista Collard

Having to choose between going to work to keep food on the table for your family and neglecting your health or the needs of sick child is not a choice people should have to make. But every day, over 5 million working Californians who lack access to paid sick days, have this unfair choice hanging over their heads.

Like most people, we believe that anyone who is willing to work full-time should not be forced to live in poverty. We also agree with most people that if a worker or their child gets sick, it’s better for everyone if that worker is able to take some earned leave to get well without losing critical pay or worse, their job. That’s why we’ve launched our petition” in support of AB 1522, a bill that would guaranteed three paid sick days a year for every California worker after 90 days of employment.

Working mothers are among the most likely to need paid sick days-women remain the primary caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled, and are more likely than fathers to need to stay home with a sick family member. Yet many working moms are employed in the retail and restaurant industries, and aren’t offered any paid time off when illness strikes. This creates a serious problem not only for workers, but for consumers as well when those workers are offered no choice but to serve food or stock shelves while ill.

Andrina Garcia is a good example of this pervasive problem.  A single mother of two small children and worker in the fast-food industry, she doesn’t have access to a single sick day. So if she, her children or anyone else she helps to take care of becomes ill, she still has to make tacos or face losing wages.

Garcia said:

“As a single mother working for a large fast-food company making only $8.05 an hour, it is really challenging to provide for my children, but I do the best I can.

“Recently my mother got sick and I had to rush her to the hospital. Fortunately, it happened after my shift was over because otherwise I don’t know what I would done. Having a few sick days as a safety net –days that I’ve worked hard to earn– could make a huge difference to me and my family.”

A research brief prepared by Next Generation shows that only 61 percent of Americans working in the private sector receive paid sick leave. Those with greater access to paid sick leave tend to be full-time and high-wage workers; White, black, and Asian non-Hispanic workers are also more likely than Hispanic workers to have access.

According to polls, 85 percent of Californians support paid sick days legislation. In San Francisco, city-wide Paid Sick Days legislation enacted in 2007 has shown continued support, including from business owners. If AB 1522 passes, California would be the second state to pass such a law.

So please sign join us in supporting AB 1522, a landmark California bill to provide EVERY worker with paid sick days. It will provide critical support to millions of working Californians who have worked hard to earn the sick time they deserve. Sign the petition today!

Health Care

Sign the Petition for Paid Sick Days

By Krista Collard

Having to choose between going to work to keep food on the table for your family and neglecting your health or the needs of sick child is not a choice people should have to make. But every day, over 5 million working Californians who lack access to paid sick days, have this unfair choice hanging over their heads.

Like most people, we believe that anyone who is willing to work full-time should not be forced to live in poverty. We also agree with most people that if a worker or their child gets sick, it’s better for everyone if that worker is able to take some earned leave to get well without losing critical pay or worse, their job. That’s why we’ve launched our petition” in support of AB 1522, a bill that would guaranteed three paid sick days a year for every California worker after 90 days of employment.

Working mothers are among the most likely to need paid sick days-women remain the primary caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled, and are more likely than fathers to need to stay home with a sick family member. Yet many working moms are employed in the retail and restaurant industries, and aren’t offered any paid time off when illness strikes. This creates a serious problem not only for workers, but for consumers as well when those workers are offered no choice but to serve food or stock shelves while ill.

Having to choose between going to work to keep food on the table for your family and neglecting your health or the needs of sick child is not a choice people should have to make. But every day, over 5 million working Californians who lack access to paid sick days, have this unfair choice hanging over their heads.

Like most people, we believe that anyone who is willing to work full-time should not be forced to live in poverty. We also agree with most people that if a worker or their child gets sick, it’s better for everyone if that worker is able to take some earned leave to get well without losing critical pay or worse, their job. That’s why we’ve launched our petition in support of AB 1522, a bill that would guaranteed three paid sick days a year for every California worker after 90 days of employment.

Working mothers are among the most likely to need paid sick days-women remain the primary caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled, and are more likely than fathers to need to stay home with a sick family member. Yet many working moms are employed in the retail and restaurant industries, and aren’t offered any paid time off when illness strikes. This creates a serious problem not only for workers, but for consumers as well when those workers are offered no choice but to serve food or stock shelves while ill.

Andrina Garcia is a good example of this pervasive problem.  A single mother of two small children and worker in the fast-food industry, she doesn’t have access to a single sick day. So if she, her children or anyone else she helps to take care of becomes ill, she still has to make tacos or face losing wages.

Garcia said:

“As a single mother working for a large fast-food company making only $8.05 an hour, it is really challenging to provide for my children, but I do the best I can.

“Recently my mother got sick and I had to rush her to the hospital. Fortunately, it happened after my shift was over because otherwise I don’t know what I would done. Having a few sick days as a safety net –days that I’ve worked hard to earn– could make a huge difference to me and my family.”

A research brief prepared by Next Generation shows that only 61 percent of Americans working in the private sector receive paid sick leave. Those with greater access to paid sick leave tend to be full-time and high-wage workers; White, black, and Asian non-Hispanic workers are also more likely than Hispanic workers to have access.

According to polls, 85 percent of Californians support paid sick days legislation. In San Francisco, city-wide Paid Sick Days legislation enacted in 2007 has shown continued support, including from business owners. If AB 1522 passes, California would be the second state to pass such a law.

So please sign join us in supporting AB 1522, a landmark California bill to provide EVERY worker with paid sick days. It will provide critical support to millions of working Californians who have worked hard to earn the sick time they deserve. Sign the petition today!

Uncategorized

Sign the Petition for Paid Sick Days

By Krista Collard

Having to choose between going to work to keep food on the table for your family and neglecting your health or the needs of sick child is not a choice people should have to make. But every day, over 5 million working Californians who lack access to paid sick days, have this unfair choice hanging over their heads.

Like most people, we believe that anyone who is willing to work full-time should not be forced to live in poverty. We also agree with most people that if a worker or their child gets sick, it’s better for everyone if that worker is able to take some earned leave to get well without losing critical pay or worse, their job. That’s why we’ve launched our petition” in support of AB 1522, a bill that would guaranteed three paid sick days a year for every California worker after 90 days of employment.

Working mothers are among the most likely to need paid sick days-women remain the primary caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled, and are more likely than fathers to need to stay home with a sick family member. Yet many working moms are employed in the retail and restaurant industries, and aren’t offered any paid time off when illness strikes. This creates a serious problem not only for workers, but for consumers as well when those workers are offered no choice but to serve food or stock shelves while ill.

Having to choose between going to work to keep food on the table for your family and neglecting your health or the needs of sick child is not a choice people should have to make. But every day, over 5 million working Californians who lack access to paid sick days, have this unfair choice hanging over their heads.

Like most people, we believe that anyone who is willing to work full-time should not be forced to live in poverty. We also agree with most people that if a worker or their child gets sick, it’s better for everyone if that worker is able to take some earned leave to get well without losing critical pay or worse, their job. That’s why we’ve launched our petition in support of AB 1522, a bill that would guaranteed three paid sick days a year for every California worker after 90 days of employment.

Working mothers are among the most likely to need paid sick days-women remain the primary caregivers for children, the elderly, and the disabled, and are more likely than fathers to need to stay home with a sick family member. Yet many working moms are employed in the retail and restaurant industries, and aren’t offered any paid time off when illness strikes. This creates a serious problem not only for workers, but for consumers as well when those workers are offered no choice but to serve food or stock shelves while ill.

Andrina Garcia is a good example of this pervasive problem.  A single mother of two small children and worker in the fast-food industry, she doesn’t have access to a single sick day. So if she, her children or anyone else she helps to take care of becomes ill, she still has to make tacos or face losing wages.

Garcia said:

“As a single mother working for a large fast-food company making only $8.05 an hour, it is really challenging to provide for my children, but I do the best I can.

“Recently my mother got sick and I had to rush her to the hospital. Fortunately, it happened after my shift was over because otherwise I don’t know what I would done. Having a few sick days as a safety net –days that I’ve worked hard to earn– could make a huge difference to me and my family.”

A research brief prepared by Next Generation shows that only 61 percent of Americans working in the private sector receive paid sick leave. Those with greater access to paid sick leave tend to be full-time and high-wage workers; White, black, and Asian non-Hispanic workers are also more likely than Hispanic workers to have access.

According to polls, 85 percent of Californians support paid sick days legislation. In San Francisco, city-wide Paid Sick Days legislation enacted in 2007 has shown continued support, including from business owners. If AB 1522 passes, California would be the second state to pass such a law.

So please sign join us in supporting AB 1522, a landmark California bill to provide EVERY worker with paid sick days. It will provide critical support to millions of working Californians who have worked hard to earn the sick time they deserve. Sign the petition today!

Uncategorized

Toni Atkins is Sworn in as 69th Assembly Speaker

Becomes just the third woman, and first out lesbian, to hold the post

by Brian Leubitz

The pictures on twitter are a bit grainy, but standing next to her spouse, Jennifer LeSar, and all the usual notables, Toni Atkins was sworn in as the 69th Speaker of the Assembly. Gov. Jerry Brown is just to the right, holding something up and outgoing speaker John Pérez just behind. Thanks for the photo, @KevinMullin!

That’s not the only mention of twitter, as @ToniAtkins is now getting another account, @SpeakerAtkins. Follow them both, I imagine the latter account will gear up over the next few days and weeks.

Atkins has been waiting for the official transition for a few months now, and she’ll need to get the ball rolling straight away in the budget process. While Atkins made a nod to the rainy day fund, which will need to be wrapped up soon, she focused on housing the homeless and protecting California’s most vulnerable.

“We must work to ensure stability, and that includes an adequate reserve for those rainy days when the economy again takes a downward dive,” Atkins said, “and yet we must also realize that where we have our greatest challenge is at the same time expanding opportunity and lifting up the most vulnerable who have suffered a great deal and need us not to forget them now. While we have made difficult decisions during the recession, they have held on with white knuckles.”(SacBee)

The new Speaker has a long history of building coalitions and fighting for housing and vulnerable populations. She’ll need to call on a lot of that for the next two years to make the Assembly run smoothly.