UTLA Teachers’ Strike is a Truly Horrible Idea
The leaders of the United Teachers Los Angeles prides themselves on no-holds-barred organizing for the benefit of teachers. But they’ve gone too far in preparing a one-hour strike for this Friday, June 6.
Such a strike, if it’s not stopped by the courts (it’s an outrage that LAUSD agreed to a union contract that permits this kind of spot walkout), could leave classrooms full of children unattended during school hours. UTLA says its teachers have been working with principals on one-hour safety plans. Let’s hope so.
If harm befalls even one child, it should be on the union leaders’ heads.
Assembly Passes Paid Sick Leave Mandate That Makes Small Business Ill
Last week, the California State Assembly passed yet another mandate bill that is bad news for small businesses around the state. AB 2716 by Assembly Member Ma passed with a 45-33 vote and will force all employers to provide paid sick leave regardless of their ability to pay and would expose small businesses to yet another round of lawsuits.
And to add insult to injury, when did this vote take place? On the very day that California has set aside to honor the best and brightest small businesses around the state – California Small Business Day. Dozens of legislators voted against the interests of California’s economic powerhouse – small business – by supporting a multi-billion dollar job-killing mandate, then walked across the street to proclaim their undying support for the very businesses they had just crushed. To say the least one must question their motives for attending the event.
Proposition 13 works
Proposition 13, California’s famous property tax limitation initiative, will be put under the microscope this week as it reaches its 30th anniversary. Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and I, wrote a piece detailing the success of Prop 13 for the Los Angeles Times in response to Times Contributing Editor Bill Stall’s article last week calling for a "face-lift" for Proposition 13.
You can read Stall’s article here, and the Coupal-Fox article here.