Is SEIU Setting Fire to the House of Labor?
After all the rumors and build-up and speculation about how much the Service Employees International Union might campaign against Prop 1A, the SEIU state council came out strongly against the rainy day fund proposal last week because… well, let’s look at the press release from SEIU and its coalition of anti-1A unions.
1A is disturbingly long…. (“close to 3000 words”)… and full of “confusing information”… and “complex formulas.” Who, the unions ask, would responsibly vote on such a document?
Of course, such a description – long, confusing, full of complex financial formulas — could apply to other documents. For example, union contracts. Except those union contracts would be closer to 30,000 words than 3,000. But I appreciate SEIU’s newfound devotion to simplicity. In the name of consistency, I’m sure the union will renounce its support for collective bargaining and ask the legislature and governor not to approve Local 1000’s new contract. After all, who would vote responsibly on such a long and confusing document?
Dreadful employment picture
You may have heard that the California unemployment rate for March was reported to be 11.2 percent https:> , an increase of 0.6 percentage points from February, exceeding even the peak unemployment rate of the 1981 recession (11 percent).
California may not have seen such a high monthly unemployment rate since the 1950s or even the 1940s. But recall that during the 1981 recession, which was relatively short, the unemployment rate stayed at or above 10 percent for 12 consecutive months.
But the picture gets even worse when you compare the job losses for this recession with the three previous recessions over the past 30 years. The chart below shows that California job losses (as a percentage of total nonfarm employment at the peak of the cycle) in this recession have been deeper and accelerated faster than during any of the previous recessions.
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A Difficult Crossroad Remains
Last weekend, the Executive Committee of the CA Republican Party voted overwhelmingly to oppose the Budget Package – Measures 1A through 1F. That vote mirrored the two to one opposition within the Party’s Initiative’s Committee and the opposition of the Party Delegates as well. In simple political terms, if politics is the art of the possible, and I think it is, it is simply not possible for the Republican rank and file to overlook the included tax increase or a government going out of control.
It is not possible in their minds for several reasons but one principle reason: for nearly all Republicans, being against tax increases is the final line in the sand. It is their core belief. Some, including the Governor, view that as being politically inflexible. I beg to differ.
The California Republican Party is wrong in opposing Propositions 1A-1F
I know a priority for Republicans, like all voters, is protecting the safety of every Californian and ensuring that justice is served. No one likes increased taxes, including myself, however my passion for public safety is unshakeable and these measures will ensure public safety will receive stable funding. The status quo under our current budget system does not do an effective job of providing the resources needed to do this job. Propositions 1A through 1F are critical to ensuring law enforcement officers, firefighters and district attorneys have the resources needed to keep our communities safe. As a result of our dysfunctional budget system, funding for public safety is not only inconsistent, but also often threatened.
That is why it is so disappointing that this small group of party insiders chose to oppose these reforms, particularly Proposition 1A, because this measure will get to the heart of alleviating our budget problems both in the short and long term, and that is crucial for the future of public safety in this state. I am optimistic that Republicans and Democrats will join with this state’s public safety community to say yes to these sound fiscal measures on May 19th and take a significant step toward putting California back on the right track.