Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/42291
Paycheck scheme a two-time loser California voters have twice rejected "paycheck deception" initia- tives in recent years. Unfortunately, it took costly statewide cam- paigns by coalitions of labor unions and the strong participation of CTA members to educate voters about the misleading measures. In November 2005, Prop. 75 singled out only public employees as its target and was heavily promoted by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of his slate of initiatives targeting educators and the rights of all government employees. It lost with a 53.5 percent no vote. In June 1998, Prop. 226 targeted all California union workers as does the new initiative. Supported by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, it lost at the polls with a 53.3 percent no vote. union corporate agenda in the U.S. Polls show union mem- bers overwhelmingly want their unions involved in politics to counter the influence of Wall Street. What kinds of political gains has CTA made for educa- tion over the decades? CTA has a proud record of using political clout to pro- tect students, improve schools and colleges, and enhance the teaching profession. Educators' ability to lead labor's fight to defeat con- servative billionaire Meg Whitman and elect Jerry Brown governor last year could have been curtailed if this pay- check measure were the law at the time. So would the campaign to elect Tom Torlakson as state superintendent of public instruction. CTA led the fight to pass the landmark Proposition 98 in 1988, which guarantees minimum funding levels for schools. The union also sponsored the 1996 legislation that created the state's class size reduction program, and the 2006 Quality Education Investment Act, which brings an extra $3 billion in resources to 500 at-risk schools over an eight-year period. From 2000 to 2009, CTA beat back a school voucher initiative and won passage of three statewide school bonds totaling $35.7 billion. State Council approved a $60 million CTA war chest to successfully oppose then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's three well-funded initiatives in 2005, including his paycheck deception effort. These measures would have cut school funding, destroyed teachers' due process rights, and silenced the political voices of all public employees in the state. "We are proud of the way we use our voice in Sacramento to help our students and schools, and we will not let wealthy interests silence our voices with this initiative," says Vogel. "This measure is misleading and full of unintended con- sequences that would hurt us all. It clearly singles out union members for unfair treatment while giving big corporations a free pass to reap even more profits and pay even less in taxes. We know a dangerous scheme when we see one. So do the voters." Story by Mike Myslinski 12629 AZUSA | HIGH DESERT | INLAND EMPIRE | LOS ANGELES | MURRIETA ORANGE COUNTY | SAN DIEGO | VENTURA COUNTY | ONLINE September 2011 / www.cta.org 41 Earn your degree from a university known for excellence in education. Azusa Pacific has a reputation for consistently producing innovative and comprehensively prepared educators. Our graduates serve as teachers, counselors, coaches, and administrators throughout Southern California, and are known in their schools and districts as leaders in their field. Choose from more than 40 credential and degree options at APU, including a bachelor's degree completion program in liberal studies, and join a 112-year legacy of commitment to excellence in education. Programs start five times throughout the year. Contact us today! www.apu.edu/explore/education (800) 825-5278 Azusa Pacific University SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Darin Curtis, M.A. '95 Tierra del Sol Middle School 2011 California Teacher of the Year