More than 14,000 SEIU 521 members from Northern California to the Central Valley participated in a live tele-townhall Aug. 16 to learn about defeating the anti-union Proposition 32 and supporting Proposition 30 to save public services.
Listen to the tele-townhall: Listen here
Then take the pledge to protect our voice! Sign the pledge.
SEIU 521 Chief of Staff Luisa Blue; 521 Political Director Riko Mendez; and 521 Member Leader and Chair of our Committee on Political Education Brian O’Neill spoke about why Prop 32 will hurt working families and why we need to pass Prop 30.
Proposition 32
“Proposition 32 is really an attempt to silence the voices of workers by essentially removing us from the political arena. This is the third time that the wealthy have tried using deceptive ballot measures to take us out of politics and leave the table only for themselves.”
Riko Mendez, 521 Political Director
Here is an excerpt on Prop 32:
“The truth is that Proposition 32 would eliminate our ability to have a role in politics. It would silence our union voice on statewide ballot measures, candidate races, and local elections. This would cripple our ability to fight for good jobs, our services, and our retirement security. It pretends to be about ‘stopping special interests,’ but Proposition 32 really lets corporations off the hook in three big ways.
1. It has NO restrictions on corporate political committees (known as Super PACs).
2. It has NO limits on the amount of corporate profit they can use on politics against us.
3. It gives exemptions to the wealthy. Hedge funds, private billionaires, limited partnerships, business and trade organizations are all exempt.
That’s why Prop. 32 is known as the Special Exemptions Act. They get special exemptions and we get restricted.”
Proposition 30
“After years of cuts, California’s public schools, universities, and public safety services are at the breaking point. We need to get our schools and public services back on track. That’s why Governor Brown, with help from working people like us, put Proposition 30 on the ballot.”
Brian O’Neill, Chair of 521 Committee on Political Education
Here is an excerpt on Prop 30:
“The Governor’s plan asks the wealthiest Californians to pay a little bit more to help save California.
Families making less than $500,000 a year will pay NO additional income taxes.
Without Proposition 30, our schools and colleges face an additional $6 billion in cuts this year.
Proposition 30 is the only initiative that prevents those cuts and provides billions in new funding for our schools starting this year.
It also protects students and their families from steeper tuition hikes this year.
We urge everyone to vote YES on Proposition 30 to get our schools and public services back on track.”
Listen to the tele-townhall: Listen here
Then take the pledge to protect our voice! Sign the pledge.
