Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/17719
Why I’m voting for Jerry I am voting for Jerry Brown for governor because he is a learned, thoughtful, and experienced candi- date. The State of California is more than just a business to be run for the benefit of a few stakeholders at the top of the corporate ladder. It is a complex interplay of parks, roads, schools, farms, factories, hospitals, ports, and so much more. There is only one candidate in the race who has done the job before and un- derstands how to balance every Californian’s needs at this critical juncture in our state’s his- tory. That candidate is Jerry Brown. Susan Green, CFA ponent Meg Whitman’s commercials than anywhere else. What’s up with that?” Noting that Whitman had already spent a record amount of money on her campaign by October — more than $120 million of her own funds (and $140 million at press time) — he said he was at a loss to see how those millions of dollars in ads were going to save California from the fix the state is in. “This campaign isn’t just about ads,” he said. “It’s about you and your neighbors and your friends. It’s really about who cares most about California, who really understands California, and who can unite the very angry and very disparate elements that currently make up our state.” Putting into perspective the dysfunction of California’s archaic budget system, Brown said, “Right now, in September, you have furloughs because you don’t have a budget. Why is that happening in September? A lot of the Legisla- ture are on vacation. The governor is on a trip to China. I promise you this: If I’m elected, I’m not going to China — I’m going to Sacramen- to. And I’m going to Sacramento the first week, and I’m going to call the whole 120 legislators and say, ‘Okay, it’s time to do the budget, and we’re going to do it openly.’” “What’s most important is to bring people together to emphasize the basics,” continued Brown, “that we don’t want anyone to fall so far down that they can’t even support a family or live a decent human life. So it’s about eco- nomics, but it’s also about morality, about serving the common good. About uniting Cal- ifornians, not dividing them.” And under Whitman’s tax plan, working families would pay an additional $600 more a year, while people like her would pay zero. In addition, her proposal to cut welfare pro- grams in the state and invest that money in higher education is cynical and in- sensitive to the needs of people who live below the poverty line. Whitman’s plan calls for cutting Employee Rights • As governor, signed the first collective bargain- ing bill in California’s history, allowing teachers to be full partners in educating children and in the governing process. • Believes teachers’ pay and working conditions are a matter of collective bargaining. • Opposes “paycheck deception” initiative. • Supports workers’ right to organize and partici- pate in the political process. • Supports reducing public employee workforce by 40,000. • Supports “paycheck deception” pro- posals that would silence the voices of workers and limit union participation in the political process. the state budget by $15 billion, which could equate to another $7 billion in cuts to already beleaguered schools. Brown has made a commitment to protect schools. “Jerry Brown gets it,” says CTA governorship not trying to be just a Demo- crat or fighting Republicans, but as a Califor- nian first. I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve voted in elections here all my life,” says Brown, al- luding to Whitman’s poor voting record over the past 30 years. “I care about this state,” continues Brown. “I’ve visited schools and police stations and prisons and picket lines — I’ve seen the whole gamut. I didn’t just wake up one day nine months ago and say, ‘Gee, it’d be fun to be Educators and other working people can thank Brown for: > Creating 1.9 million jobs during his time as governor. > Establishing the Public Employment Relations Board. > Signing laws to give teachers and school employees the right to bargain collectively. > Extending collective bargaining rights to state employees. > Signed laws to prohibit the use of professional strikebreakers in labor disputes. President David A. Sanchez. “He knows that California’s future depends on a world- class, quality public school system. He under- stands that schools must have the resources they need to succeed. And he knows that Prop- osition 98 must be preserved to do that.” Brown’s devotion to this state, its people and its future is evident — in stark contrast to Whitman’s approach, treating California like a business. “At this stage of my life, I go back to the SPECIAL ELECTION ISSUE OCTOBER 2010 | www.cta.org 11 98 Prop. Jerry Brown believes that the funding guaranteed to schools by Prop. 98 should be a fl oor, not a ceiling.