Billionaire Meg Whitman has made cutting public services the centerpiece of her campaign.
- She says government is “bloated” and has to “shrink.”
- In the Oct. 12 debate, she pledged to raise the retirement age and cut benefits for state workers, and said that “what the governor negotiates in Sacramento sets the table for the rest of the unions in California.”
Click the link below to watch a 1-minute video comparing the candidates’ positions on public services.
I am looking at Browns past maybe alot of people out here were not around back then or has a short memory but I do not look forward to having him back in office. It is sad when our union cares more about party then the issues at hand that our state is going thu we all need to bite the bullet and get this state back on it’s feet and I would rather go with Meg, at least she is going to try to get the state solvent again unlike Brown, and going by his track record that is not very good at all would just leave it as is, if not worse.
I (fortunately or unfortunately for me) was around when Jerry Brown was governor before. There were hard choices to be made then, and he made them. Working with the legislature, and even without their support, Brown was able to create a surplus. He did this without attacking workers or “the unions” or throwing more people out of work. That was the deciding factor for me. When Brown was governor the last time, my profession (court reporters) did not get along too well with him. However, we were eventually able to reach a compromise that we could live with and that satisfied the issue he had. That to me says he is willing to work with people.
I think he was actually a little ahead of his time, with all his talk about solar and wind energy back then. We need people who are going be creative to get us out of this mess, not just slash and burn people. In our present state of affairs, it makes no sense to cut public service jobs for many reasons that I’m sure I don’t need to repeat to you. I just know that our 721 members, along with SEIU members across the state, made the decision to endorse Jerry Brown not because of party but because he more closely represents our values as working people. Is he the best candidate ever? No. Is he the best candidate when you consider Ms. Whitman’s public statements against us? In my humble opinion, absolutely yes.
Where do you think Meg Whitman will get her 124Million invested in her campaign. Do you think she will just let this money go to nowhere? Think about it. This is a vested interest in California.
I recently researched both campaigns and also studied each candidate’s record. I am very fascinated with Brown’s history as governor: he was considered fiscally conservative almost immediately, and his pragmatism resulted in the biggest state budget surpluses since ($5 billion); even in his personal life, he lived modestly – foregoing costly perks of the office. Brown worked across the party aisles: Howard Jarvis supported him for reelection and Brown won his second term in a landslide. There are many examples throughout Brown’s public service career where he fought for the California middle class, workers and consumers. His was innovative for his time. I was greatly impressed with his character overall, when I read that he went to India to help Mother Teresa in 1988. Brown’s ethics are inspiring.
Whitman’s past practices as an employer includes outsourcing and firing American workers. She profited from insider deals, ‘vulture funds’ and found ways to avoid paying taxes. Yes, Whitman touts that she grew Ebay but she doesn’t say that 40% of her workforce was overseas – or that 10% was laid off after she left with her millions. Whitman did nothing to stop internet fraud, phishing and identity theft, afraid of negatively affecting Ebay stock. Whitman is not our friend. In her campaign, she vows to lay-off 40,000 state workers, to make it easier for employers to hire foreign workers and she wants to help her billionaire friends by giving a tax break – a tax break to only 1% of the population.
As a union and as a group of working Californians, it is imperative we look for allies and support them.
I am totally appalled at the kind of rhetoric Meg Whitman is espousing regarding public sector employees. We are proud of the work we do and the dedication to communities that need our services. Why would any clear thinking candidate consider lay-offs of public employees. ????
The services of firefighters, nurses, teachers are critical to a well functioning community.
Both Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer understand our dedication and commitment, however the Republican candidates seem to forget what happens when these critical services are privatized. The wealthy receive the deluxe model and the rest of us receive something in the middle. NOT ACCEPTABLE . Vital Services should not be given to the highest bidder and to advocate that premise is definitely intolerable. Additionally, the Governor and Senator seats should not be bought as a personal endowment. It is exceedingly clear that Californians will not buy this rhetoric and it is time for public sector employees to continue our dedication by voting enmass November 2, 2010. Send a clear message: California is not for sale and our commitment will endure. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE 721 MEMBERS!!