Letter from President Schoonover: ‘Our Focus Is Supporting the Public’

By Bob Schoonover
President, SEIU 721
In 2010, we faced real challenges to providing public services. Even in the most difficult circumstances and with waning resources, we spoke up so Southern Californians could hear about broken streets, child welfare needs, the impact of open courts, the pitfalls of privatization and more.
The new year starts with tremendous challenges at the state and local level:

• California faces a $30 billion deficit and difficult choices ahead, including new revenue measures. If those don’t succeed, cuts will be devastating to recipients, taxpayers and public service providers.
• Looming budgetary problems in the City of Los Angeles from the continued dispute over parking garage leases and lack of revenue. Public services have been hit by furloughs and layoffs.
• The continued attack on public employees’ retirement is a common theme in all our areas, especially Riverside, the Tri-Counties and the City of LA.
• Privatization of public services is a prime concern. Residents are facing the takeover of public libraries in Los Angeles and Ventura
• Counties and the ongoing pressure in Santa Paula to privatize sanitation and the City of Los Angeles to outsource street services and other core programs.

Last year public employees were the target of a lot of negative spin from the media and some in elected office. They want to blame public workers’ health care and benefits for budget problems we didn’t cause.
Lately some people have started to fire back. Just this month, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich said people attacking public workers are trying to hide the real problem: the billions going to bank executives and the ultra-wealthy through tax loopholes.
“It’s only average workers — both in the public and the private sectors — who are being called upon to sacrifice,” he wrote.
In Southern California, elected officials from both parties are starting to recognize that our problems aren’t going be solved by scapegoating hard-working people. We hope 2011 is a better year, full of creative ideas and a renewed spirit to provide services in an uncertain economic climate. We’ve got to dig down deep and fix this economic mess and restore services to the public, end furloughs and stop the layoffs that are hurting our neighborhoods. Our focus, as always, will be on supporting the public in this crisis.