By Trudy Stephenson Willis
"The secretary of state's office estimates this special election [if it's called] will cost taxpayers — you and me — more than $70 million," said CTA President Barbara E. Kerr in her address to Council. "This is killing local counties and communities because it's money they don't have in their budgets."
The cost estimates go as high as $10 million in Los Angeles County and $23 million in Alameda. "And, in San Francisco, the city is talking about shutting down community health clinics that serve poor children and the elderly one day a week just to cover costs," she said. "That's a high price to pay for an election that nobody wants with an agenda that nobody supports."
CTA cannot take the governor or the people who are bankrolling his campaign lightly, she added. "They are raising millions of dollars at these fundraisers, where people are paying up to $100,000 to eat with the governor and get a commemorative photo."
The governor's camp has set a fundraising goal of more than $50 million to push their agenda. "With pharmaceutical and oil companies picking up the tab, you know this is one promise they will keep."
With that in mind, CTA's Board of Directors gave notice that it will be asking Council at the June meeting to consider passing a temporary dues assessment of $60 a year for up to three years.
"It's our fight," said CTA Board member Tom Conry as he made the motion. "There's no question whether we should fight back. And we know, if it's our fight, we pay."
The money will not go into the initiative fund, rather into a line item for "debt service" to make sure CTA stays solvent in the long run.
When asked if the assessment could go away sooner, CTA Secretary-Treasurer Dean E. Vogel said, "Yes, the special assessment will end as soon as the debt is paid."
In answer to other questions from delegates, he said the assessment would not be applied to future indexing of dues, would be prorated for lower-paid members in the same way as dues, would end as soon as the amount collected meets the necessary expenditure, and will not become part of the calculation for local dues.
For those who fear the assessment will be seen as yet another way to get money for politics, Vogel explained that the money enables CTA to protect Prop. 98 and "that's not a partisan issue."
NEA Director Don Dawson from San Jose announced that even though members in his area have experienced a 75 percent layoff, they understand the need for this. "They voted unanimously to support it."
Dave Card from Visalia says the members he represents also voted 100 percent in favor of the assessment. "It's not the money. It's our profession. If these pass, we don't have a profession."
CTA-Retired delegate Sonia Howe wrote a check out for $60 on the spot, and, waving it at the microphone, urged delegates to involve retired teachers in their fight.
NEA Vice President Dennis Van Roekel, who attended the meeting along with Executive Committee member Mike Billirakis from Ohio, said NEA is seriously considering CTA's request for a sizable contribution to the effort as well. None of the other states have anything like Prop. 98, he said, and they don't want to see California lose it.
"When the governor attacks California teachers," added Billirakis, "he attacks Ohio teachers" and other teachers across the country.
"The 2.7 million members of NEA are with you all the way,"said Van Roekel.
