CTA Backs Mental Health Initiative, and Protecting Majority Vote

LOS ANGELES – The California Teachers Association top policy-making body, its State Council of Education – comprised of more than 800 educators from throughout California – made recommendations on multiple California State legislative candidates over the weekend. The Council also took positions on three critical initiatives headed for elections next year.

“It’s more important than ever that educators are actively involved in the political process. The candidates CTA is recommending have been thoroughly vetted for their strong support for public education and other issues that are critical to California students, their families, educators, and workers in our state. Critically important is our unyielding support for democracy and majority rule, which are under assault by wealthy special interests using the next election to try and to starve our public schools of the resources and support California students deserve. We’re also committed to electing champions of public education and unions in the 2,000 school board elections in 2024.”

– CTA President David B. Goldberg

CTA’s recommendations are:

Initiatives

SUPPORT: Proposition 1: Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature placed a major transformation of the state’s behavioral health care system on the March Primary ballot as Proposition 1. Prop. 1 has a General Obligation Bond for construction of behavioral health treatment and residential care settings and permanent supportive housing. The proposal recognizes and supports the critical need to expand a culturally competent and well-trained behavioral health care workforce to address behavioral health capacity shortages and expand access to services. Prop. 1 will promote accountability with results for people with mental health and substance use disorders, including for children and youth, veterans, and unhoused people.

OPPOSE: Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act. This is an attack by wealthy corporations and real estate developers on one of the fundamentals of our democracy. CTA believes any local, state measure or initiative should be passed by 50% plus one, not a supermajority. The measure would put vital services we all depend on at risk.

SUPPORT: ACA 13/Protect and Retain the Majority Vote Act. For the reasons above and to prevent future attacks on majority rule democracy, CTA believes majority rule should be enshrined in our state Constitution.

Candidate Recommendations

A list of our recommended candidates for Assembly and State Senate seats is available here (www.cta.org/our-advocacy/election-2024).

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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.