What's going on in the political arena
Millionaires Tax would begin to Restore California
Restoring California, a coalition led by the California Federation of Teachers, has filed the “Millionaires Tax to Restore Funding for Education and Essential Services Act of 2012” with the state Attorney General’s office. This proposed ballot measure would increase tax rates on personal income in excess of one million dollars per year to provide desperately needed revenues to rebuild our schools and services.
The Millionaires Tax Act will ask people who make over a million dollars per year to pay 3% more on any income over their first million, and people who make 2 million dollars per year to pay an additional 2% more, so that we can begin to reverse the decline of California. The Millionaires Tax would raise an estimated $6 billion per year for schools (early childhood, K-12, and higher education), services for seniors, children, and the disabled, public safety, and rebuilding roads and bridges.
The measure is extremely popular! The polling shows this initiative by far has the best chance with the electorate: the voting public wants to support these issues, and it wants to get there without asking the 99% to pay more.
The Millionaires Tax will not solve all the state’s problems with one magic wave of the fiscal wand. California now suffers an annual state budget deficit around twice the size the state will receive from our ballot measure. But it’s an important start, and key to its success is that it gets the money from the people who have it and can easily afford to pay their fair share.
Sign this online pledge to support the Millionaires Tax of 2012 and learn more here.
Oil extraction tax initiative: Round two
A new oil and gas severance tax initiative is now in circulation. The 15% tax on each barrel of oil extracted is estimated to raise $3 to $3.5 billion and would be allocated to the four sectors of public education: 37% to K-12, 38% to Community Colleges, 14% to CSU and 11% to UC. A statewide coalition of students, labor, political, community and religious organizations and other progressive groups must obtain 504,760 valid signatures of registered voters in California by the end of April 2012. A tax on the excessive oil company profits in the only major oil-producing state that up to now has had no oil extraction tax could bring in $34 million dollars to City College. Tabling to obtain signatures, disseminate literature, and recruit volunteers has already begun. We need faculty volunteers to help on several fronts, especially gathering signatures over the break. There will be a training on Tuesday, December 20 at noon at AFT 2121. For volunteers to get a statewide initiative on the ballot is unprecedented, but so is the righteous anger—and the enlightened self-interest—of 3 million students in public higher education and their allies.
Day of Action in SF to Stop the Federal Cuts
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Expand Social Security! No Cuts to Medicaid! Medicare for All! Hundreds of San Francisco unionists and community activists rallied and marched through the financial district on Friday, December 2nd. Check out video and AFT 2121 photos.
Support & protection for Occupy SF: Will you join our rapid response team?
Occupy is under great pressure -- and attack -- in cities across the nation, and SF is no exception. AFT 2121 members are already helping. A few weeks ago, just a night after the violent raid in Oakland, Mayor Lee indicated that he planned to clear out Occupy SF. With little time to organize, labor and community stepped up, and eight members of AFT 2121 joined with many others, including our supervisors, to hold off the police.
As an outgrowth of that experience, labor and community, coordinated through Jobs with Justice and the Labor Council, have been developing a rapid response system to ensure that, if necessary, we can mobilize like this again. While we hope it won't be necessary, we do want to make sure that the Occupy movement can continue to exist in SF.
Will you be part of our rapid response team, ready to defend Occupy SF? If so, click here for more details and to send an email to us with your contact information.
"State of Emergency" rally a powerful event
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Protesters converged at San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza on May 13, 2011 for the "State of Emergency" rally to protect education and public services. Thank you to all AFT 2121 members who came to support the finale to the May 9-13 "Week of Action".
Hands Across California a fun event
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Thank you to all the faculty and students who participated in this exciting event.
New Priorities Campaign
Please sign on to the New Priorities Campaign to end the wars and convert military spending to funding for human needs and the saving the environment (endorsed by AFT 2121 Delegate Assembly):
We Are One rally a success
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Thank you to all those faculty and students who turned out for the “We Are One” march and rally on April 4. Click here to check out this moving statement by Tim Paulson of the San Francisco Labor Council.
Members at simultaneous rallies in solidarity for Wisconsin
AFT 2121 members and CCSF ESL instructor Kim Lee attended the February 26 rally in Sacramento in support of Wisconsin public employees. Below are pictures taken by Kim.
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On the same day, thousands gathered in San Francisco, including AFT 2121 member Allan Fisher and AFT 2121 President Alisa Messer:
Look up California Legislation
Need help finding information on a particular bill? leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html is a website that allows access to legislation past and present.