Governor Brown Tells Cheering California Unions "You've Got a Friend"

As payback to the teachers', police, prison, and firefighters' unions largely responsible for his election, socialist Governor Jerry Brown vows to pick the pockets of California taxpayers, and tells cheering unions "You've Got a Friend".

Bloomberg reports, Brown May Take $11 Billion California Tax Extension to Voters

California Governor Jerry Brown said he’s willing to gather signatures for a voter initiative to extend $11 billion in expiring tax increases, blocked by Republican lawmakers, in order to balance the state’s budget.

“We are going to put it before the people one way or another,” the 73-year-old Democrat said in an interview.

The governor worked with lawmakers to reduce the $26.6 billion budget shortfall to about $15 billion through cuts to health care, education and other programs.

The linchpin of his plan would fill $11 billion of the remaining gap by getting voter approval of a five-year extension of tax and fee increases due to expire by July 1. The proposal fell short when Republican lawmakers withheld support.

Brown has since been traveling up and down California, the most populous state, trying to persuade at least two Republicans each in the Senate and Assembly to change positions, which would be enough to allow a vote.

The governor wants to retain increases of 0.25 percentage point in personal income-tax rates; 1 percentage point in the retail-sales levy, to 8.25 percent; 0.5 percentage point in auto-registration fees, to 1.15 percent of a vehicle’s value; and a reduction in the annual child tax credit to $99 from $309.

Brown got a standing ovation yesterday at the California State Parent Teacher Association’s convention in Long Beach when he said he would not support reduced spending on schools.

“I want you to know you’ve got a friend, an ally and a partner as we go forward together,” he said. Leaving the podium, he held up a sign he was handed that read, “Cuts Hurt Kids.”

Unions Hurt Kids

Cuts won't hurt kids, but unions sure do. Via tactics of coercion, bribery, and threats, unions have achieved enormous power for their own self-serving mission, to the detriment of everyone but the politicians whose votes they buy.

Here are a couple of YouTube videos to consider. I could easily come up with dozens more.

Give up the Bucks



Link if the above video does not play: Give Up the Bucks

SEIU Spokesperson Threatening California Lawmakers with Union Retaliation



Link if the above video does not play: SEIU Retaliation

As I have pointed out many times, union rules prevent firing of horrendous teachers, act to block charter schools and home teaching, and union seniority rules hurt the neediest schools the most.

Not a single teacher need lose their job if there are cuts. All that needs to happen is for public service pay and benefits to be brought in line with that of the private sector.

Instead, Brown wants to hike taxes, including sales taxes and reduce child credits. Some of his proposed measures will fall disproportionally on those who can least afford it.

In effect, socialist Brown wants to rob everyone for the benefits of overpaid, underworked, and over-pampered unions who already receive pay, benefits, and job guarantees that make most in the private sector envious.

Brown is no friend of California.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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