GOVERNMENT UNIONS DAMMING GOOD PUBLIC POLICY

Good morning!

Yesterday, a report by State Auditor Elaine Howle concluded that only 22 of the state’s 650 major dams have an emergency plan in place. The report comes three years after the evacuation of the nearly 200,000 people who lived around the Oroville Dam. “As a result of these concerns, water infrastructure remains a high-risk issue,” Howie wrote. With a so-called “budget surplus,” why isn’t the state working to fix this problem?

One of the main reasons California cannot fix its problems is because Sacramento is governed by special interests who control term-limited politicians. Take the example of government unions. CPC fellow Edward Ring notes, “Politicians, unlike corporate executives, typically occupy their offices for shorter periods of time and don’t own shares that might be devalued after they leave office due to decisions they made while in office. Instead, politicians tend to be far more accountable to the public sector unions they negotiate with than to the people they serve.” However, there are ways for citizens to bypass the state legislature and try to change the system. Read here. 

In the city of Anaheim, cronyism is king. Everyone knows about Disney’s footprint in the city, but it’s not the only crony running the show. Last month Anaheim approved a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) advocated by trade unions to cover all taxpayer-funded construction projects citywide. PLAs are not only bad for taxpayers but also for workers. PLAs reduce bidding and require contractors to obtain only union workers for their projects, thereby drawing out completion times and raising costs. 

Despite labor unions’ strong grip on California politicians, the number of unionized workers has declined over the last several years as part of a broader national trend. City Journal reports that “About half of all government workers in California now belong to a union, down from more than 57 percent.” Nationwide, unionized teachers represent approximately 42 percent of public employee union members.

Considering the many radical positions both the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers have taken in the last few years, is it surprising that many parents are worried about the education their children are receiving from local public schools? The California Policy Center promotes school choice because parents, not unions, should decide how and where their children learn. During National School Choice Week this week, CPC’s Parent Union is informing parents about their school choice options. CPC Director of Education and Community Relations Ceci Iglesias tells her story and that of a parent named Gisela who, through her involvement with the Parent Union, was able to help her two sons receive a better education. Read here. 

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case that could be a gamechanger for the National School Choice movement. Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue is a case challenging the Blaine Amendments that are on the books in 37 states (including California) that bar public resources from going to religious schools. According to CPC President Will Swaim, “With so many students stuck in failing public schools, we need all hands on deck now — not in 10 or 20 years when millions more will have passed through terrible union-run schools. Faith-based schools could step into the breach immediately.” Read here. 

CPC President Will Swaim and CPC Board Member David Bahnsen reflect on the life of Kobe Bryant, discuss the CA 50 Congressional race, and question the moral origins of taxation in the latest National Review Radio Free California podcast. Listen here.

If you’re looking for a great movie to watch this weekend, we highly recommend Miss Virginia, a story about Virginia Ford and her fight to promote school choice in Washington, D.C. CPC contributor Larry Sand reviews the film in his column this week. Read here. 

Finally, are you affected by AB 5, California’s new law that harmed the ability of people to work as independent contractors or in the gig economy? If you have been hurt by AB 5, we would like to know your story. Please contact me at [email protected].

Upcoming Events:

The Role of Religion in Politics and the Role of Politics in Religion
The Pepperdine School of Public Policy hosts Rabbi Stu Halpern on Thursday, February 6 to discuss his new book, Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land: The Hebrew Bible in the United States. He will be joined by Pepperdine’s Wilfred McClay and Rabbi Meir Y. Soloveichik for a dynamic conversation on the role the Bible has, can and should play in the American public conversation. To register for this event, click here.

Franklin and Washington: The Founding Partnership
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson will speak at the Commonwealth Club on Monday, February 10 and discuss his joint biography of our two most influential Founding Fathers. Tickets are $20 for non-members and will include a book-signing as well. For more information, and to register, click here.

Art Laffer & Emmanuel Saez Debate the Wealth Tax at Pepperdine
Art Laffer, Presidential Medal of Freedom award recipient and inventor of the Laffer Curve, will square off against Emmanuel Saez, UC-Berkeley economist and Elizabeth Warren advisor, in a debate over the wealth tax at Pepperdine University on March 12. The event is hosted by The Steamboat Institute as part of its Campus Liberty Tour, which brings debates on the big issues to college campuses across the country. Find out more and register for free here.

If you have any upcoming events in the state, please send them to me!

As always, if you’d like to join our movement to save California, we invite you to support us. Click here to donate to CPC.