October 2014 P E R S P E C TIVE
POLITICS Torlakson, Yee, and Brown deserve support
November election provides clear contrasts
R
arely, if ever, has a statewide election in California hinged on voters’ attitudes toward teachers and the role of teachers in education. But the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction is proving to be just such a race. In the contested election, While the statutory duties Superintendent Tom Torlakson, of the state Superintendent of a former classroom teacher, is Public Instruction cover early promoting greater collaboration, childhood through high school, while Marshall Tuck, a former Torlakson speaks out on behalf Wall Street financier and charter of higher education as well. His school CEO, is pushing a policy brother is a community college of confrontation. instructor in San Francisco, and The candidates’ dueling perTorlakson himself taught comspectives are reflected in their munity college in Los Medanos. actions and in their respective Torlakson sided with City supporters, as well as in their College San Francisco faculty public statements. and students against the unfair FRED GLASS PHOTO
Tom Torlakson spoke at the CFT’s breakfast during the national AFT convention in Los Angeles. CFT enthusiastically endorses Torlakson, a former community college instructor, for reelection to the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“Teachers are not the problem in our schools; they are the solution,” opined Torlakson after the recent Vergara lawsuit ruling. By contrast, in talking about teachers unions, Tuck stated: “Their seat at the table is too big and they have too much influence over education policy.” PHOTO COURTESY OF BETTY YEE
Betty Yee, CFT’s choice for State Controller.
and illegal actions of the accreditation agency, calling on the ACCJC to reverse its sanctions.
Controller’s Race Betty Yee made it into the general election with support from CFT. She is well prepared to serve. Her career as an accountant and as a member of the state Board of Equalization will enable Yee to be an effective controller from day one. She also shares a broader commitment to public schools and colleges. Yee’s opponent is Fresno’s mayor, Ashley Swearengin. That politician underscored her anti-consumer and anti-public employee perspective in 2013 when she pushed Measure G to privatize municipal garbage collection. This would have led to higher consumer fees and layoffs for 100 employees. Fresno voters rejected the poorly conceived idea, but now she wants to push her privatization agenda
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NOVEMBER 4 ELECTION RECOMMENDATIONS CFT RECOMMENDS: Governor
Jerry Brown
to the statewide level. The controller’s race is important to educators for two reasons: in hard times, the controller prioritizes the state’s bill payments; and the controller sits on the pension-governing boards for CalSTRS and PERS.
Lieutenant Governor
Gavin Newsom
Attorney General
Kamala Harris
Controller
Betty Yee
Treasurer
John Chiang
Secretary of State
Alex Padilla
Governor Brown Governor Jerry Brown partnered with CFT to pass Proposition 30 in 2012. The revenue raised from increased taxes on high-income individuals has resulted in a restoration of state funding to our schools and colleges. This ended years of budget cuts and allowed districts to begin investing in the future through increased course offerings and wage increases for faculty and staff.
Insurance Commissioner
David Jones
Local Races In addition to electing constitutional officers, there are a number of important races for Congress, the state Legislature, and local boards on this ballot. Several members of the college community are seeking to serve beyond their individual campuses and offices. Counselor Bea Herrera in the Ventura district is running for the board of the Oxnard High School District. Miguel Santiago, a trustee in the Los Angeles district, is running for the state Assembly, where former instructor Cristina Garcia is running for reelection. Most of the tight races for Congress involve faculty or other members of the education community. The Los Rios College Federation of Teachers is working on the reelection of U.S. Representative Ami Bera in suburban Sacramento. Bera is a former professor of medicine at UC Davis. The San Jose/Evergreen Faculty Association supports retaining Representative Mike Honda, a former teacher and principal. Educators back Representative and former school board member Julia Brownley in Ventura County. Congresswoman Lois Capps, a former school nurse, is running for reelection in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, where CFT represents faculty and staff at Cuesta College and part-timers at Allan Hancock College.
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Supt. of Public Instruction
Tom Torlakson
CFT POSITIONS ON NOVEMBER 2014 BALLOT INITIATIVES: Proposition 1 Water Bond—YES Increases the long-term amount of available water. Proposition 2
State Rainy Day Fund —NO POSITION
Reduces state funds available for programs in “good years.” If enacted, state will cap school district reserves, freeing up additional resources in some districts.
Proposition 45
Preapproval for Health Insurance Increases—YES
Grants the Insurance Commissioner the power to approve rate increases.
Proposition 46
Medical Malpractice —NO POSITION
Increases awards for malpractice and requires drug testing of doctors.
Proposition 47
Sentencing Reform—YES
Reduces sentences for certain nonviolent crimes and invests savings in treatment programs.
Proposition 48 Indian Gaming Compacts—YES Ratifies contracts negotiated between state and tribes.
Personalized Slate CFT is once again making available a personalized electronic slate for educators and their families. Go to cft. yourvoterguide.com and put in your address. Up will pop the location of your polling place and a list of educator-friendly
candidates and union positions on voter initiatives. The electronic slate includes candidates for statewide office, Congress, state Legislature, and in many cases, local government.
By Kenneth Burt, CFT Political Director