California NOW

State Budget Stalemate May Drag on Until 2011

Well, it looks like the annual state budget stalemate is worse this year than ever, with Governor Schwarzenegger refusing to sign any budget that doesn't contain budget and pension restrictions with long-term effects, and Democrats insisting on new revenue increases. Schwarzenegger has stated that he will not sign a budget that does not contain his demands, and would be willing to stretch the budget crisis out until the next Governor takes office in January. Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg reacted by stating that unless the budget repeals recent corporate tax cuts, the legislature will also wait until the next Governor takes office. One thing these two rivals can agree on, is that California needs additional federal funding. Steinberg and Schwarzenegger traveled to D.C. to push for additional funds for the state through an extension of the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund among other measures.

Governor Schwarzenegger's approval rating has dropped to 22%, the same as Gray Davis when voters recalled him in 2003 and elected Schwarzenegger. Davis and Schwarzenegger have both been victims of the state's unsustainable structure, but despite the clear fact that the 2/3 vote currently needed to pass a budget is unworkable, Schwarzenegger has come out as opposing Prop. 25, which would solve this problem by mandating a simple majority for budget passage.  No wonder former state legislator Hannah-Beth Jackson has declared that the state is ungovernable regardless of who wins the Governor's seat in November.

The state's budget deficit of $20 billion is growing daily, and the state will run out of money by October unless a budget is passed. State Controller John Chiang would begin issuing IOUs by as early as August to save the state's cash for bills mandated by the state Constitution and federal law.  With such measures, California's worst-in-the-nation credit rating would likely be even further downgraded, possibly as far as "junk" status, making it even harder for the state to raise funds.

What can we as citizens do? Support reforms to change the state's ungovernable system, remind your state legislators, and the leadership of both parties, that we need a state budget that works for California families, without cutting severely needed services to our most vulnerable populations.  Tell Governor  Schwarzenegger not to leave a legacy of an even greater financial crisis for the state by refusing to sign a budget.

Speaker of the Assembly, John A. Pérez
Assembly Majority Floor Leader, Charles Calderon
Assembly Minority Floor Leader, Martin Garrick
Senate President Pro Tempore, Darrell Steinberg
Senate Majority Leader, Dean Florez
Senate Minority Leader, Dennis Hollingsworth

June 8 Election Results

Here is what the November statewide races are looking like, after the primary last night. For ease of reporting, we are showing only the two major party candidates.

The California NOW PAC has a full list of results for PAC-endorsed candidates across the state.


U.S. Senate
Barbara Boxer vs. Carly Fiorina

Governor
Jerry Brown vs. Meg Whitman

Lt. Governor
Gavin Newsom vs. Abel Maldonado

Attorney General
Kamala Harris vs. Steve Cooley

Secretary of State
Debra Bowen vs. Damon Dunn

State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Too close to call.
Larry Aceves and Tom Torlakson lead, with Gloria Romero a close third.
This non-partisan race will go to a November run-off.

Controller
John Chiang vs. Tony Strickland

Treasurer
Bill Lockyer vs. Mimi Walters

Insurance Commissioner
Dave Jones vs. Brian Fitzgerald

Results from the Ballot Measures are:

Prop. 13 Yes
Prop. 14 Yes
Prop. 15 No
Prop. 16 No
Prop. 17 No

You can see full election results at the California Secretary of State website.

Are You Ready for the June 8 Election?

We'll help you out by listing recommendations from several organizations, including of course the California NOW PAC!

Check the CA NOW PAC endorsements list for legislators and ballot initiatives!

You can also print out a Sample Ballot specific to your area simply by entering your zip code here and choosing "California NOW PAC" from the list of endorsing organizations.

And for more info on legislators, check out the 2009 Legislative Report Card, analyzing state legislators' votes on 10 bills of importance for women and girls throughout the state.

Click here to download the Courage Campaign's two-page Progressive Voter Guide,  or get a mobile phone guide that you can easily take into your polling place and send to your friends -- just text VOTECA to 30644. Sign up to Call for California with the Courage Campaign.

Get a list of Equality California (EQCA) PAC’s endorsed candidates and their Northern & Central CA Voters' Guide and Southern CA Voters' Guide.

www.smartvoter.org (nonpartisan election information)

California Elections and Voter Information - JUNE 8 (Tuesday) elections

www.866ourvote.org  - free, immediate and multi-lingual assistance to help voters who encounter barriers to the ballot box.

Support Proposition 15 and fair elections by phonebanking with Democracy for America.

Help CA NOW PAC endorsed candidate Holly Mitchell
Campaign Office Hours: 10am - 9pm, Sunday - Thursday, Saturday
Phonebanking shifts: 10am - 1pm, 1pm - 4pm, 4pm - 7pm, 7pm - 9pm
Precinct Walking shifts: Call the campaign office at 323-529-3171 for the times/dates.

Click here to join a Barbara Boxer Advocacy Team.

Recommendations and opportunities from CREDO
Click here to take a version of the progressive voter guide with you to the polls.  Are you on a mobile phone? View the guide on your web-enabled mobile phone. 
Volunteers are needed to phonebank and knock on doors before the election.
No on Prop. 16 -- PG&E Monopoly 
Courage Campaign California: Virtual phone bank for Prop 15 and against Props 16 and 17 
Click here to send an e-mail, share on facebook or tweet about the progressive voter guide. 

Legislative Report Card - How Did Your Legislator Do on Women's Issues?

Wondering if your state legislator is looking out for your interests? The California NOW PAC has just released the 2009 Legislative Report Card, analyzing state legislators' votes on 10 bills of importance for women and girls throughout the state. Take a look and find out the facts before the June 8 election!

Also, check the CA NOW PAC endorsements list for legislators and ballot initiatives!

CA NOW PAC Endorsements for June 8 Primary

California NOW PAC Endorsements
Tuesday, June 8 2010 Primary Election

Statewide
Senate
Assembly
Ballot Propositions

Statewide

Lt. Governor
Janice Hahn

Attorney General
Kamala Harris

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Tom Torlakson

Secretary of State
Debra Bowen

Controller
John Chiang

Treasurer
Bill Lockyer

Insurance Commissioner
Dave Jones

Board of Equalization District 1
Betty Yee

Ballot Propositions

Proposition 13 – Yes
Proposition 14 – No
Proposition 15 – Yes
Proposition 16 – No
Proposition 17 – No

California Against Slavery Works to End Human Trafficking

California NOW is working with California Against Slavery, gathering signatures for a state ballot initiative to strengthen human trafficking laws. The initiative would deter traffickers with stiffer criminal penalties, aid district attorneys in prosecuting human trafficking offenses, increase protection for human trafficking victims, and mandate human trafficking training for law enforcement officers.

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery and its victims are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. It happens in the United States and worldwide.

“We support and desperately need to see revision in our state law with regard to human trafficking,” said Jenny Williamson, founder and president of Courage to Be You, a Sacramento-area organization that rescues and restores victims of child sex trafficking. “Severe fines and extended jail time for the perpetrators of this evil must be enacted if ever this crime is to be deterred. Our courageous law enforcement officers must be equipped and encouraged with mandatory, specific training so that rescuing these vulnerable victims and putting their perpetrators away becomes a priority within our state.”

The California Against Slavery initiative is endorsed by many organizations combating human trafficking, including Breaking Chains, Captive Daughters, Courage to be You, International Justice Mission (IJM), Lotus Outreach, MISSSEY, Oasis USA, Polaris Project, Shared Hope, and Stop Child Trafficking Now.

“California is a major hub for human trafficking,” said Linda Smith, founder and president of Shared Hope International. “We fully endorse the California Against Slavery initiative because we see the strategic importance of having stronger state laws in place in the fight against human trafficking.”

Stop Human Trafficking in California!

 Are you tried of seeing the ballot initiative process taken over by big money, big businesses, and for-profit signature gatherers pushing measures that aren't really in the best interests of Californians? Join Californians Against Slavery, California NOW, and other groups throughout the state in gathering signatures to put an anti-trafficking initiative on the ballot.

What is trafficking? Modern day slavery still exists in our time and in our country. About 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. annually (US State Department “Trafficking in Persons Report 2006”) and 100,000 to 300,000 U.S. children are victimized by domestic sex trafficking (The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children, Shared Hope International, May 2009).

Under California state law, human trafficking is punishable by a sentence of only 3-5 years (4-8 for minors). Please help us get 1 million signatures for a state-wide ballot initiative to strengthen human trafficking laws and increase victims' rights. The proposed initiative would expand the definition of trafficking, increase penalties, require confiscated property to be used to benefit trafficking victims, and prohibit evidence of sexual activity from being used against trafficking victims.

Download a signature collection packet and flyer that you can use to gather signatures in your workplace, school, church, from friends and strangers.

We don't have the millions of dollars to spend that other ballot initiatives do.  What we have is you, our caring and dedicated activists throughout the state.  please take part in this campaign and help make a real difference for the women and girls who are trafficked into sexual slavery within California.

Today's Election Will Decide California's Financial Future

Just because Governor Schwarzenegger isn't around on Election Day doesn't mean you shouldn't vote!

The ballot measures 1 A through 1 F will, if approved, authorize the budget compromises agreed to by the legislature and Governor.  They will help keep the state budget in balance by cutting funding for state-finances programs and limiting future spending.  Unfortunately, they will also slash much-needed services, commit the state to restricted spending during a recession, and cripple possibilities for future state growth.

California's budget process is broken, as just about anyone in the state could tell you.  The requirement for a 2/3 majority means that either political party can hold up the process and refuse to work in good faith.  These ballot measures, which are opposed by the majority of Californians, are a perfect example of how the system fails.  If they pass, the state is going to face long-term financial problems, with limits on state spending that will damage our ability to grow and care for our population, especially during an economic downturn.  If the propositions fail, the state will be in an immediate a serious financial crisis that may leave it unable to function at all.  It really is telling that the Governor, who has been working to support the initiatives, is not even in the state for the Special Election.

The California NOW PAC has not made endorsements on the Special Election ballot initiatives, feeling that the state is caught between a rock and a hard place.  You can read our compiled list of endorsements from other organizations here.

Special Election Tomorrow

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 19, 2009) is California's special election, primarily for the ballot propositions designed to institute policies to deal with California's state budget crisis.

As previously stated, the CA NOW PAC has not made any endorsements on the initiatives in this election because, whether they pass or fail, California's budget woes will increase.

You can read endorsements from:

Calitics

Courage Campaign

Sacramento Progressive Alliance

Children's Defense Fund

former state legislator Sheila Kuehl
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein 

Governor's May Budget Revision(s) Expected to Bring Additional Cuts

Tomorrow the Governor will release 2 versions of his proposed May revision of the current CA State Budget, which runs through June 2010. Version 1 will be based on the Propositions on the May 19 ballots being passed. Version 2 will reflect the impact if the ballot measures fail. This second version will contain over $6 billion in additional cuts to the existing budget.  The need for services is growing, and additional cuts will be devastating to already overloaded counties.  

Revenues have been falling faster than expected 5 months ago. The Legislative Analyst Office projects a $8 billion shortfall in 2009/June 30th 2010 budget. If the ballot measures fail, the deficit is expected to be 14 to 18 billion dollars, and, for the first time since 1938, California's annual income tax collections may fall. 

The situation is so serious that there is discussion of asking the U.S. government to help secure loans to get the state finances out of crisis.  This is an unprecedented step, and one which might enable the federal government to exert more control over California's state government.