The October 7 recall election for the Governor may be the grist for a multitude of late night T.V. jokes about California, but the outcome of the election will have serious consequences. As Co-Presidents of your Association, we strongly urge all members to follow CTA’s recommendations and vote NO on the recall, and in favor of Cruz Bustamante as a successor if Governor Davis is recalled.
While Governor Davis has irritated teachers over standardized testing and a wasteful financial rewards program (now defunct), it is only fair to remember that this Governor also improved teacher retirement benefits, protected class size reduction, and delivered a whopping $1.8 billion for teacher raises in 2000. Things could have been much worse! To blame Davis for our economic troubles or the huge increases in Workers Compensation premiums is to ignore that the entire country has these same problems.
We oppose the recall on the grounds that it is a misuse of the recall process, coming less than a year after Davis was legally elected to a four-year term. He is not accused of any malfeasance or criminal misuse of his office. No, this election is purely about how big-money political opportunists can pervert the election process — and waste $70 million in the process. That’s $70 million that could build a lot of needed classrooms.
Further, the recall sets a terrible precedent, if successful. It says to every special interest group that can find a multimillionaire, If the Governor does something we don’t like, we’ll start a recall.
Representative government was established, in part, as an intentional buffer against the undulating uncertainties of public emotion. Would the nation have voted to enter W.W.II? No, but few would argue today that it was an incorrect decision. Would the public have voted in the South in the early 60′s to ban racial discrimination? No, but it was the right decision. It’s also the right decision to vote NO on the recall on October 7th.
If we want real, meaningful reform let’s look to establishing strict limits on campaign financing from big- money special interest groups — and yes, we would include unions in that restriction if it applies equally to ALL big money. But the recall is a waste of money and time that could be better used in solving California’s budget problems.
We urge you to vote NO on the recall and to vote by mail to avoid election-day confusion.
We also urge you to vote for Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante for Governor on Question Two on your ballot. Bustamante has a long history of supporting students, teachers, and public education. He is the only alternative candidate with a solid plan to protect public education and fight for the resources we need.