Call Arnold: Protect the Wages (and Lives) of Over 200,000 California Workers

It'll only take a few minutes of your time, and each of us made the call we could make a HUGE difference. $6.55 is not a living wage in California, and the inefficiency of (some of) our legislators should not be used as a justification to put the lives of 200,000 workers on the line.

From the activists at the Courage Campaign:

Call Arnold: Watch the video and then call the governor to protect 200,000 state workers

Tell Governor Schwarzenegger to halt the wage cuts

On the same day that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger received 28,016 petition signatures from the Courage Campaign, True Majority, and CREDO Mobile, Arnold announced that he would delay signing an Executive Order slashing the wages of over 200,000 state workers to $6.55 an hour, the federal minimum wage.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Arnold delayed the Executive Order signing to Thursday.

That's 24 hours from now. Which means we still have time TODAY to pressure Arnold to stop holding state workers hostage to his political budget negotiation games.

As a community of concerned citizens, we've got just a few hours to take action together. On behalf of hundreds of thousands of state workers, please pick up your phone right now and call Arnold.

Let's flood the Governor's phone lines. Here are several numbers for Arnold -- call one, call some or call them all:

Sacramento: 916-445-2841 (press 1, 2, and 0 to speak to a live person)

Fresno: 559-445-5295 (a live person should answer your call)

Los Angeles: 213-897-0322 (a live person should answer your call)

Riverside: 951-680-6860 (a live person should answer your call)

San Diego: 619-525-4641 (a live person should answer your call)

San Francisco: 415-703-2218 (a live person should answer your call)

Washington D.C.: 202-624-5270 (press 0 to leave a general message)

Here is a sample script for your call:

I am calling to demand that the Governor not sign the Executive Order that will cut the pay of state workers to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour.

Governor Schwarzenegger needs to stop holding working people hostage and make sure that his fellow Republicans in the legislature support a responsible budget.

The Governor needs to show leadership, instead of threatening the ability of innocent state workers to afford basic necessities. We need solutions to this budget crisis, like closing the Yacht Tax loophole which allows yacht and private jet purchasers to get off tax-free.

No more games and gimmicks. Don't use workers as pawns and push them to the brink of financial disaster. Thank you.

Source: Courage Campaign

Make A Safe Bet - Buyout the UC Fee Increase & Fund Academic Prep.

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

Gambling with the future of California is a high stakes game! Please Make a Safe Bet for Higher Education - buy out the 7-10% UC fee increase and restore Academic Preparation funding to $33 million for the 2007-2008 academic year.

UC students fully understand the difficult decisions you are charged with making during this budget cycle and urge you to continue to make higher education a priority. Students who complete a college education will contribute $3 to California's economy for every $1 the state spends on their education. Higher education is a great investment in the future of our state.

If the Governor's proposed fee increase takes effect, UC fees will have increased nearly 100% in only six short years - making it impossible for students and families to plan for a college education.

Thanking you in advance,

Zahra Billoo
1250 N Bellflower Blvd
Long Beach, CA 90840

Make your voice heard! Take action now!

Proposed Fee Increase = Education Tax

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 10, 2007
Media Contact: Jeremy Mills
Mobile Phone: (760) 880-4397

PRESS RELEASE


Schwarzennegger Turns His Back on Students and Families
Proposed Fee Increase is a Education Tax on the Middle Class

"I'm deeply disappointed that the governor has turned his back on students and their families," said Nadir Vissanjy, Chair of the California State Student Association (CSSA) and a senior at Sonoma State University, in response to the Governor's Budget Proposal for 2007-2008. State support for higher education has slipped from 17% of the state general fund in 1976 to 10.4% in the proposed 2007.

While state funding has decreased overtime, fees are set to rise next year. "The governor says he opposes tax increases, but this proposed fee increase is nothing more then a $97.8 million regressive education tax on middle class students and families," concluded Vissanjy, "By taxing the California Dream, the governor is putting educational opportunity further out of reach."

Last year, Governor Schwarzenegger stopped fee increases at both the California State University and the University of California. State University Fees will have increased by over 90% in the last five years, far out pacing increases in per capita personal income growth in California. At that time, the governor recognized that student fees squeezed middle class families that didn't qualify for aid, but could not afford to pay for college outright. This year the governor turned his back on students and families by raising fees to free up general fund money for other priorities.

"Students like me are paying a greater share of college costs and going into greater debt to do it," said Jeremy Mills, Chair of the CSSA Legislative Affairs Committee and a senior at CSU San Marcos. CSU students often balance work and family obligations. In fact, 30% of CSU students work 30 hours a week or more, and 25% have dependents that rely on them. As fees go up, so does borrowing, especially amongst the middle class students.

The state legislature could vote this spring to 'buy out' the student fee increase. "This is only the beginning," continues Mills, "In the coming months CSSA will be working with student leaders on each CSU campus to educate them about the proposed budget, and empower them to hold elected officials accountable for keeping the promise of the Master Plan for Education."