Organized Labor

Angelides, Other Labor-Endorsed Candidates Hit the Trail to Get Message Out

State Treasurer Phil Angelides has revved up efforts in his race for the governor’s seat Nov. 7, building momentum over Labor Day weekend, the traditional kickoff to the fall campaigns.

The labor-endorsed Angelides reached out to thousands of voters in Oakland, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego at Labor Day breakfasts and other working family events. At each stop, he emphasized his vision for a better California, including plans to cut taxes for middle income Californians and roll back college tuition increases.

Angelides has a long history of support for working families – marking a stark contrast with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has only recently come to support any working family issues. Political analysts say that Angelides’s record speaks for itself, while Schwarzenegger is simply turning with the political winds.

Because of Schwarzenegger’s effort to mend fences with Democratic lawmakers, political analysts say Angelides faces a tougher challenge to distinguish himself with voters. But labor made the winning difference in the last two elections – the Special Election and the June primary – and we can do it again.

In San Francisco, over 100 union members – many of them from the building trades – turned out for the kick off event Sept. 9 sponsored jointly by the Labor Council and the Building and Construction Trades Council. The rally, held at the Labor Council’s headquarters, was followed by precinct walking and phone banking to inform other union members about the need to elect Angelides and other labor-endorsed local candidates.

Later that same day, Angelides was joined by former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards at a campaign rally at the Booker T. Washington Community Center on Presidio Avenue where they were enthusiastically greeted by several hundred students, seniors, community activists and union members.

Edwards urged fellow Democrats to work hard to elect Angelides governor. “California had always been at the forefront of progressive change. Electing Phil Angelides as governor will begin to reverse the damage done by George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he told the crowd.

Edwards reminded supporters that Schwarzenegger had campaigned for Bush in Ohio in the final days of the 2004 election, helping Bush steal that state’s Electoral votes and the Presidency.

Angelides then went on to call the failed policies and anti worker agenda of the Bush and Schwarzenegger administrations the “B.S. Agenda.” Angelides pledged to work for a middle-class tax cut, improving public education, hiring more teachers, and investing in renewable energy sources.

“Time and time again, we have seen the Bush-Schwarzenegger tag team protect the powerful special interests while turning their backs on our hardworking middle class families,” said Angelides. “It is hard to find a distinction between George Bush’s policies and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s – and the results are the same: higher taxes for the middle class, higher tuition and fees and record deficit spending. Under Bush and Schwarzenegger, middle class families lose and special interests win.”

Angelides noted that since Arnold Schwarzenegger took office, the average family pays $4,422 more per year due to increased college, healthcare and fuel costs. At the same time, HMOs, drug and oil companies earn $556 million a day.

“As Governor, I’ll give a break to hard-working, middle class families for a change,” Angelides added. “I will begin by cutting taxes for the people who really need it – up to $660 a year for families earning up to $100,000 – and small businesses. My first priority as Governor will be to ease the burden on the middle class, and to invest more in their future.”

The State Treasurer has also proposed a rollback in college tuitions to the pre-Schwarzenegger era, a $400-million increase in school spending, and affordable health insurance for children. He proposed raising the top income tax rate from 9.3 percent to 11 percent for individuals making $250,000 a year and couples earning $500,000 – the same rate it was under Govs. Pete Wilson and Ronald Reagan. The rate, which only would affect the wealthiest 1 percent of taxpayers, would generate $3.1 billion annually.

At the campaign rally, Angelides noted that, “California climbed to the summit of the global economy in the 20th century by investing in education, innovation, and our people. It became a model to the world by giving everyone who worked hard the opportunity to share in California’s growing prosperity. I see a California future where we nourish economic opportunity – by helping the small businesses in an inner-city neighborhood, by supporting scientific research, and by putting this state in the vanguard of emerging industries such as alternative energy.”

Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, labor-endorsed candidate for Lt. Governor, told the crowd electing Angeldies would help reverse the right wing agenda represented by Bush, Schwarzenegger, and his Republican opponent Tom McClintock. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, Board of Equalization candidate Betty Yee and Assembly member Mark Leno also spoke, telling fellow Democrats to get involved as momentum was shifting for an Angelides victory. San Francisco Supervisors Chris Daly and Sophie Maxwell, endorsed for re-election by the Building Trades Council, were introduced, as well as several union leaders, including SFBCTC Secretary Treasurer Mike Theriault. Several union members attended, including members of the building trades, Longshore, Service Employees, and teachers unions.

Phone banking and precinct walking will continue in the city through Election Day, Nov. 7. To get involved and help elect pro-labor candidates, contact the SFBCTC at (415) 467-3330 or the SFLC at (415) 440-4879.