Dear Colleagues,
As of this writing, there is still no final budget deal, and no agreement to place the measure regarding the tax extension on the ballot.  Thus, we need everyone (you, your students, your family members, neighbors, people you don't know in the grocery store, etc.) to make all five calls again today.
For variety's sake, try this message today:  "If voters were smart enough to put you in office, we’d like to think we’re smart enough to vote on a ballot measure.  Please give us the opportunity to do so.”
Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the phone numbers of the five recalcitrant Republicans who don't believe you can think for yourself.
Hang in there!
Jim

From: "AFT Guild, Local 1931" <aftjim@pacbell.net>
Date: March 16, 2011 6:14:01 AM PDT
Dear 
Colleagues,
We are pretty close to the finish line as the State budget is due to be passed today or tomorrow without the inclusion of the ballot measure to extend the taxes which are due to expire June 30.

But wait!  There is one last thing you can do!
In every one of your classes today, take five minutes out of your schedule, put the numbers for the five recalcitrant Republicans on the board, and have all of your students make the five calls!
Here's their script:  "I'm a student at [choose one: City/Mesa/Miramar College/Continuing Education], and a registered voter.  Please support the governor’s proposal to put the tax extension measure on the June ballot.  We should have the opportunity to vote on this.  We can think for ourselves.  We don't need someone else deciding this for us."
Yes, it's legal to ask them to do this during class time, provided you still cover your lesson plan for the day.
Good luck!
Jim

From: AFT Guild, Local 1931
Date: March 15, 2011 9:00:33 AM PDT

Dear Colleagues,

In case you thought I was exagerating or being overly dramatic in my previous emails regarding the gravity of our situation if the tax extension measure does not make it onto the ballot, here is Governor Brown's view of how things will play out in California if the tax extensions do not occur:
"I put up an all-cuts budget" — a spending plan that closes the $26.5-billion deficit entirely with program cuts.

"Then the Democrats change [the all-cuts budget] and put in gimmicks. Then I veto it. Then everybody sits there until we run out of money. It's not going to be a pretty sight. It's like one-two: No tax, all cuts, gimmicky budget, veto, paralysis."

Then political interests and ideologues launch an all-out war of ballot initiatives, he forecasts.

"There'll be initiatives on taxing wine and beer and oil companies," he says, "and a split roll" — taxing commercial real estate higher than residential. "And Republicans will counterattack" with anti-union measures and efforts to undermine the public sector.

"There'll be an unleashing of left and right forces. Everyone will come out fighting. California will become a battleground…. It'll be a war of all against all. The loser will be the people of California."  (read more about Brown)
I don't know about you, but I don't want to be on the losing end.  I know it's tiring to make those same five calls every day.  But the only way we are going to get the votes necessary to put the tax extension measure on the ballot is to turn two Republican votes in the Senate, and two in the Assembly.  They need to be barraged with calls until they receive the clear message that we are not going away until they give us the opportunity to vote and decide for ourselves.
The message is simple:  "Please support the governor’s proposal to put the tax extension measure on the June ballot.  Californians should have the opportunity to vote on this."
Below is the list of legislators and their phone numbers.  Please make your five calls today.
In Unity,
Jim

From: AFT Guild, Local 1931
Date: March 10, 2011 9:59:02 AM PST

Colleagues,

If you haven't already made your five calls listed below, what are you waiting for??  These are critical times we are in.  We all need to get active or suffer the consequences.  Here are the latest scenarios for the SDCCD:

1)  Best Case:  Tax Extension Bill gets the 4 Republican votes needed to make it on to the June ballot.  
Consequence:  SDDCD revenue cut by 
$10,062,000.

2)  Worse Case:  
Tax Extension Bill fails to get the 4 Republican votes needed to make it on to the June ballot.  Prop. 98 is not suspended.  
Consequence:  SDDCD revenue cut by 
$17,696,000.

3)  Worst Case:  
Tax Extension Bill fails to get the 4 Republican votes needed to make it on to the June ballot.  Prop. 98 is suspended.  
Consequence:  SDDCD revenue cut by 
$27,932,000.

If you think we can survive a 
$27,932,000 cut in revenue without severe cuts in the number of jobs, salary levels, and employee paid benefit premium costs, you need to stop smoking crack at work.

Everyone of us needs to call the five Republican offices below, every day, until a budget deal is reached.  If that is too much to ask to protect your job and benefits, please let me know right away.

Severe cuts of this magnitude are what precipitate a "Wisconsin scenario."  First, you dramatically de-fund the public sector, thus weakening the unions and the workers' voice, then when they have lost their ability to fight back, you strip them of their fundamental constitutional rights.  If you're OK with millionaires, billionaires, and corporations continuing to accumulate more and more wealth, at our expense, while our standard of living continues to decline, then do nothing.  But don't come crying to me later when your standard of living resembles that of a worker in a third world country.

Jim

Budget information source:  http://www.ccleague.net/district-budget-impact/

From: AFT Guild, Local 1931
Date: March 8, 2011 9:23:02 AM PST

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL CONTACTS IN YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL DIRECTORY
Dear Colleagues,
Hopefully you have been following the State budget discussions closely, as the outcome will directly affect all of us, perhaps catastrophically, if the Governor's tax extension proposal does not make it to the ballot for a vote in June.
Governor Brown's proposal to balance the State budget calls for $12 billion in cuts and $12 billion in tax extensions subject to voter approval in June.  This "best case" scenario will mean an additional $4.5 million in cuts in the GCCCD, $10 million in the SDCCD.
However, the problem the Governor now faces is that he needs two Republican votes from each the assembly and the senate to get the tax extension proposal on the June ballot.  Two votes he has not being successful in securing.
All five San Diego County Republican legislators have signed a pledge to not allow the voters to decide whether or not to approve the $12 billion tax extension.  They are holding all of us hostage by not allowing this measure to even appear on the ballot.
The $12 billion tax extension is simply an extension of current taxes due to expire on June 30, 2011.  There are no new taxes being proposed by the Governor.
If the tax extension is not allowed to be voted on, the results will be catastrophic, not just in our community college districts, but for all of public education and public services in general.  It's unconscionable that the Republicans, a clear minority of the legislature, will not allow the voters of California to decide this issue for themselves.
This is where you, your friends, and family members come in.  We need each of you to call the offices of the five Republican legislators.  Tell them:  "Please support the governor’s proposal to put the tax extension measure on the June ballot.  Californians should have the opportunity to vote on this."
You will be asked for your address.  Don't give it to them unless you actually live in that specific district (check here).  Simply say that you are a voter in San Diego County.  Here is their contact info:
Senator Joel Anderson
36th District
Phone: (916) 651-4036

Senator Mark Wyland
38th District
Phone: (916) 651-4038

Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher
75th District
Phone: (916) 319-2075

Assemblymember Brian Jones
77th District
Phone: (916) 319-2077

Assemblymember Martin Garrick
74th District
(916) 319-2074

If the Republicans don’t change their mind we will all suffer the consequences!  Please make these calls today!  Our future depends on it.

In Unity,

Jim