CA: At-a-glance look at Proposition 56

Top contributors for and against Proposition 56
The Associated Press
Saturday, February 7, 2004
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Major donors supporting Proposition 56:

* California State Council of Service Employees, labor union, $770,000

* California State Teachers Association, labor union, $750,000

* California School Employees Association, labor union, $324,000

* California Federation of Teachers, labor union, $410,000

* American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, labor union, $250,000

* National Education Association, labor union, $245,000

* California Faculty Association, labor union, $99,000

Major donors opposing Proposition 56:

* Anheuser Busch Cos., beer, $310,000

* ChevronTexaco Corp., oil company, $255,000

* California Beer and Beverage Distributors, alcoholic beverages, $247,000

* State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., $230,000

* Distilled Spirits Council, alcoholic beverages, $230,000

* The Wine Institute, alcoholic beverages, $200,000

* Southern California Edison, utility company, $200,000

* Philip Morris USA, Inc., tobacco, $185,000

* Miller Brewing Co., beer, $110,000

* Exxon Mobil Corp., oil company, $100,000

* BP Corp. North America, oil company, $80,000

* California Farm Bureau Federation, agriculture, $70,000

Source: California secretary of state

IN CA, IF YOU
DON'T KNOW
VOTE NO!!!

I didn't hear ya... can you say it a little louder? ;-)

I kept reading all these articles that said California was unique with it's 'supermajority'. The truth is in the details! The 55% would be the lowest majority of those on the list! 3/5 is 60%. Talk about selling out to higher taxes!

VOTE NO!

Californians: Click on image for more info

The contributors supporting 56 should give everyone enough of a clue that the only correct vote is a NO vote.

Californians: Click on image for more info

All the radio ads I've heard mention all the other aspects of the measure EXCEPT the part about changing 2/3 to 55%. I think there should be a rule that says they have to list everything that the bill will do. If this passes, we're more screwed than we are already.

"I didn't hear ya... can you say it a little louder?"

DON'T BE HALF SAFE...
VOTE NO ON EVERYTHING!!!

Roger that! Loud and Clear! (ROFL)

If this passes, we're more screwed than we are already.

You've got that right. As radio talk show host Al Rantel said, if this passes then "it's Katy bar the door with no spending limit in sight."

Californians: Click on image for more info

So, do they now need a supermajority to *pass* any budget or only a budget that raises taxes? And if this is true, how did California find themselves in the budget mess they've been in? Are they claiming that it's because people weren't paying *enough* taxes while businesses fled in droves and property values shot through the roof? Is *that* what they are trying to say??

Didn't Schwarzenegger's election indicate that overspending wasn't the solution?

I will say, it's gratifying to see the LIBERALS who are trying to pass something by ballot initiative for a change. Then, once it passes, maybe the conservatives can shop for a judge to squash their initiative like a bug, assuming it would ever pass. Turnabout is fair play!

All the radio ads I've heard mention all the other aspects of the measure EXCEPT the part about changing 2/3 to 55%. I think there should be a rule that says they have to list everything that the bill will do. If this passes, we're more screwed than we are already.

Maybe you just didn't hear it... because they don't say "55 percent"
.... they say "...changing to 55 the percentage...".

See my next post for more (unless these aren't the ads you heard).

I agree... more screwed...

AdWatch for Yes on Proposition 56 TV advertisement campaign
Friday, February 6, 2004

----------------------

Analysis of two new television advertisements supporting Proposition 56 from Californians for Budget Accountability:

Title: "Food" and "Budget"
Length of each: 30 seconds

Created by: Morris and Carrick, Los Angeles

Airing: Statewide

Script for "Food:" "The Legislature's budget process is a food fight. Seventeen years of late budgets, the nation's worst credit rating, cuts to schools and health care. Yes on 56 makes legislators work without pay until they pass a budget. Yes on 56 ends the partisan gridlock. Changing to 55 the percentage needed to pass a budget. Yes on 56 stops the food fight. No budget. No pay. Yes on 56. Budget accountability. Legislative responsibility.

Script for "Budget:" "Sick and tired of 17 years of late budgets? The nation's worst credit rating? Cuts to our schools and health care? Yes on 56 makes legislators work without pay until they pass a budget. Yes on 56 ends the partisan gridlock. Changing to 55 the percentage needed to pass a budget. Yes on 56. No budget. No pay. Yes on 56. Budget accountability. Legislative responsibility.

Dominant images: Both advertisements feature mock legislators mingling around their desks in a wood-paneled room that is not the actual chambers of the state Assembly or Senate. In one ad legislators simply amble about talking with one another. In another, they engage in a "food fight," throwing objects and paper at one another.

Analysis: This advertisement aims to build support for the Proposition 56 ballot measure that will allow state lawmakers to pass a state budget with a 55 percent majority instead of a two-thirds majority. California voters adopted the two-thirds rule in 1933 for budgets that rose five percent or more above the previous budget. In 1962, voters made the "supermajority" the rule for state budgets every year. Only two other states, Rhode Island and Arkansas, have similar requirements.

Proposition 56 will also allow lawmakers to raise state taxes with a significantly easier 55 percent vote instead of the currently required two-thirds majority. The television ad makes no reference to this point. California is among 11 states with "supermajority" requirements to raise state taxes.

The ad correctly states that the ballot measure would make lawmakers work without pay until they pass a budget. When lawmakers miss the June 15 deadline for a budget, the new rules of Proposition 56 would force them to stay in session, losing $411 a day until it passes. The governor would lose $479 a day after July 1 if it wasn't signed.

The television ad also states correctly that the Legislature has missed its June 15 budget deadline every year since 1986 and that Californian has the worst credit rating of 50 states. Three rating agencies, Moody's, Fitch and Standard and Poors, have downgraded California's credit rating to just above junk bond status.

It's also correct the Legislature has trimmed spending for California schools and health care.

The advertisement promises that passing Proposition 56 would end partisan gridlock over the budget. Currently, a Democratic majority in both houses of the Legislature must attract a handful of Republican votes to pass a budget with a two-thirds majority. When Republicans withhold their support the process stalls and Democrat negotiate with individual Republicans for support, often agreeing to special requests that have included an end to sales taxes on tractors and special grants for rural police departments. With a 55 percent majority, Democrats could currently pass a budget outright in the Senate and Assembly, but Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would have to sign it for it to take effect.

Re: budget *pass*, see post #13.

Here is the state of the state according to CalCowgirl: The Dems want higher taxes. The Republicans think taxes are high enough and spending is out of control. Re: Schwarzenegger, he clearly indicated that people were taxed enough (you know, the Tax, Tax, Tax speeches?). When interviewers tried to nail him down on what he would cut, he usually fell back on talking about performing an 'audit'. (It was to be complete in 60 days... no audit, times up!). At the same time, he made some vague comments about possibly saving money through 'refinancing' the state debt (never used the word bonds... never talked about a $15 billion bond issue). At that time, $10.7 billion in bonds had previously been approved by the legislature (opposed and criticized by republicans) but were being challenged in court (constitution says bonds are to be for 'single object', i.e. capital projects, and must be voted on by the people.) So... to me anyway... the $15 Billion dollars in bonds came as a huge surprise when he mentioned it AFTER his election. If the dems won't approve spending reductions, and the republicans won't approve tax increases... NO PROBLEM.... Arnold's plan: JUST BORROW! Unfortunately, his proposed budget continues to spend more than annual revenues... so even with the bonds, the problem just gets worse. We are in a world of hurt here! And if Prop 56 passes... HELLO New Taxes! The Dems will have themselves a book of Blank Checks!

Major donors supporting Proposition 56: * California State Council of Service Employees, labor union, $770,000 * California State Teachers Association, labor union, $750,000 * California School Employees Association, labor union, $324,000 * California Federation of Teachers, labor union, $410,000 * American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, labor union, $250,000 * National Education Association, labor union, $245,000 * California Faculty Association, labor union, $99,000

Loved by the Govt workers unions .... ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL DO TO THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT!

California's budget is so ridiculously easy to fix:

1) Have Arnold make another movie and donate the box office earnings to the state. Get DeVito and make "Twins II" or something else that won't cost a lot to film. "Kindergarten Governor" maybe. It won't take much to top the current drek that comes out of Hollywood.

2) Why can't they stage a celebrity fundraiser like the Hollywood crowd does for all their favorite Dem politicos? Heck, why not a bake sale? Surely folks can donate their cookies to put the state's fiscal house in order.

3) Once a week, Arnold can make himself available to his adoring female fans. It's $20 for a kiss, $50 for a grope, $65 for a kiss *with* a grope and $100 for a photo of the governor giving a kiss or a grope. Easy money right there.

4) A challenge bet where Arnold raises $50,000 for every floor of the TransAmerica Tower he can scale.

See, the Democrats have had it too easy just stealing money from taxpayers. You're in California! You can get the revenue you need if you just put a little brainpower to it. Geez. With a whole state full of people that fashion themselves as creative thinkers, you wonder why it would take a Texan to point this out to y'all. :)

LOL. Sounds like a plan. Do ya think Janet Jackson could help him out?

BTW... I read that none of Arnold's movies have actually broken even.
He gets paid... but the movies lose.

From the No on 56 website

# The Myth on Funding for Schools:
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell, petitioned the State Supreme Court this past summer to invalidate the two-thirds vote requirement for passing the state budget and increasing taxes because, according to him, late budgets harm schools. His petition was prompted by a Nevada Supreme Court decision on a similar issue but different constitutional construct.

School funding and the impact of a delayed budget on school children is often a chief contention for proponents favoring a reduced vote threshold for the budget. However, the two-thirds vote requirement does not apply to appropriations funding education. The California Constitution specifically exempts school spending from the two-thirds vote threshold. Article IV, Section 12(d) provides: “Appropriations from the General Fund of the State, except appropriations for the public schools, are void unless passed in each house by a roll call vote entered in the journal, two-thirds of the membership concurring.” An education budget currently can be passed with a simple majority vote.

Fiscal Impact:
According to the Legislative Analyst, there would be varying state fiscal impacts from lowering the legislative vote requirement for spending and tax increases related to the budget -- including potentially significant increases in state tax revenues and spending in some years. Cal-Tax believes the measure will result in substantially larger budgets and massive tax increases. Despite a $4.2 billion increase in the car tax, a $10.7 billion bond to payoff the last three years of deficits, and countless fee increases, the state is still projected to have an $8 billion to $10 billion deficit for 2004-2005.

Expect a Flood of Tax Increases. The Legislature has proposed tax-and-fee increases totaling more than $65 billion just this year. If this measure is approved, and these bills are placed in a budget bill, they could easily pass with a 55% vote. Do we want to make it easier for the Legislature to raise these taxes, especially at a time when fraud, waste and excessive spending are rampant in this state? In its analysis of how 50 states spend, tax, and balance their budgets, USA Today ranked California rock bottom as “the worst-performing state.”

Policy Considerations:
# Encourages Out-of-Control Spending. Despite the recession, state spending over the last decade has mushroomed. The Legislative Analyst predicts that even without additional spending programs, the current year budget will produce a budget deficit of $8 billion to $10 billion next year and each year thereafter for years to come. Given that such a mushroom in spending occurred even with a 2/3s vote, we would expect it to only be exacerbated if the vote requirement is reduced from a 2/3s vote to mere 55%.

# Eliminates Constitutional Protection. Caltax believes the existing 2/3 vote requirement to raise taxes is a critically important safeguard for California taxpayers. Prominent political observers have agreed: Sacramento Bee Columnist Dan Walters wrote (August 28, 2000): “The long standing constitutional requirement of a two-thirds legislative vote on the state budget and other appropriations bills is one of the most important factors governing life in the Capitol, most importantly, giving the minority party a say in how money is spent.” Given the current composition of the state Legislature (a majority of the same party in both houses), would this important bi-partisan debate occur if the two-thirds voting threshold is eliminated?

# Detrimentally Impact State’s Fiscal Health. Would lowering the voting threshold make legislators more fiscally responsible or run counter to this goal? Is this initiative good for economic stimulus or would making it easier to raise taxes discourage prospective businesses from moving to this state or existing businesses from remaining or expanding here?

# 55% Vote v. Two-Thirds. Is it fair to allow increases in taxes by a mere 55% vote when such tax levies are not subject to referendum by the people? Other non-referable measures like “urgency” bills require a 2/3s vote. What about other budget-related voting requirements, such as suspending Proposition 98 funding (guaranteeing schools a portion of GF revenues), which still requires a two-thirds legislative vote?

Other Provisions in the Measure:
These are the provisions proponents are highlighting to gain voter support. While attractive selling points, they will not have anywhere near the far-reaching implications for taxpayers as will removing the 2/3 vote requirement to raise taxes.

# Requires legislators and the governor to forfeit salary, per diem or expense allowances for each day that the Legislature fails to pass a budget beyond the June 15 constitutional deadline, and prohibits retroactive pay once the budget is signed. The Legislature must remain in session and may not pass any other bills (except Governor-declared emergency bills) until the budget and related bills are approved; Allocates 25% of excess revenues (those remaining from General Fund (GF) revenues exceeding expenditures) to the a Reserve Fund. However, if the Reserve Fund is 5% or more than the prior year’s GF expenditures, the deposit of revenues for the current fiscal year is voided. Appropriations from the Reserve Fund may only be made in deficit years or for Governor-declared emergencies, and may not be used to increase expenditures; Allows legislators who feel punished or threatened for their vote on the budget – by officers, committees, or fellow legislators – to file complaints with the ethics committee, which shall investigate, make recommendations to the Legislature, and publicize its findings; and, requires the state Controller to prepare a budget summary explaining how state funds are spent, that shall be placed in state ballot pamphlets.

Cal-Tax Position: Oppose.
# Cal-Tax has historically opposed legislative measures that reduce vote requirements for raising taxes and therefore is in opposition to the Blank Check Initiative.

# California’s past fiscal problems are not the result of difficulty in achieving a two-thirds vote for the budget and appropriation bills, but rather its failure to consistently produce prioritized, balanced budgets and inattention to this state’s economy and competitive position.

# Californians pay $130 billion in state and local taxes every year. Properly managed and budgeted, $130 billion tax dollars is more than enough to fund California’s needs. But our tax dollars are not being properly managed and budgeted.

# Spending is out of control. From 1994 to 2000, state-level government spending increased 100%.) Raising taxes is not the solution. Resolving the state’s chronic budget problems requires correcting the structural imbalance between revenues and spending. The best way to do this is to cut wasteful spending and increase state revenues by stimulating economic growth, NOT by raising taxes.

# The two-thirds vote acts as a counterbalance to the ongoing and considerable pressure to increase government spending. Even with the protection of a two-thirds vote requirement, California has demonstrated an inability to reasonably budget through economic cycles – both in good and bad times. Imprudent spending and future deficits seem a much greater risk with a majority vote.

Californians: Click on image for more info

Interesting that AP provided a list of non-supporters that reads like most leftists' list of "Who's Who in the Capitalist Pig World." I realize it's the "major donors" list but I know what they are trying to do.

Here's a list of those who do not support 56 (which can be found at the site I noted on post #18):

Organizations

California Taxpayers’ Association
Alameda County Taxpayers Association
Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers *
Butte County Taxpayers Association
California Taxpayer Protection Committee
Citizens Against Government Waste
Contra Costa Taxpayers Association
Fullerton Association of Concerned Taxpayers
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Humboldt Taxpayers League *
Kern County Taxpayers Association
Marin United Taxpayers Association
National Tax Limitation Committee
National Taxpayers Union
Orange County Taxpayers Association
Sacramento County Taxpayers League
San Diego County Taxpayers Association
San Diego Tax Fighters
Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association
Sonoma County Taxpayers’ Association
Shasta County Taxpayers Association
Silicon Valley Taxpayers’ Association
United Californians for Tax Reform
Ventura County Taxpayers Association
Waste Watchers
California Chamber of Commerce
Small Business Survival Committee
California State Sheriffs’ Association
California Government Accountability Council
The Seniors Coalition
60 Plus Association
California State Automobile Association (AAA)
AgriBusiness Presidents’ Council
American Electronics Association
American Forest & Paper Association
American Insurance Association
Asphalt Pavement Association
Associated Builders and Contractors of California
Association of California Insurance Companies
Association of California Life and Health Insurance
Companies
California Association of Nurseries & Garden Centers
California Association of Pest Control Advisers
California Association of REALTORS®
California Association of Wheat Growers
California Beer and Beverage Distributors
California Building Industry Association
California Business Alliance
California Business Properties Association
California Business Roundtable
California Citrus Mutual
California Distributors Association
California Dump Truck Owners Association
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Forestry Association
California Grain & Feed Association
California Grape and Tree Fruit League
California Grocers Association
California Hotel & Lodging Association
California Independent Grocers & Convenience Stores
California Independent Grocers Association
California Landscape Contractors Association
California League of Food Processors
California Legislative Coalition for Interior Design
California Lodging Industry Association
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
California Motor Car Dealers Association
California Moving and Storage Association
California Poultry Federation
California Rental Association
California Restaurant Association
California Retailers Association
California Seed Association
California Small Business Roundtable
California Space Authority
California State Outdoor Advertising Association
California Travel Parks Association
California Women for Agriculture
Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors
of California
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Electric and Gas Industries Association
Family Winemakers of California
Grocery Manufacturers of America
Insurance Brokers & Agents of the West
Korean American Grocers Association of California
National Federation of Independent Business
National Tooling and Machining Association
Pacific Egg & Poultry Association
The Performance Institute
Personal Insurance Federation of California
Small Manufacturers Association of California
Southern Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of California
Western Growers Association
Western Manufactured Housing Communities
Association
Wine Institute
Adelanto Chamber of Commerce
Alameda Merchants Association (Los Angeles)
American Canyon Chamber of Commerce
Anaheim Chamber of Commerce
Anderson Chamber of Commerce
Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce
Auburn Chamber of Commerce
Banning Chamber of Commerce
Beaumont Chamber of Commerce
Bell Chamber of Commerce *
Bell Gardens Association of Merchants and Commerce
Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of
Realtors
Big Bear Association of Realtors
Brawley Chamber of Commerce
Building Industry Association of Kern County
Building Industry Association of Tulare & Kings
Counties *
Businesswomen for the Environment of Santa Barbara
Butte County Citizens for Better Government
Butte County Farm Bureau *
Camarillo Chamber of Commerce
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce
Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce
Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce *
Cerritos Chamber of Commerce
Chico Chamber of Commerce
Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce *
Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce
Clovis Chamber of Commerce
Coalition of Labor, Agriculture & Business Imperial
County
Commerce Industrial Council
Coronado Chamber of Commerce
Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce
Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce
Del Mar Regional Chamber of Commerce
Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce
Dixon Chamber of Commerce
Downey Chamber of Commerce
Duarte Chamber of Commerce
El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce
El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce
El Dorado Joint Chambers Commission
El Segundo Chamber of Commerce
Encinitas Chamber of Commerce
Encino Chamber of Commerce
Escondido Chamber of Commerce
Folsom Chamber of Commerce
Fortuna Chamber of Commerce
Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce
Fremont Chamber of Commerce
Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Fresno County Farm Bureau *
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce
Gateway Chambers Alliance (Southeast Los Angeles
County)
Gilroy Chamber of Commerce
Glenn County Farm Bureau
Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce
Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce
Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
Greater Corona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce
Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce
Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
Gridley Area Chamber of Commerce
Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce &
Visitors’ Bureau
Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Contra Costa
County
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley
Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce
Imperial Valley Board of Realtors *
Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association
Industrial Association of Contra Costa County
Inland Empire Economic Partnership
Inland Valleys Association of Realtors
Inyo-Mono County Farm Bureau *
Irvine Chamber of Commerce
Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Kings County Board of Supervisors
La Palma Chamber of Commerce
La Quinta Chamber of Commerce *
Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce
Lassen County Chamber of Commerce
Lassen County Farm Bureau
Latin Business Association
Latino Chamber of Commerce of Compton
Legislative Coalition of Coachella Valley City
Chambers of Commerce *
Lemon Grove Chamber of Commerce
Livermore Chamber of Commerce
Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Area Hotel & Lodging Association *
Los Angeles County Farm Bureau
Los Angeles Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce
Madera County Board of Supervisors
Madera County Farm Bureau
Mid (San Fernando) Valley Chamber of Commerce
Milpitas Chamber of Commerce
Modesto Chamber of Commerce
Modoc County Farm Bureau
Montebello Chamber of Commerce
Mountain View Chamber of Commerce
Murrieta Chamber of Commerce
National City Chamber of Commerce
Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce
Northeast San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce
Nisei Farmers League
Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Orange Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau
Oxnard Chamber of Commerce
Pacific West Association of Realtors (Orange) *
Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce
Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce
Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce
Pinole Chamber of Commerce
Placentia Chamber of Commerce
Porterville Chamber of Commerce
Quartz Hill Chamber of Commerce
Rancho Bernardo Chamber of Commerce
Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce
Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Long Beach)
Regional Legislative Alliance of Ventura & Santa
Barbara Counties
Rialto Chamber of Commerce
Roseville Chamber of Commerce
Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce *
Salinas Valley Chapter, California Women for
Agriculture
San Clemente Chamber of Commerce
San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
San Diego Employers Association
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp.
San Fernando Business & Professional Organization
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce
San Leandro Chamber of Commerce
San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau *
San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce
SAMCEDA -- San Mateo County Economic
Development Association
San Pedro Peninsula Chamber of Commerce *
San Rafael Chamber of Commerce
Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce
Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau
Santa Barbara Industrial Association
Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce
Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce
Santa Fe Springs Chamber of Commerce & Industrial
League *
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce
Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce
Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
South Bay Association of Realtors (Torrance)
South Orange County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Southern California Contractors Association
Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village Regional Chamber of
Commerce
Tracy Chamber of Commerce
Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce
Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce
United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando
Valley
Universal City North Hollywood Chamber of
Commerce
Vacaville Chamber of Commerce
Valley Industry and Commerce Association (San
Fernando Valley)
Ventura Chamber of Commerce
Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors
Ventura County Economic Development
Association
Victorville Chamber of Commerce
West Covina Chamber of Commerce
West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce
Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce

News Media

Contra Costa Times
Los Angeles Daily News
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Orange County Register
San Ramon Valley Times
West County Times (Richmond)
Valley Times (Pleasanton)
KNX-AM

California Small Businesses

A 1 Cattle Ranch (Eureka)
Ben Abatti Farms (El Centro)
Ace Liquor (San Diego)
Adams Avenue Liquor (San Diego)
Adams Campbell Company (City of Industry)
Addicks Engineering (Bell Gardens)
Adin Supply
AIS Market Research (Fresno)
All Car Specialist (San Gabriel)
All Day Cable (San Jose)
Allied Propane Service (Napa) *
Allstate Investigations (Chatsworth)
Allwest Mortgage Company (North Hollywood)
The Alternative Copy (Ventura)
AmeriTel (Northridge)
Andrews & Van Lohn Insurance (Granada Hills)
Apple Tree Market (Chula Vista) *
Apple Tree Market (San Diego)
Archive Management (Riverside)
A.R.G. Enterprises (Hanford)
Ash – Washington Liquor (Escondido)
Aspen Timco (Benicia)
Assure DigiTax (Pleasanton)
Auto Supply Company (Los Angeles)
B and D Trucking (Auburn) *
Bay Ho Liquor & Deli (San Diego)
Best Western Hill House (Bakersfield) *
Big E Wines & Liquor (La Mesa)
Body Techniques (Costa Mesa) *
Border Station Parking (San Diego)
Brady’s Moving & Storage (Chico)
Breskin & Mullin CPAs (Orange)
Bridge Consultants (Marina del Rey)
Brink Technologies (Hanford)
Broadway Market (Planada)
BTC Laboratories (Ventura)
The Business Doctors (Hanford)
Calscience Environmental Laboratories (Garden
Grove)
Jerry Cates Insurance Agency (Pinole)
Chandler Farms (Selma)
CIS Security (Fresno)
Clark & Associates (Bakersfield)
Clinco & Fisher (Beverly Hills)
Coast Cities Cremations (Ventura)
Collision Investigation Assistance (Modesto)
CompuVision (Ventura)
Consolidated Home Loans (El Centro)
Cooper Communications (Woodland Hills)
Coronado Island Realty
CorPro Estate Planning Services (Tracy)
Cosmopolitan Limousine (Fresno)
Country Cutlers Etc. (Olivenhain)
Creative Event Solutions (Fountain Valley)
Creative Solutions for Business (Carlsbad)
Crow Southwest (Fountain Valley)
Crown Ace Hardware (Huntington Beach) *
Crown Packing (Salinas) *
Crystolon (Commerce)
Cuesta Title Company (Visalia)
Currency Connection (Carlsbad)
Curves Fitness Centers (Bakersfield) *
Curves for Women (Carpinteria)
Cycle Specialties BMW (Modesto)
DAC International (Carpinteria)
Daily News Café (Carlsbad)
Dale’s Liquor (Oceanside)
Database Solutions and Software (Modesto)
Delta Tech Service (El Segundo)
Designer Information Services (Modesto)
Anthony Diaz Insurance Services (Modesto)
Diversified Title & Escrow (Oceanside)
Don’s Liquor (Poway)
Downs Equipment Rentals (Bakersfield)
Driver Benefits (Torrance) *
e-VentExe (Roseville) *
Eagle Consulting (Modesto)
Economy Telcom (San Diego)
Eichleay Engineers Inc. of California (Concord)
Eisley Nursery (Auburn)
El Cajon Boulevard Market (San Diego) *
El Super Mercado (Mountain View)
Embarcadero Inn (Morro Bay)
Encore Pharmaceuticals (Riverside)
Equity 1 Lenders Group (San Marcos) *
Ernie’s Liquor (Chula Vista) *
European Motorsports (Livermore)
Evans Consulting (Santa Barbara)
Evans HR Group (Fresno)
Ever-Bloom (Carpinteria)
Excalibur Liquor (La Mesa)
Express Market (San Diego)
Fair Valley Liquor (El Cajon)
Families Market (San Diego)
FastFrame (San Marcos)
FORMA Companies (Costa Mesa)
Frederick Carpet Care (Coronado)
Fred’s Yard Service (Eureka)
Gala Foods (San Diego)
Galaxy Building Systems (Woodland Hills)
Geil Enterprises (Fresno)
George’s Market (National City)
Golden Benchmark (Fremont)
Golden Empire Nuts & Bolts (Bakersfield)
Gould Electric (Poway)
James F. Gray Printing (Ventura)
The Greek at The Harbor (Ventura)
Grey Fox Vineyards (Oroville)
Groesbeck Insurance & Financial Services (Modesto)
GSI Gulf States (Benicia)
Hagata Ranch (Susanville) *
L. H. Hajnal & Associates (Los Angeles)
Handle With Care Packaging Store (Carlsbad)
Hanford Auto Dismantling
Harbison International (Fresno)
Harbor Liquor (Oceanside)
Helix Medical (Carpinteria)
J. L. Henderson & Co. (Bakersfield) *
Hilliker’s Ranch Fresh Eggs (Lakeside)
Holguin, Fahan & Associates (Ventura)
Holiday Quality Foods (Cottonwood)
Hobbs Trucking Company (Anaheim)
Fred Hoffman Architecture (Studio City)
Hollandia Flowers (Carpinteria)
Hub Market (San Diego)
Roy O. Huffman Roof Company (Riverside)
Humphrey Marine/Land Sanitation Systems (Carlsbad)
Imperial Food Market (San Diego) *
The Industrial Company (Bakersfield)
The Inn at Deep Canyon (Palm Desert)
Janitorial Inc. (Fresno)
Jerry’s Bags & Labels (Palm Desert)
Johnson Educational Institute (El Centro)
D. Y. Jones & Associates (Santa Clarita)
Pat Jump & Associates (Ventura)
Karsh’s Catering (Fresno)
Katell Properties (Long Beach)
Kavanaugh Insurance (Modesto)
Ann Kelly Hair Design (Chico)
Kennedy Wholesale (Irwindale)
KenWalt Die Casting (Sun Valley)
Kern Building Materials (Bakersfield)
Kershaw Construction Company (Clovis)
King Executive Search (Irvine) *
Konnections (Gilroy)
La Vista Liquor (Vista) *
Labor Ready (El Centro)
Lad’s Super Market (Santa Rosa) *
Laguna Leather (Laguna Beach)
Lamborn Family Wine Company (Orinda)
Lane Engineers (Tulare)
Larry’s AutoWorks (Mountain View)
Lee Tire (El Centro)
Legacy Bank (La Jolla)
Lew’s Market (San Diego) *
Loan Advisors (Tustin)
Los Angeles Freightliner (Whittier) *
M & M Paint & Body Shop (El Centro)
Mag Instrument (Ontario) *
Maggard and Company (Bakersfield) *
The Mail Bank (El Cajon)
Marbled Elegance (Santa Clara)
Margarita Villa (Ventura)
Markor Marking Systems (Fresno) *
Master Plan Business Solutions (Modesto)
Matrix Service (Baypoint)
MAXIMUS Media (Fresno)
McBride Financial Advisory (Carlsbad)
McGrath Moving & Storage (Modesto)
McSweeney & Associates (San Diego)
Megabright Sings (Orange)
Mesa Food & Liquor (Spring Valley) *
Microwave Solutions (San Diego)
Midway Liquor (Escondido) *
Miller-Robertson Insurance Services (Ventura)
Miod and Company (Mission Hills)
Monrovia Ice Company (Duarte) *
Moonlighting Ink Studio Graphic Design (Anaheim)
Nails, Etc. (Bakersfield)
Name-Finders Lists (San Francisco)
Nasco (Modesto)
National City Market
Navis Pack & Ship Center (San Diego)
Neal Feay Company (Santa Barbara)
Neugebauer and Associates (San Bernardino)
NIA Insurance Group (Chatsworth)
Ocean Shore Printing (Half Moon Bay)
Opus Publishing (San Clemente)
Orange Elderly Services
Denis O’Sullivan Real Estate Investments (Westlake
Village)
Pacific Beverage Company (Santa Barbara)
Pacific Data Services (Modesto)
Pak Mail 351 (Modesto)
Par Liquor (San Diego) *
Patterson Nut Company
Pleasanton Technology Consulting Group
Polestar Computers (Kelseyville)
Precision Coil Spring Company (El Monte)
PRO CAL Insurance Services (Orange)
Pyramid Agency (Ventura)
PTO Sales Corporation (La Mirada)
Rader and Associates (Modesto)
Rainbow Market (Lincoln)
Raley’s (West Sacramento)
Rancho del Oro Market (Vista)
Rancho San Diego Wine & Spirits (Spring Valley)
Rat Sound System (Oxnard)
Reese-Chambers Systems Consultants (Somis)
Regency Real Estate (Tracy)
Replacement Parts Industries (Chatsworth)
RenTech Computer Rentals (Sacramento) *
Rex Rooter (Ventura)
Ridgecrest Automotive
R-N Market #6 (Atwater)
Roberts Companies (Concord)
H. F. Robertson Insurance Agency (Ventura)
SAFWAY (Gardena)
Salutary Sportsclubs (Vacaville) *
San Joaquin Beverage
San Luis Paper Co. (San Luis Obispo) *
San Ysidro Liquor
SCF Marketing (Santa Rosa)
Frank Schnaubelt & Sons (San Diego)
S.D.H. Properties (Granada Hills)
Sea Mist Farm Dairy (Eureka)
SequoiaTec (Bakersfield)
Serban Sound & Communications (Bakersfield) *
DW Sharp, Inc. (Modesto)
The Shepherd Group (Indian Wells)
Shields Entomological Service (Brawley)
Shoreham Corp. (Concord)
Shoreline Spa Covers (Orange)
Sierra Cal Investments (Long Beach)
Sierra Market & Liquor (La Mesa)
Siete Dias Market (National City)
Sign-A-Rama of Fresno
Signs of Distinction (Ventura)
Sir Speedy Printing Center (Clovis)
SK Foods (Lemoore)
Slender Lady of North East Bakersfield *
Snow Summit Ski Corp. (Big Bear Lake)
Solano Signs (Fairfield)
Sorrento Valley Automotive (San Diego)
Southcoast & Western Rehabilitation Associates
(Bakersfield)
Southport Land & Commerical Co. (San Francisco) *
S P & B Management Dev. (Santa Monica) *
Sparta Ranch (Hoopa)
Spiegel International (North Hills) *
Starz Entertainment Event Production (Glendale)
Sub Surface Waste Management of Delaware
(Carlsbad)
Super 8 Motel (Goleta)
Taylor Tire & Brake (Bakersfield)
TempServ (Bakersfield)
Top Notch Networks (San Pedro)
Treat 4-U (San Francisco)
Triad Architectural and Planning Associates (Fresno)
Trigon Electronics (Orange)
Tuscan Grille Restaurant (Modesto)
Turner Communications (Modesto)
Michael Turnipseed and Associates (Bakersfield) *
Tyke’s Liquor (El Cajon)
United Planners (Ventura)
Valley Sanitary Supply (Fresno)
Valley Security & Alarm (Fresno)
Valley Wide Distributors (Bakersfield)
Venoco (Carpinteria)
Vic’s All Star Kitchen (Pleasanton)
Viking Research (Solvang)
Village Liquor Market (San Diego)
The Village Store (San Diego)
Viva Market (Oceanside)
Washington Market (El Cajon)
JC Wattenbarger & Sons (Bakersfield)
West Coast Power (Carlsbad)
Westco Equities (Fresno)
Yamaha/Ducati/KTM of Chico
Your Professional Advantage (Orange)
Zest Net (Ventura)
ZymaX (San Luis Obispo)

Individuals

Fresno County Superintendent of
Education Dr. Peter G. Mehas
Del Norte County Sheriff Dean Wilson
Monterey County Sheriff Mike Kanalakis
Sacramento County Sheriff Lou Blanas
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Anderson
San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill
Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker
Former California Secretary of
Education Marian Bergeson
Colusa County Supervisor Doug White
Colusa County Supervisor David G. Womble
Fresno County Supervisor Phil Larson
Imperial County Public Administrator Norma Saikhon
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich
Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe
Madera County Supervisor Frank Bigelow
Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby
Placer County Supervisor Ted Gaines
San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane
San Bernardino County Supervisor Bill Postmus
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joseph Centeno
Siskiyou County Supervisor W. R. Overman
Sonoma County Supervisor Paul L. Kelley
Tulare County Supervisor Steven Worthley
Antioch Councilmember Arne Simonsen
Paso Robles Councilmember Jim Heggarty
Petaluma Councilmember Mike Harris

..."Who's Who in the Capitalist Pig World."

Yep... but compared to the "Who's Who of the Union Thugs", they looked like angels!
(I think AP did it based on contribution level... that is the way they are listed anyway - hi to low).