CA: Arkley single biggest donor for Prop. 75

Times - Standard ^ | James Faulk

[NormsRevenge]

EUREKA -- Rob Arkley has apparently given more to help pass Proposition 75 than any other single individual in the state of California.

According to the California secretary of state’s website, Arkley heads up a long list of big donors supporting Proposition 75 with a total of $302,000 given to groups supporting its passage. The contributions came in two different contributions, one for $250,001 in September and another for $52,000 made earlier in August.

Arkley did not return a call for comment by deadline. But an employee for Security National, owned by Arkley, called the Times-Standard and said his boss declined to comment and said to never, ever call him again.

Proposition 75 would prohibit the use of public employee union dues for political contributions without individual employees’ prior consent. The rule would not affect contributions benefiting charities or employees. It would also require unions to maintain and, upon request, report member political contributions to the Fair Political Practices Commission.

It is believed that the effort could hurt Democrats where it hurts -- labor unions are largely seen as a powerful base in the party, as well as of the state Legislature.

According to Sarah Leonard of the anti-Schwarzenegger group Alliance for a Better California, Arkley’s donations -- and others from the wealthy and corporations -- reveal the real base of support for the initiative.

”They have formed a campaign committee recently calling themselves teachers, firefighters and law enforcement, but the truth is here in black and white,” said a press release from the group.

Leonard claims that 97 percent of the initiative’s funding comes from the rich.

Arnoldwatch.org lists Arkley, owner of the Eureka Reporter, as the 15th top donor to Schwarzenegger. Arkley once remarked that he could get the governor to Humboldt County with a phone call.

Lori Metheny, chair of the Humboldt County Republican Party, said the proposition is about fairness.

”Prop. 75 would require unions to seek approval from their members prior to using union members’ dues for political purposes,” she said. “Various surveys show that while union membership runs about 60 percent Democratic to 40 percent Republican, virtually every political dollar labor spends, which runs into the tens of millions in California, is on Democrats. Proposition 75 will make union leaders more accountable to their members.”

The proposition, she said, is about giving workers the choice of how they want their money spent.

”Public employee union members should be given a choice of whether their dues can be used to fund political campaigns or not,” she said. “Go ahead and look at those that are financially supporting Prop. 75, but also take a look at those that are fighting against it. There are tens of millions of dollars being spent to defeat this measure -- millions of dollars that could be going to local organizing or for benefits for workers.”

Patrick Riggs of the Humboldt County Democratic Party said only a small portion of the dues from the California Teachers Association -- of which he is a member -- are used politically. Even then, members can always opt out, he said.

John Travis, president of the CFA and another professor at Humboldt State, said the proposition is a partisan ploy aimed directly at silencing public employee unions, not all of whom have consistently supported Democrats.

”They could have provided some balance had they restricted contributions from corporations and required corporations to go back to their stockholders and ask permission,” he said.

Travis admitted it will be an uphill fight to defeat the bill, which enjoys some substantial support at the moment.

”It’s going to be a difficult battle, but an important one,” he said.

Metheny said opting out is rarely a realistic option for employees.

”Union leaders make the process extremely difficult,” she said. “Some unions penalize workers that want to opt out by taking away benefits like a member’s liability insurance, voting rights and access to legal counsel.”

[martin_fierro]

Ah-nold vs. Tom McClintock on the coming Initiatives:

PROP	Desc	ARNIE	MCCLINTOCK
73	Teen abort waiting period	YES	YES
74	Pub school Teachers Waiting Period	YES	YES
75	Pub Employee Union Dues Pol Contribs	YES	YES
76	State spending limits	YES	YES
77	Redistricting	YES	YES
78	Prescrip Drug Discounts (initiative statute)	YES	NO
79	Prescrip Drug Discounts (state-negotiated rebates)	NO	NO
80	Regulation of Electric Service Providers	NO	NO

[B Knotts]

I sure hope you can pass Prop. 75. That's the big one.

If that passes, true reform becomes possible.

[NormsRevenge]

I may have 1 or 2 more
Nos than Arnie or Tom have,,

guess which 2?

[tubebender]

Thanks for posting this. I won't try until I get a brain transplant.

Arkley Sr is a friend of mine and my granddaughter works for Jr...

[tubebender]

Arkley did not return a call for comment by deadline. But an employee for Security National, owned by Arkley, called the Times-Standard and said his boss declined to comment and said to never, ever call him again.

Arkley has delt with the Times-Standard in his ususal "Don't get mad get even" mode by starting his own paper...http://www.eurekareporter.com/