CA: Teachers' union leads list of biggest political spenders (last 10 years)

SaC bee ^ | 3/10/10 | Dan Walters

[NormsRevenge]

The California Teachers Association has spent more than $200 million on campaign contributions and lobbying efforts in the last decade, leading what the Fair Political Practices Commission calls a "billion-dollar club" of moneyed political interests.

The FPPC's report, entitled "Big Money Talks," delves into the 25 biggest - at least in financial terms - political players in the state, which have collectively spent $1.3 billion on political action in the last 10 years.

"This tsunami of special interest spending drowns out the voices of average voters," FPPC chairman Ross Johnson said in a statement, "and intimidates political opponents and elected officials alike."

The $211.9 million spent by the CTA is nearly twice as much as the $107.5 million committed by the second-highest spender, the California State Council of Service Employees, but after those two union groups, the remaining 13 on the Top 15 list are all either business groups, such as No. 3 Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America ($104.9 million), individual corporations or casino-owning Indian tribes, which have three of the 15 top spots.

Collectively, the top 15 spent just over $1 billion during the decade, while the next 10 spent $271 million. They are also a mixture of unions, businesses and Indian tribes.

[RED SOUTH]

thats why are education system sucks. the union and the dept of ed....

[pogo101]

My tax dollars at work.

[Uncle Miltie]

Teachers’ Unions own state governments. Most state financial troubles are driven by increasing teacher pay, benefits and counts.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

The fix was shot down in 2006 with the defeat of Proposition 75, that would have required Unions to seek permission from CA employee union members to use their dues for political campaigns.

Prop 75 HAS TO BE resurrected and passed. There will be no union reform of any kind until they are starved for money and that can only begin by ending the extortion of California employee unions stealing members money for political purposes, and making the unions beg for that money.