By Daily Press staff
Hotel workers, labor leaders and living wage activists will gather on Saturday for a rally and precinct-walking in support of Measure S, the Santa Monica school funding ballot proposition on the June 3 ballot.
The rally will take place at 10 a.m. at 525 Colorado Ave. Speakers will include Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy, school boardmember Mike Jordan, Harry Keiley, president of the California Teachers Association’s Santa Monica/Malibu chapter and a worker from the Doubletree Guest Suites. Following the rally participants will go door-to-door encouraging voters to support Measure S.
Measure S has been endorsed by both Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism, principal backers of the city’s living wage campaign and Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 11.
“Our schools are in crisis, and we need to come together to support quality education in Santa Monica,” said Vivian Rothstein, director of SMART. “Nothing less than our children’s future is at stake.”
Living wage and labor leaders also expressed concern over proposed cuts that would lead to layoffs for as many as 90 teachers, as well as other district employees such as librarians and nurses.
The district is facing a $13.5 million deficit that has resulted in layoffs for more than 200 district employees. Many programs are threatened with drastic reductions or elimination, including music and art classes, advanced placement courses and pre-school programs for low and moderate-income children, while class size will increase dramatically.
If approved, Measure S will provide the district with $6.5 million a year. It requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
“Santa Monica’s unique and progressive school district is at risk unless something is done to alleviate this crisis,” said Rev. Sandie Richards, minister at The Church in Ocean Park and a prominent living wage leader. “The passage of Measure S is critical if we are to preserve the quality of education for the children of this community.”
Kuehl’s healthcare bill passes Senate committee
By Daily Press staff
A bill that would guarantee health insurance to all Californians passed a state Senate committee earlier this week.
Senate Bill 921— the Health Care for All Californians Act — passed the Senate Insurance Committee yesterday evening by a vote of 5-3.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Sheila Kuehl, now moves to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. At no new cost to the state, the bill would provide all Californians with stable and affordable access to health care at a lower cost than the premiums consumers and California employers now pay. The reform integrates current healthcare spending into a streamlined system and eliminates premiums and other out of pocket expenses, replacing them with a low percentage income and payroll tax that together are lower than average health insurance premiums.
Sen. Kuehl’s plan gives every consumer the freedom to choose their own health care provider and returns healthcare decision making to providers and consumers. The plan will feature a simple and efficient claims and reimbursement system to be administered by the state of California and overseen by an elected commissioner and statutorily limits administrative costs to 5 percent of the system budget.
The reform would create the Healthcare Fund, the Office of Medical Practice Standards, the Health Policy Board, the Office of the Consumer Advocate, and an Office of Medical Practice Standards. The plan will cover medical, dental, optical, mental health and prescription drugs services, among other healthcare services.
“Steeply rising health insurance costs are outpacing the ability of consumers to afford secure high quality health care,” said Kuehl, who represents Santa Monica in Sacramento. “A single-payer health care system that deals with the administrative waste in our system will help all Californians and all employers.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2003. Read the original PDF.