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# The other side of the props
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-other-side-of-the-props-editor/
- Published: 2005-10-25T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:01:59.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Malibu, #archive-import

*By Billy G. Woody Santa Monica*

Harry M. Heily, president of the Santa Monica-Malibu CTA, is a perfect example of the self-centered, thinking only of themselves, attitude represented by the public unions over this special election. Harry re-states lies and misrepresentation in his letter (SMDP, Oct. 21, page 4) and it makes me wonder how this gentleman can be in charge of a group that is supposed to represent such an honorable profession as teaching. Let’s start with Prop. 74, his “Blame Teachers Act.” How many other jobs out there guarantee lifetime employment after only a few years? This insane notion that for some reason teachers should not be held accountable is beyond me. It is common sense that if you know your job is 100 percent safe you may not be so inspired.

With Prop. 75, Harry claims this is designed to silence teachers, nurses, fire-fighters and other public employees. Well the reality is, it gives more of a voice to them than they had before. The only thing Prop. 75 does is change the money collected by unions for political reasons from an opt-out option to an opt-in option. Now if the nurses, firefighters and teachers are as gung-ho as Harry thinks they are to give up their hard-earned money for political ads they may or may not support, why is he so worried? I would think that the day after this prop passes there will be an onslaught of opt-in paperwork arriving in the union office. Or is the truth, the fact that Harry is afraid that many of these public servants aren’t in the same political camp as he and his union buddies are? Methinks the Harry doth protest too much.

Prop. 76 only restores the powers the governor had only a short time ago. It gives the legislature 45 days to fix budget shortfalls. If they cannot do it, the governor has the authority to do it. The prop also changes the formula for the amounts that go up each year for funding. Now Harry lies here again and claims there will be a cut in education, but the reality is, there will be an increase, just not as much as Harry wants. Now I know Harry would rather tax the living daylights out of the residents of this state to fund more failed programs and a failed education system, but just throwing money at a problem does not fix it. The tax and spend mantra of the unions and the left in this state will be the downfall of us all. I wonder how Harry runs the finances in his home? If he is short one month does he just go take money from the rich guy at the corner or does he cut back on his donations to Move-on.org?

Just as folks like Harry thought the recall election was going to be “unpopular” and a waste of money, the state had an amazing turnout and Arnold won by a solid amount. He has put the brakes on this runaway train that was California and is working on turning it around. The governor is not attacking teachers Harry, he is attacking the greedy unions and the tax and spend liberals like yourself while protecting this state and turning it around to recovery.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 25, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102505.pdf?ref=smdp.com)