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Schwarzenegger adds Prop. 75 to his agenda

Measure would limit public workers' unions political clout

Carla Marinucci, John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writers

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Anaheim, Orange County -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, cheered on by hundreds of grassroots Republican supporters, expanded his Nov. 8 special election reform agenda on Saturday and endorsed Proposition 75 -- the initiative aimed at curbing the political clout of overwhelmingly Democratic public employee unions.

"Public employee unions' members should not be forced to contribute to causes, candidates and controversial issues that they don't believe in," said Schwarzenegger, in remarks during a luncheon before hundreds of supporters at the California Republican Convention at the Anaheim Marriott. "That's not a contribution. That is a tax."

Schwarzenegger, who repeated his promise from a day earlier to run for re-election in 2006 -- was interrupted several times during his speech by standing ovations and ecstatic chants of "Four more years!" and "Arnold! Arnold!"

Prop. 75 -- known as "paycheck protection" -- would prohibit public employee unions from using members' dues for political campaigns and ads without their permission.

Democrats and union leaders have argued that the governor and his allies are backing the measure purely for political reasons because unions are major contributions to Democratic campaigns and causes.

"It comes as no surprise to us that he's added Prop. 75 to his agenda," said Roger Salazar, a Democratic strategist. "What he's trying to do is restrict the ability of workers to organize themselves and take on the big corporations. Corporate interests are the ones bankrolling this campaign."

Proponents of the measure praised the governor's endorsement and hailed it as critical to the measure's passage.

"The governor is a great fundraiser. He gets our message out that this is about choice, a workers' rights issue," said Eric Beach, spokesman for the "Yes on Prop. 75" campaign, who called the governor's endorsement "a huge boost."

Republican leaders also praised Schwarzenegger's support, saying it will bring new energy and new cash donors to his embattled special election campaign agenda, which includes initiatives for tougher teacher tenure requirements, a budget reform package and new legislative redistricting.

"The unions will fight this tooth and nail," predicted Thomas Del Beccaro of Lafayette, who heads the organization of GOP county chairs in California. With Schwarzenegger's endorsement of an issue of "unquestionably" high importance to Republicans -- and his vow to run for re-election -- Del Beccaro said "his campaign now seems ready to step on the gas and not look back."

Democrats immediately countered that the governor's endorsement merely formalized what they had charged months ago -- that Schwarzenegger has been the shadow figure behind getting on the ballot an effort that would put a severe crimp on political funding of the public employee unions that have been among the governor's most vocal critics.

They noted that Schwarzenegger adviser Joel Fox took a major role in qualifying the measure for the ballot and the governor's chief strategist, Mike Murphy, has said its passage would be "great for our re-election."

State Treasurer Phil Angelides, a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination to oppose the governor, also charged that the endorsement was directly connected to Schwarzenegger's re-election effort.

"Proposition 75 is the crown jewel of the Bush-Schwarzenegger agenda, straight out of the (Bush adviser) Karl Rove playbook. This is what's important in this election. Everything else is just a mask," Angelides said. "It's unfair, not right -- and we'll defeat it when the people understand the governor is for it."

With a little more than seven weeks until voters go to the polls on Nov. 8, Schwarzenegger faces an uphill battle to convince state voters to approve his reform measures. Until he backed Prop. 75 -- which appears to have strong public support -- none of his initiatives had even a majority of voter support, independent polls showed.

The governor, who has been met by angry protests during his appearances and has taken a dramatic slide in public polls, appeared fired up by the adoring audience of GOP activists, leaders and elected officials at the party's convention. During his speech, he admitted his troubles and delivered a well-tuned argument for his reform proposals.

"Remember the honeymoon period? Those were the days," he said to laughs. "I don't really care if I'm not a good politician. But I do care about being a good governor.'"

And he acknowledged that polls show California voters to be disillusioned with him and his special election.

"I know you're tired of all the fighting," he said. "But there's some things worth fighting for, like the future of this wonderful state."

Political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe said the governor's comments before the GOP convention provided "red meat for the party faithful and will make the Democrats go sky high. "

"This is war," she said.

But she said his decision to add Prop. 75 to his reform agenda comes with risks in Democratic-leaning California, where public employee unions constitute a major political force.

"He will have to spend so much money on Prop. 75," she said. "What's it going to do to the rest of the (special election) agenda? Indeed, the Alliance for a Better California, the umbrella group for Schwarzenegger's opponents, has raised more than $10 million, with almost all of it coming from public employee unions, including $2.75 million from state worker unions, $4.7 million from the California Teachers Association and $700,000 from school workers unions.

But Sandra Crandall, a kindergarten teacher at Moiola Elementary School in Fountain Valley and a Teacher of the Year in 2004 and 2005, said she welcomed the governor's call for "paycheck protection."

"The issue is so simple that my kindergarten kids can figure it out," she said. "I work very hard for my money, and no one asks my permission" to use union dues for political causes she may not support, Crandall said.

Still, Democrats predicted that most voters will not be swayed by the pleas of the governor -- because, they said, he has been so deeply damaged by his fundraising, partisanship and ineffective governing.

"When people tire of a politician, it's very difficult to get back," said Democratic strategist Bob Mulholland. "This will make for four flat tires on his Hummer come Nov. 8. So far, the other three propositions have been more damaged by his involvement -- and now Prop. 75 will be even more damaged."