VOTE No on 94, 95, 96, 97 (Feb 5)

What can I say about these for "deals". They are unfair, plain and simple. Many people are looking at the fact that these will bring in revenue. What? About $9 billion over 20 years? -- That is LESS than half a billion a year. With projections of an over $14 Billion shortfall this year alone, the cost for the half billion it too dear.

What cost? Can you imagine working for these employers and being told that certain human rights like the right to unionize is not recognized by the employer. To also be told that Federal and state labor laws do not exist for you since the employers are "sovereign nations".

The United Nations declared that the right to organize and join a union is a fundamental human right. Do these tribes what to get rich off the backs of their employees? Why are union activists not welcome at their establishments? Do these tribes what to violate basic human rights? I do not think so. It appears as if they do.

Who opposes these deals? Full list

Here is a PARTIAL List:


Native American Indian Rights Groups and Tribes
American Indian Rights and Resources Organization
California Valley Miwok Tribe
Inaja – Cosmit Band of Mission Indians
Indians of Enterprise #1
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians *
Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians
United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria
Wintu Tribe of Northern California
Ya-Ka-Ama Indian Education and Development, Inc.
Jamul Indian Village Tribal Member Raymond Hunter
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Vice Chairperson Viola Peck
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Tribal Council Member Walter R. Powvall
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians Vice Spokesperson Shane Chapparosa
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians Tribal Member Candace Kupsch
Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians Tribal Council Member Stephanie Spencer

Newspapers:
Pasadena Star News
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Whitter Daily News

Educators and Children’s Advocacy Groups
California Federation of Teachers
California School Employees Association
United Teachers Los Angeles
CFT Community College Council
Los Angeles College Faculty Guild
California Family Council
Campaign for Children and Families
Garvey School District Board of Education Member Henry Lo
Los Angeles Community College District Trustee Warren Furutani
North Orange County Community College Trustee Michael Matsuda

Civil Rights, Minority, Religious Groups and Leaders
Dolores Huerta, co-founder, United Farm Workers
California State A. Philip Randolph Institute
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – National
Asian American Drug Abuse Program
Asian Law Alliance
Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council
California Church IMPACT
Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice – CLUE-CA
Council of Asian Pacific Islanders Together for Advocacy and Leadership – CAPITAL
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) – California
Progressive Jewish Alliance
Barstow Christian Ministerial Association
Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice – Los Angeles – CLUE-LA
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice San Diego
NICOS Chinese Health Coalition
Organization of Chinese Americans – Sacramento Chapter
Palm Springs Progressive Community Coalition
Shadow Mountain Community Church
Tri-County Legal Services
Alliance for Survival Executive Director Marion Pack
Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area Civil Rights Committee Chair Steve Ngo
Asian Pacific Legislative Staff Caucus Founder Maeley Tom
California State Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs Former Chair Dr. Norman Hui
CAPITAL Foundation Vice President Carole Chong
Chinese American Council of Sacramento President Jeanie Lee
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans Founder Dale Minami
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Former Board of Governors Member Curt Namba
NICOS Chinese Health Coalition Executive Director Kent Woo

Federal, State and Local Officials
U.S. Representative John Campbell
California State Board of Equalization Vice Chair Judy Chu
California State Board of Equalization Member Betty Yee
State Senator Carole Migden
State Senator Leland Yee
Assemblymember Mervyn M. Dymally
Assemblymember Mike Eng
Assemblymember Loni Hancock
Assemblymember Ed Hernandez
Assemblymember Jared Huffman
Assemblymember Mark Leno
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino
Lake County Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting
El Dorado County Supervisor Ron Briggs
Imperial County Supervisor Wally Leimgruber
Imperial County Supervisor Gary Wyatt
Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown
San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob
San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly
San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill
Sierra County Supervisor Arnold D. Gutman
Solano County Supervisor Barbara R. Kondylis
Yuba County Supervisor Dan Logue
Berkeley City Council
Hesperia City Council
Loma Linda City Council
Plymouth City Council
San Pablo City Council
Auburn City Councilmember Mike Holmes
Beaumont City Councilmember Roger Berg
Camarillo Vice Mayor Charlotte Craven
Campbell City Councilmember Evan Low
Canyon Lake Councilmember John Zaitz
Cupertino City Councilmember Gilbert Wong
Hayward Councilmember Kevin Dowling
Healdsburg City Councilmember Eric A. Ziedrich
Hesperia City Councilmember Rita Vogler
Loma Linda Mayor Robert H. Christman
Monterey Park City Councilmember Anthony Wong
Palo Alto City Councilmember Yiaway Yeh
Reedley Councilmember Mary L. Fast
Rohnert Park City Councilmember Pamela Stafford
San Jose City Councilmember Kansen Chu
San Jose City Councilmember Madison Nguyen
Sonora Councilmember William B. Canning
South Lake Tahoe Councilmember Ted Long
Stanton Mayor Pro Tem Al Ethans
Sunnyvale City Councilmember Otto Lee
Weed City Councilmember David L. Pearce
Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council Boardmember Gloria Magleby
Rohnert Park Planning Commission Chair Susan Adams
Santa Monica Planning Commissioner Julie Lopez Dad
Former Oakland Planning Commissioner Clinton Killian
Former Plumas County Supervisor Don Clark
Former Plymouth City Councilmember Elida Malick
Anita Cook, RN

California Labor Unions and Worker Rights Leaders
California Labor Federation AFL-CIO
Unite HERE International Union
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union
California Conference of Machinists
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
SEIU California State Council
United Auto Workers, Region 5
United Farm Workers of America
United Food Commercial Workers Western States Council
Alameda Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Butte-Glenn Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Contra Costa Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
North Bay Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Orange County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Sacramento Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
San Diego-Imperial Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
San Francisco Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
San Joaquin-Calaveras Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
San Mateo County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
South Bay Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Stanislaus & Tuolumne Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Tri-Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Building & Construction Trades Council of Alameda County AFL-CIO
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 1546 (Lodi)
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 11
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 18
International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 54 (Stockton)
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Sacramento Chapter
Marin Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Monterey/Santa Cruz Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Napa-Solano Building Trades Council AFL-CIO
Sacramento – Sierra’s Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
Sonoma, Mendocino & Lake Counties Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO
United Auto Workers, Local 2865 (Santa Barbara)
United Steelworkers, Local 474 (Clovis)

Tribal Rights vs. Human Rights??

According to Peter Hecht (Sacramento Bee) reported on the ContraCostaTimes.com on Tuesday November 28, 2006...

"Two of the state's most potent political constituencies -- unions and casino-operating tribes -- are poised to take up the struggle again as a new Legislature goes to work in January."

This is over the pacts that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made with five of California's richest Indian tribes to add up to 22,500 new slot machines.

Unions want the right to defend the human rights of the employees including the right to organize...

"That's a deal breaker," said Nancy Conrad, spokeswoman for Agua Caliente, a Palm Springs tribe seeking to expand from 2,000 casino slots to 5,000. "It's a sovereignty issue. The unions want 'neutrality' so that they can say anything they want and denigrate the tribes. They want to be able to organize without our being able to say 'boo' about it."

Check out the article... let me know what you think...

Ancient Culture Rights or Small Town Politics?

In a recent article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Chris Gutierrez writes:

The artifacts are slated to be on display at the library through the summer. Where they end up after that is uncertain. Azusa Land Projects, the property owner, has legal rights to the artifacts, but through an agreement with the city, Azusa has the first right of refusal, which it exercised by putting many of the relics on display at the library.

There seems to be a dispute as to who owns the artifacts. Seems to me like typical Azusa politics... create an issue to rally people around and after the election it becomes a non-issue.

One solution to this dilemma would be to have the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe buy one of the buildings downtown and open it up as a cultural center and museum. The artifacts stay in Azusa and the community can learn about the history of the people who gave the city its name.

Native relics found in Azusa

In a San Gabriel Valley Tribune article, Marianne Love Staff Writer, reports that some of the relics found during the construction of the Rosedale project will be on display.

About 50 manos, or hand tools, nutcrackers and other grinding-tool relics used by the Tongva/Gabrielino Indians in the village known as Ashuukshanga will be on public view at the Azusa Public Library, 729 N. Dalton Ave.

Ashuukshanga, where Azusa derived its name, was one of the larger villages where the aboriginal people lived in thatched concave enclosures and circular huts.

The artifacts were unearthed in December by an archaeology firm hired by the city to monitor the grading of Rosedale, a 1,250-home neighborhood on the former Monrovia Nursery property below the Angeles National Forest.

Gabrielino/Tongva Web site:
http://www.tongva.com/

Gabrielino/Tongva Springs Foundation:
http://www.onionskin.com/gabrielino/index.html

Azusa Public Library:
http://www.ci.azusa.ca.us/library

Ashuukshanga Found

Reported in many news sources including the San Gabriel Valley Tribune...

A major archeological find was unearthed in Azusa. The prehistoric village of Ashuukshanga (Ah-zoo-saw-naw) was discovered while construction for the Rosedale project was beginning. The aboriginal people who lived here are the Tongva also known as the Gabrieleno-Tongva.

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