10/12/2005
CONTACT: Martyn Hopper or Michael Shaw, (916) 448-9904
or Tony Malandra, (415) 664-9685
From Martyn B. Hopper, state director for the 35,000-member California arm of NFIB, America's largest small-business advocacy group. Hopper is a co-chairman of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Reform California Campaign, a committee supporting passage of four ballot initiatives in November. Hopper provided the opening remarks at one of the governor's town hall meetings, held this afternoon at Marborg Industries in Santa Barbara. Below are a few of his key points.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- "Government needs to live within its means, just like small-business owners have to in order to remain operational. That's why passage of Proposition 76, the 'Live Within Our Means' initiative, is so important.
"Uncontrolled government spending has to stop. That is why Propositions 75 and 77 are also vital, because they are the real roots of true, long-lasting reform. It's unfair that public employee unions hold so much control over the legislature. Associations such as mine cannot make political donations without asking our members' permission. It's unfair that public employees unions don't have to do the same.
"Proposition 77 will make lawmakers more beholden to the people who elect them and not to the special interests that are controlling them now. And Proposition 74 is equally important, since California cannot possibly hope to compete with its neighbors if it doesn't have an intelligent workforce to draw on, and that begins first and foremost with having the most effective teachers. All of these initiatives work hand in glove in improving California and setting it on a straighter path to prosperity."
In a survey of its members conducted by NFIB/California, 92 percent of small-business owners supported Propositions 75 and 76; 88 percent supported Proposition 74; and 77 percent supported Proposition 77. The survey drew 1,200 respondents.
