Article by Dennis Moore

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.”   --Frederick Douglass

March 6, 2013 (San Diego)--Thousands of federal employees in the San Diego area are soon to be impacted by sequestration, automatic budget cuts mandated by the federal government.  These cuts may have a larger impact on San Diego County than anywhere else in the U.S., since our region is home to wide-ranging naval operations, a bustling border and vibrant biotech and drone sectors. About $37 billion flows into the County each year, including billions of dollars for defense contracts and millions more for research efforts.

The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) is a Washington, DC based organization that promotes equality as well as exposes retaliation and racism in the federal government. “Civil servants (i.e., agents, air marshals, food inspectors, investigators, corrections officers, firefighters) function as America’s first line of defense against domestic threats. Therefore, we must protect our federal workforce against managerial abuse and reprisal in order to better protect our citizens.” That is what Tanya Ward Jordan, the founder of C4C, believes and espouses in her daily activities and advocacy on behalf of this organization. Now C4C is ramping up to strengthen its fight for federal workers.

$1.1 to $1.7 billion in local federal defense and non-defense spending at risk in 2013; solutions to grow alternate San Diego economic sectors explored.

October 6, 2012 (San Diego)— A whopping $1.2 trillion in impending federal budget cuts  would have a grave impact on jobs, the economy and schools in the San Diego region.  The impacts of those cuts—and what can be done to survive any resulting damage—were subjects of a hearing by the Assembly Select Committee on San Diego Trade, Tourism and Job Creation chaired by Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78). Block presided over the session, and said the impact of the federal sequestration without change amounts to “a perfect storm” that would produce devastating job losses.

 
Editor’s note:  When Governor Jerry Brown spoke at San Diego State University last year, he pledged to support public education and fight to restore funding. Now he seeks support from voters for a ballot initiative to raise funds to restore deep cuts made in funding for public schools including grades K-12, colleges, and universities in California.

September 6, 2011 (Rancho San Diego)-- As a first-generation college graduate, Mark Zacovic, Cuyamaca College’s new president, understands well the challenges facing students. As a finisher of several marathons, he also knows the value of tenacity and goal-setting.

By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH

August 15, 2011 (San Diego)--According to an article in Friday’s Union-Tribune (Aug 12), “State to reduce supply of free flu vaccines,” San Diego County will receive 30,000 “fewer free flu vaccines available for low-income adults than in previous years.”

During an average flu season between 5 and 20% of the population gets the flu. According to one study, if none of these 30,000 low-income adults manage to get vaccinated, on average 10 – 15 will be hospitalized for pneumonia and 27- 30 for respiratory and circulatory conditions. Those above 60 will have higher rates of hospitalization.

By Jeremy Los

March 15, 2011 (San Diego) -- San Diego will be the scene for one of many national rallies being held Tuesday night in reaction to deep budget cuts in California, Wisconsin, Washington and across the nation. Inspired by protests in Wisconsin, America's heartland, over gutting collective bargaining rights for workers, organizers say such cuts are destroying the American dream.

Entitled “Defending the Dream,” the rally will take place at County Administration Building,1600 Pacific Highway in San Diego at 6 p.m.

“The industry standard is one firefighter for every 1,000 in population. San Miguel is currently operating with one firefighter for every 5,400 taxpayers.”  - Alan Laatsch, president,  Firefighters Local 1434
May 27, 2010 (Spring Valley) – Facing a $1.6 million deficit, San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District’s Board tonight considered a proposal to lay off three firefighters, eliminate the Administrative Division Chief position and demote several officials.  But after hearing moving testimony from firefighters, fire and accident victims, and others in the community, the Board voted unanimously to reject the recommendation and consider other options.

Among the most moving testimony came from Doug de Brauwere, a father with young children. “I’ll be the first firefighter to be laid off,” he testified, his voice choked with emotion. “I spent 10 years serving my country; a year and a half of that was in Iraq.”

By Tracy Emblem

San Diego State University's budget has caused student enrollment to be reduced by 4,618 by Fall 2010. Recently, the university announced that it had to change its “service area” enrollment policy to accommodate its budget cuts. San Diego State should delay its new policy for a year to allow local high school students who were working for admission in Fall 2010 and under the old guidelines to be admitted.

by SDSU President Stephen L. Weber
 

Sept. 21, 2009 (San Diego) -- As  a direct result of devastating state budget cuts of $571 million, the California State University is reducing enrollment system-wide this year and next by 40,000 undergraduate students. Over the same period, San Diego State will be reducing its enrollment by 4,588 undergraduates.

September 23, 2009 – In response to “devastating budget cuts”, San Diego State University President Stephen L. Weber announced that SDSU will cut enrollment by 10.8%, or 4,588 undergraduate students. In addition, the school will make changes to its admissions policy for incoming fall 2010 freshmen and transfer students. The announcement has sparked concerns and criticisms from community leaders.
 

“These changes are a direct result of devastating state budget cuts of $571 million to the California State University System and SDSU,” Weber wrote in an e-mail sent to faculty members yesterday.

By Tracy Emblem

September 10, 2009 (San Diego)--Fires have a catastrophic effect on the lives of Californians. When the new state budget was recently passed and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, $27 million was cut from the budget with the stroke of a pen along with funding for the DC-10 fire retardant bomber that helped fight fires. If you don't think we need critical emergency fire services in San Diego County, or cannot afford it, think again.

Editor’s note: Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature just slashed hundreds of millions from programs helping disabled people with medical care, finding jobs, and Special Olympics. An effort to override the Governor’s line-item vetoes is underway. Details at

http://www.sacbee.com/740/story/2054686.html.  To contact your Assemblymember and State Senator before this crucial vote,  visit our Sound Off section.

Dear Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,

July 29, 2009 (San Diego)--I have been a Special Olympics' athlete for more than twenty years. Now I learned that you are cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from programs that serve disabled persons and communities. Please do not do this.

I have seen you many times at Special Olympics' events. From the things you said I thought I you understood how important our athletic program is.

July 2, 2009 (San Diego)--Local nonprofit organizations serving people with autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities will drastically cut back on services, or be forced to close their doors if the state follows through on plans to further cut funding, according to a new survey.

By Miriam Raftery

June 23, 2009 (San Diego)-- An estimated 200 to 300 people turned out to protest state budget cuts in San Diego, outside Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office downtown. Some carried coffins and a skeleton sign—grim symbols of the consequences they believe will result from severe cuts to health and social services programs.

Ann Menasche, a lawyer with San Diego Disability Action Coalition, said the cuts will be “devastating” to disabled individuals. “People already don’t have enough to live on,” she said the predicted, “With cuts to SSI and Medicare, we are going to see more homeless people and more hunger.”

June 20, 2009 (San Diego)--People United Against Cuts is a local coalition formed to oppose the Governor’s recent “All Cuts” budget. A press released issued by the group states, “The Governor’s proposed budget will have a catastrophic impact on children, seniors, people with disabilities, low income families, college students and HIV/AIDS patients.

An Editorial By Miriam Raftery
Editor, East County Magazine

June 3, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)—If California ever needed an action hero at the helm, it’s now. Instead, Arnold has taken the “girlie man” way out –balancing the budget on the backs of the poor by proposing to eliminate healthcare for children and welfare-to-work programs. He also wants to close 80% of state parks, release prisoners, and slash school spending.

Granted, a grid-locked Legislature, Republicans who pale at the words “raise revenues,” Democrats who were split on ballot initiatives and fed-up voters who failed to pass the measures have left him few easy choices. But Arnold has one ace left in the hole: star power. Here’s how he can use it to debut the most important road show of his career: “Save Kaleefornia.”