BATTLE OF THE WATCHDOGS: WILL THE REAL CONSUMER CHAMPION PLEASE STAND UP?
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Anderson Lutz October 10, 2008 (Assemblyman Joel Anderson considers himself a watchdog for taxpayers. His opponent, Ray Lutz, founded a citizens’ watchdog group. Both claim to represent the public interest. The differences in their views reflect a core question being asked more and more amid today’s challenging economic times: just what is the proper role of government? Anderson, a Republican, told East County Magazine that he believes the solution to California’s fiscal woes is to “cut, cut, and cut.” An advocate of small government, he calls for slashing taxes and “wasteful” government spending. Once named a finalist in the San Diego Taxpayers Association `Golden Watchdog Award,’ he has held the line against new taxes in Sacramento and called for elimination of 117 boards and commissions. Lutz, a Democrat, is a community organizer who founded Citizens Oversight Projects (COPS), a government watchdog group. On its website, COPS declares its mission statement: to police government officials by “holding their feet to the fire”, review public representatives’ decisions and make sure that “bad decisions are revealed to the media and the public.” Lutz calls Anderson’s board-cutting plan a “nightmare” that he says would gut consumer protections by eliminating oversight entities that include hospital and medical review boards and the state contractor’s licensing board. Anderson has since stated that he believes eliminating these boards would only cut overhead, not the boards’ functions, but he did not explain who would handle consumer oversight roles if the boards are eliminated. He added that some more obscure boards have not met in several years and no longer have enough members to function. Big government vs. Small government: Has the `no new taxes’ mantra gone too far? Anderson advocates personal responsibility instead of relying on government to solve all ills. On his website, he quotes Thomas Jefferson: “That government is best which governs least.” But Lutz counters, “My opponent follows the philosophy that all government is bad and it should be small enough to drown it in a bathtub, and almost everything should be privatized.” Anderson says “privatizing makes sense” in many areas and argues that it’s cheaper to use private services to build roads, waterways, and schools, for example. Filner meets with Lutz. Lutz believes outsourcing of traditionally public functions has been shown to be a “lose-lose option. We lose our oversight because the private firms make a profit, indulge in excesses, are also ineffective, and still require governmental oversight.” Lutz supports outsourcing only in limited circumstances, with competitive bidding and cites Blackwater as an extreme case of outsourcing that has cost taxpayers huge sums. He led a successful effort to stop Blackwater from opening a private military training camp in East County and helped persuade Congressman Bob Filner to introduce legislation that would restrict private military training operations to federal lands. Asked to describe his view on the fundamental role of government, Lutz replied, “Government is essential to assist our community with the common good, and provide protection and infrastructure that is impossible to create in free-for-all capitalistic anarchy. Fire protection, police/security protection, healthcare, energy, water and waste infrastructure. I believe that our government, with sufficient citizen oversight, can be made to run relatively efficiently.” Campaign Contributions, Endorsements and Interest Group Ratings The candidates’ record of contributors, supporters and interest group ratings provide insights into their views. Lutz has accepted donations only from small individual contributors to date. Anderson has raked in hefty contributions from corporations in the oil, insurance, hospital, medical, banking and mortgage industries. Anderson’s ratings from interest groups include: 100% California Chamber of Commerce 100% California Manufacturers & Technology Assoc. 93% California Taxpayers Association 12% Consumer Federation of America 11% California Labor Federation 5% League of Conservation Voters 0% Planned Parenthood “F” PawPac (wildlife and animal rights group) “A” Gun Owners of America Anderson is endorsed by many prominent Republican elected officials, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Pro-Life Council, California League of Off-Road voters PAC, and San Diego Minutemen. Lutz has been endorsed by California Nurses Association for his support of universal healthcare, which Anderson opposes, and for his pledge to fight for a new hospital for East County. Other Lutz endorsements include the California Democratic Party, California State Teachers, Planned Parenthood, Democratic office holders including Congressman Bob Filner, and El Cajon Councilman Dick Ramos, a Republican. “Our state fiscal situation is a nightmare,” said Lutz, when asked why he decided to run for office. Lutz, whose wife is an educator, has expressed concern over deep cuts in education, medical services and other public services under the new budget signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in late September. The stakes are high in this election, Lutz observed. “We just watched a record late budget passed with no improvements to the dire financial situation, and at the same time, local jurisdictions, such as cities, are having to raise taxes to cover their red ink.” He calls for a review and restructuring of revenues using “non-volatile” sources. “Not the highly volatile progressive income tax, sales and and valuation-based property tax, so that revenues will not soar in good times and crash in bad.” He added, “No one wants to pay taxes, but most people understand that to fund our common services, we must pay these taxes and most people are happy to pay their fair share, if the money is used wisely. Unfortunately, we have people who would rather borrow from our children’s economy rather than pay what we should today.” He criticized Anderson for signing a “no tax pledge” and refusing to discuss options for raising revenues or improving fairness in the state tax system. Lutz believes higher income earners and corporations should pay their fair share. He has suggested that the state move away from valuation-based property tax influenced by Proposition 13 limits. He noted that a flat taxation of property, with exclusions for residents on fixed income or Social Security, might be a better solution to “inequities of Proposition 13” which have left newer
LOCAL RESIDENTS JOIN NATIONAL PROTEST OF WALL STREET BAIL-OUT BILL
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery September 26, 2008 (El Cajon) – East County residents angered by the Bush administration’s proposed $700 billion bail-out bill for Wall Street financial firms took to the streets yesterday as part of a national protest action organized by True Majority. Thousands protested across the nation (photo: New York protest, taken by Jeremy Scahill.) “Many people in the evening rush hour honked. Even more gave thumbs up or flashed peace signs.” said Wren Osborn, who participated in a protest at Chase and Nidrah in El Cajon. View a video from Channel 10 news with interviews from the El Cajon event: www.10news.com/video/17562521/index.html?taf=sand. The massive bailout has raised concerns on both sides of the political aisle. “As disturbing as the volatility and turmoil on Wall Street are, the prospect of transferring trillions of dollars of risk and losses to taxpayers is appalling. How can any American look their neighbor in the eye and suggest that they should bear the losses for the mistakes and greed of America’s wealthiest financial firms?” Congressman Darrell Issa (R-San Diego) wrote in a letter to constitutents. “ I am emphatically against it.” Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) has received over 17,000 e-mails and 2,000 phone calls about the bailout, nearly all opposed. “We all agree that the government needs to act swiftly to prevent this crisis from further escalating, but we also need to ensure that as we act, we do no repeat the mistakes of the past—lax oversight by federal agencies and commissions and a continued disdain by this Administration for congressional oversight,” Boxer said in a statement posted at her website. “If the American taxpayers come to the rescue in this financial crisis, you have to provide assurances that they aren’t just taking on bad debt and further jeopardizing their future.” Boxer and other Senate Democrats have balked at signing the Administration proposal backed by many Republicans because it asks for authority “so broad, it could be used to pay outlandish multimillion dollar benefits to the same executives who ran their companies into the ground,” she said. To restore confidence in markets and strengthen the economy, she called for job creation through infrastructure investment, extension of unemployment benefits, and refinancing to help keep people from losing their homes. “If we don’t, housing prices will continue to freefall and we will still be in a mess,” she added. “In California, we have more foreclosures than any other state—in August more than 101,000 Californians received foreclosure notices and more than 33,000 lost their homes.” Boxer supports a proposal by Senator Christopher Dodd, which she called “a fair package that accomplishes its goals while protecting the American people from a continuation of the greed and irresponsibility that caused this crisis in the first place.” Just what else could $700 billion buy? The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) sent out an e-mail today proposing alternatives to bailing out giant financial institutions. “Tens of millions of Americans can be helped if we invest in programs that will help revive our economy,” the letter stated. “We’re proposing a $350 billion long-term investment in America’s families.” That investment proposal includes: A national health care plan. Estimated cost: $130 billion over two years. A plan for energy independence and green job creation. Estimated cost: $20 billion over two years. Improved infrastructure. Estimated cost: $22 billion over two years. Tax reforms to correct a system that currently favors CEOs and business while contributing to a growing income divide. Estimated cost: $80 billion. Affordable education. Estimated cost: $100 billion over two years. SEIU listed additional programs to aid the economy that it claims would not cost government a dime: Relief for struggling homeowners – halting foreclosures so families can keep their homes. Estimated cost: $0. Reforms that ensure workers have real freedom to choose a voice at work by passing the Employee Free Choice Act. Estimated cost: $0. Retirement security. Estimated cost: Negligible If you would like to voice your opinion to your Senators and Congressional members, please visit East County Magazine’s Citizens Action Center. Printer-friendly version