At the last Delegate Meeting, Jessica Vollmer, who works with Working Partnerships USA, shared a presentation with us that laid out a landmark initiative that is looking to reform Prop. 13.

This initiative, which is called Schools and Communities First, would bring over $11 billion to schools and communities that have been choked for resources since Prop. 13 came into existence.

Several counties that employ our members are due the increased revenues that would come as a result of this initiative. We would get that new revenue by finally taxing large corporations like Chevron and Disney on their property values according to today’s market values.

For example, when we are successful in reforming Prop. 13, Contra Costa County stands to receive over $348 million.

Other counties, such as Alameda County, Santa Clara County and San Mateo County, would receive anywhere from $553 million to $1 billion.

For years, when we have sat at the table negotiating over better wages and affordable healthcare costs, management could always claim that their budgets were not adequate enough to provide significant increases.

If corporations were paying their fair share, we would be able to better negotiate with those same counties, knowing that their budgets would include plenty of room to start paying our workers a livable wage and protect the pensions that allow us to retire with dignity.

Several unions across the state have already joined this fight.

In pushing to reform Prop. 13, this effort puts us in the driver’s seat in terms of advocating for all working people instead of just sitting in the backseat being reactionary.

I’m calling on each and every one of you to prepare yourself for our first fight of the new decade.

We will be up against corporate billionaires who have already promised to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to defeat us.

With a force this strong, it is extremely important for us to remain united and use as many available resources we have to ensure a victory.

To learn more about Schools and Communities First, go to schoolsandcommunitiesfirst.org.