LosGatosObserver.com

Under the punishing rays of the late afternoon sun yesterday, Supervisor Neal Coonerty stood outside the Chevron gas station at Ocean and Soquel in a full suit and blew off steam from another long day of budget decisions by waving a small sign to passing cars that read “Families First.”

“Everyday during budget sessions we see vital programs that are needed, they’re all being cut,” he said. “At least this feels like you’re doing something, a positive reaction.”

Coonerty and about 50 other locals from the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, SEIU, Pajaro Valley Unified School District and other organizations stood waving signs to draw attention to the fact that large corporations like Chevron are still enjoying multimillion-dollar tax breaks and loopholes while the state seemingly focuses on slashing safety net programs and social services to close the budget gap. “It does not seem fair,” said Francisco Rodriguez, president of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers. “We have corporations that make a huge profit on—look, almost $3.05 a gallon—and on top of that they’re getting a tax break. Meanwhile, we’re closing libraries and asking teachers for pay cuts.”

The demonstration occurred simultaneously with others at Chevron stations in Salinas, San Francisco, Modesto, Fresno, San Diego and Oakland. Protesters were asking the legislature to look carefully into repealing the most recently agreed upon corporate tax breaks—about $2.5 billion worth. “The message is: repeal corporate tax breaks first, before we even talk about cutting health care all over the state,” said Central Labor Council political coordinator Glen Schaller. “Sacrifices have to be made fairly.” The demonstrators distributed fliers that asked for the end of breaks for corporate research and design, real estate and computer program purchases, saying the state gives away a total of $50 billion in tax breaks yearly.

Representatives from 27th District Assemblyman Bill Monning’s office were in attendance to pass on the message that hours earlier, Democrats had held a press conference to introduce a budget plan that does include rolling back corporate tax breaks, rejects borrowing from local government and saves programs like CalWORKS, Healthy Families and state parks.

“It comes close to what this group is asking for,” said district director Rachel Goodman. “The Democrats really want to spread this pain to people who can afford it. Our office is getting calls from people in tears who’ve lost their jobs—they need CalWORKS.” But Gov. Schwarzenegger has already come out in defiance of the tax increases included in the plan, including a tax on oil production and cigarettes and a $15-per-vehicle registration fee that would afford every Californian free entry to state parks and meet the entire parks budget requirement.

Coonerty said the demonstration was a cathartic exercise, especially as local government officials wait nervously to hear whether or not the state will come looking to borrow. “I don’t think the message on May 19 was to preserve corporate tax loopholes,” he said. “Corporations should pay a fair share to preserve come of the critical programs we need right now.”

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