Third in a series on Culver City’s state senator
Re “Putting a Price on Climate Change”
Elected nine months ago to fill out the Sacramento term of County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, state Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. (D-Culver City) will run for a full four-year term in November. As a Democrat and an incumbent, he is odds-on to be returned.
In today’s third installment, Sen. Price speaks at length about cures for California’s world-record $20 billion budget deficit.
Question: In addressing the deficit, where would you attack to make the maximum impact?
“We have to take a hard look at subsidy programs that have been in place to assist businesses. Many people feel the business community gets a bye on some of the grants and loan programs.
“I consider myself to be a pro-business legislator. But there has to be a kind of balance. Therefore I think we can get more taxes from business where that would be appropriate, the oil severance task being something prominent we have not done at the state level.
“We could spread out the sales tax even more. But we have to be careful not to be seen as picking on business. You can’t just go after one segment.”
Question: Where do you stand on confronting labor unions to make concessions?
“I certainly have had the support of labor in the past. But I have demonstrated an ability to go against them, most notably on (President Obama’s) Race to the Top (schools’ funding incentive), the educational reform plan. Teachers unions were opposed. We were lobbied very hard.
“But I voted for the plan, notwithstanding the very compelling, persuasive, moving comments made by the unions.
“I also got phone calls from parents. They were frustrated their kids were locked into situations they did not feel they could get out of. The parents said the schools were not being responsive, and they had no choice. I thought the plan that was proposed offered h opportunity for change.
“So I have gone against labor when it has not been popular.”
Question: What about labor unions and government workers? Should they have to make sacrifices?
“They have made some concessions, and they will have to make more. They have been very adamant about contracting out and about public-private partnerships. I think we have to be open to those.
“Not all government services should be contracted out.
“But we should be in position to compare costs, and to try to identify savings where possible.”
Question: What sacrifices would you ask a labor union to make?
“The benefits package often is the glitch in contract negotiations. Unions have adopted the position it is better to have a job with no increase than to fight for a 3 percent wage increase, and then find the job is eliminated.
“I believe asking the unions to maintain the status quo is a reasonable position to take.”
(To be continued)
