Competing for a Piece of the Pie
in
The Pacific States
By: Ben Vail and Marianne Needham
Who’s Got Clout?
Top Ten
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Teachers’ organizations
General business organizations
Utility Companies & associations
Lawyers
Bankers’ associations
General local government organizations
Traditional labor associations
Insurance: general and medical
Manufacturers
Physicians and State Medical Associations
California Top Ten Industries (2006)
Oil & Gas
Tobacco companies & tobacco product sales
Candidate Self-finance
TV & Movie Production/Distribution
Real Estate
Public Sector Unions
Party Committees
General Trade Unions
Securities & Investment
Lawyers & Lobbyists
$97,780,832
$68,576,669
$66,988,061
$62,845,804
$43,833,254
$35,163,751
$26,241,343
$24,828,070
$19,574,822
$18,525,849
Hawaii Top Ten Industries (2006)
Real Estate
General Trade Unions
Candidate Self-finance
Public Sector Unions
Health Professionals
Lawyers & Lobbyists
Lodging & Tourism
Insurance
Construction Services
Commercial Banks
$560,321
$439,152
$415,890
$292,249
$270,906
$228,924
$164,387
$146,675
$144,145
$113,625
Source: www.followthemoney.org
Oregon Top Ten Industries (2006)
Party Committees
Public Sector Unions
Insurance
Candidate Committees
Forestry & Forest Products
Real Estate
Lawyers & Lobbyists
Building Materials & Equipment
Pharmaceuticals & Health Products
General Trade Unions
$6,977,665
$6,151,176
$5,164,772
$3,633,420
$2,061,531
$1,990,279
$1,921,884
$1,699,233
$1,646,134
$1,512,560
Washington Top Ten Industries (2006)
Party Committees
Public Sector Unions
Candidate Committees
Pro-Environmental Policy
Real Estate
Retired
Lawyers & Lobbyists
Computer Equipment & Services
General Trade Unions
Candidate Self-finance
$6,564,282
$3,783,765
$3,338,077
$2,302,258
$2,212,579
$1,824,708
$1,817,263
$1,093,885
$1,049,696
$947,022
Source: www.followthemoney.org
Top Contributors (2006)
Hawaii
California
Party
Party
Union
Union
Business
Business
Oregon
Washington
Party
Party
Union
Union
Business
Business
Source: www.followthemoney.org
California Teachers Association
(CTA)
“Every child deserves a chance to learn and no child succeeds alone.”
• Largest Professional Employee Organization
• 340,000 members
• Affiliated with 3.2 million-member National
Education Association
• David A. Sanchez is the current President
Source:
http://www.cta.org
Techniques
• A “team of in-house lobbyists”
• Television and Radio Ads
• Donations to Candidates and Proposition
Committees
• Coalitions with other special interests (“Together for
California’s Future” and “Education Coalition”)
• Web Presence (ProtectOurStudents.org)
• Criticism: CTA overstates cuts in education, exploits
children in ads
Playing Politics
How the CTA Spends their Money
• Target Democrats more than Republicans
• Spend most money on major ballot
initiatives
Source: www.followthemoney.org
Successes
• Teacher Pay Rate above inflation
• Able to defeat all Propositions of Gov.
Schwarzenegger
• 2nd largest contributor in 2005, even
went into debt ($54.7 million)
• Proposition 1D passed in 06.
• Proposition 82 failed (called for increase
in income tax)
CTA
•
•
•
•
A true 600 pound gorilla
People, Money, Connections
Uses children in their ads effectively
Active lobbying within government and
organizes itself with other interest
groups
• No strong opposition group