Here are pictures from the rally Paul organized on April 1, 2010.

AB 1598 Rally in Downtown San Diego

AB 1598 Rally in Downtown San Diego

AB 1598 Rally in Downtown San Diego

Also, here is an email from Paul about his latest trip to Sacramento on April 12, 2010 to provide testimony in support of AB 1598.

The trip to Sacramento was really good. We got to speak with the G.O. assembly members. It was nice, like in a court. Jim Beall talked about AB1598 and then there were a few of us that spoke in favor of the bill, trying to persuade the GO members to ban AEDs. And after we were done, producers of AEDs took turn to persuade the GO members to not ban AEDs. And then they were going back and forth. The members kept asking questions on each side. But in the end we only got 3 votes. We needed 6 more.

Paul

In the spirit of a townhall meeting, we invite comments and will do our best to respond to all of them.

Thank you,

Mariana Diestra and the San Diego Youth Council

Mariana Diestra and Kevin Arroyo

Arthuro Martinez

As we drove up to the studio, with our nerves up to our throats, we rehearsed in our heads. When we arrived the doors opened, we walked in and were met by Mari. Mari was very nice and gave us a tour of the whole building, which to my understanding was also the Telemundo network building. I was amazed by all the recognizable faces I saw on posters hanging on the wall. Since my future goal is to become a journalist, I enjoyed sitting on their news desk and have the perspective of the anchor who reads the news off the teleprompter every night. The time was going by fast and our host Abelardo arrived. Abelardo is a very charismatic guy who gladly encouraged us to get the information out on a more convincing tone and attitude. Lights! Camera! Action! We began our taping. I was so nervous that I began to stutter. I realized that and fixed it… T.V. is truly timeless, because you might feel that your pants are burning, but as soon as you realize time, an hour has gone by. Once we finished we felt relieved and we felt famous. Okay, maybe not famous… but it was a good feeling to inform the community on current issues that concern us all. I’m sure many people at home stopped and looked at their TVs and listened to us.

J. Arthuro Martinez

Chabeli Ramos

What would you do if somebody would come to your house, burn it down to the

ground (imagine your have no insurance), and then give you $1000 for it and leave? Let

me guess! You would be angry, get involved, sue that person, etc., you will do anything

in your power and exercise your rights to solve your problem. That is great, except one

thing: everything you will do, Californians do not. This is what happens in California:

Welcome to California! California has a $24 billion deficit. Our legislators,

together with the Governor, take forever to come up with a budget. The Golden State has

no more money for health insurance for the 940,000 poor children. California’s budget

cannot support its most fragile seniors in-home care. The $24 billion deficit threats the

existence of welfare and ends college grants (Beall). The unemployment rates increase

everyday and afterschool programs are eliminated. School funds are drastically cut and

teachers are fired. Welcome to California!

All the states in the U.S. are suffering because of the actual economic crisis, and

California is not an exception. What makes California’s economy experience a more

severe crisis is the fact that it has a deadly virus stuck in its matrix – the alcohol industry.

This industry drains California’s economy of $38 billion annually in “accidents, fatalities,

illnesses, crimes, imprisonments and property damage” (Beall). While it financially

destroys California, this industry only pays $327 million in state excise tax, which

accounts to less that 1% of its damage. The rest of 99% is paid by citizens. Every citizen

in California pays approximately $1000 yearly in taxes to cover up the $38 billion in

“harm and havoc that alcohol creates in California” (Beall). According to the Highway

Patrol, 20% of car insurance premium accounts for alcohol related accidents. Services for

one person born with fetal alcohol syndrome cost over $2 million per year (Beall). While

the alcohol industry massacres the economy it also kills myriad people. Every 16 minutes

in California someone is killed or injured on highways and streets in alcohol related

accidents. All the numbers above prove the parasitic nature of the alcohol industry for

California; thus, it would be expected for this industry to be heavily taxed. Shockingly, it

is not. In California excise taxes on wine and beer are among the lowest in the U.S. In

California, beer and wine are taxed at 20 cents a gallon and spirits are taxed at $3.30 a

gallon while the national average is 25 cents a gallon for beer, 79 cents a gallon for wine

and $3.97 a gallon for spirits. The last time it had its taxes raised was in 1991 (Beall). In

order for alcohol tax to keep pace with inflation, it would need to increase by 55%(Beall).

“The [alcohol] industry must start paying its fair share for the problems it causes,”

said Assembly Member Jim Beall. In April 2009, Beall authored the Alcohol Related

Services (“ARS”) Act known as AB1019. AB1019 is a mitigation fee, not a tax, assessed

on alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine and spirits. It requires merchants “located within

the state of California who distribute alcoholic beverages to retailers for consumption in

state to pay 10 cents per drink surcharge”(Beall). This fee breaks down to approximately

10 cents per drink for a 12-ounce serving of beer; 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; and 5

ounces of wine (Sacramento Business Journal). AB1019 will generate about $1.4 billion

in revenue for the state of California. Beall specified in AB1019’s fact sheet that is the

State Board of Equalization’s responsibility to administer and collect this surcharge. This

bill would pay for “Treatment and Recovery; Prevention, Education and Research;

Emergency Room and Trauma; Hospitalization; and Criminal Justice and

Enforcement”(Beall).

People often wonder if this fee will hurt California businesses during the actual

economic crisis, but the answer is “no.” The alcohol industry will oppose this bill, falsely

claiming job losses as a result of the 10 cent fee. However, according to the Marin

Institute, there is no evidence to support the industry’s embellished claim. In fact, after

the last federal alcohol tax increase in 1991, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.

Department on Labor reported that beer-industry wholesale trade employment increased

by 8,000 jobs (Marin Institute). Furthermore, the extra revenue created by the 10 cent fee

($1.4 billion) will conclude in “numerous additional jobs, in healthcare and other much-

needed services”(Marin Institute). Also, AB1019 bill is a mitigation fee on industry; it is

not an excise tax or consumer based sales tax. Therefore, it is completely up to the

industry to decide if they wish to pass the cost of the fee to consumers or support it

themselves (Marin Institute). If the industry does pass the fee along its consumers, it

would mainly affect the heavy drinkers who cause most of the problems. “An additional

levy on alcoholic beverages equivalent to 10 cent per drink is a fair and appropriate way

to reduce alcohol’s staggering burden on all California’s citizens”(Beall). While all

California citizens pay for the cost of alcohol industry’s harm, 67% of alcohol sold in

California is consumed by 11% of its population (Beall).

According to the ARS Act of 2009 fact sheet, AB1019 implies a fee program

under the police powers of the state, and is not an alcohol tax. Thus, only a majority vote

of both houses together with the Governor’s signature is required for this bill to pass and

still, AB1019 did not pass. Unfortunately, AB1019 only obtained 15.8% of the votes. Out

of 19 committee members, only 3 voted “yes” on this bill. 7 legislators voted “no” while

the rest of 9 walked out without voting (California Restaurant Association). According to

the Marin Institute, 85% of California residents including voters, democrats,

independents, republicans and the Governor support this bill. It is obvious that

California’s representative democracy does not work. Our legislators do not care about

the wishes of their constituents and do not represent the wishes of their constituents.

Considering the facts that the alcohol industry drains our economy, which is on the brink

of destruction, and that AB 1019 would generate one-point-four billion dollars in revenue

for California and is supported by 85% of California’s population and the Governor, what

could compel our legislators to walk out or vote against such a budget saving bill? The

answer is the Alcohol Industry!

“We are able to tie alcohol lobby money to key legislators, especially those

members who sit in Senate Assembly Committees on Government Organizations, the

gate keepers for alcohol legislation in state. The alcohol industry gets the most bang for

its buck by targeting key legislators who can do Big Alcohol’s bidding by killing bills

that would protect the public’s health,” says Michele Simon, research and policy director

for the Marin Institute. The alcohol industry lobby has a strong history of annihilating

practically all of the bills against alcohol. Alcohol corporations practice political

spending of millions of dollars in California (Marin Institute). They “donate” money to

our legislators for their campaigns and then expect favors in return. In 2006, the alcohol

lobby spent approximately $3 million to influence legislators on bills affecting wine, beer

and liquor sales (Marin Institute). Even California’s own Arnold Schwarzenegger

received $370,096 in campaign contributions from alcohol corporations in 2006 (Marin

Institute). Because the alcohol industry sponsors our legislators, the industry influences

them when creating or voting bills. California’s legislators choose to stay loyal to those

who enable them (the alcohol industry) rather than ruling in favor of their constituents.

As I am writing this essay, I received a letter from the San Diego Community

College District saying that “The California State Legislature has increased enrollment

fee from $20 to $26 per unit effective Fall 2009.” They are really quick to snatch poor

people’s money but they had not asked for an extra cent from the alcohol industry since

1991. This has got to stop. An industry, whatever the industry may be, needs to be

beneficial to the state it resides in. The alcohol industry, not only is not helpful for

California, but it also massacres its economy.

Has history not taught us anything? The alcohol industry’s cartel over our

legislature resembles the railroad industry’s cartel over California’s legislators in the

1880’s. The railroad industry or, as the novelist Frank Norris called it, “The Octopus,”

enabled legislators in state and local offices through its control of both Republican and

Democratic political parties. Because the railroad industry sponsored them, the legislators

set favorable taxes for the railroad and ensured a hands-off policy by state government

(Gerston and Christensen).

Are we going to allow the alcohol industry to be the new “Octopus” of the 21st

century? Have we forgot that democracy means “power to the people”? Have we forgot

about the other part of California’s democracy called “direct democracy” which gives the

people the power to take actions? What is the purpose of having power if we do not

exercise it? Are you not tired of seeing your kids die everyday because of alcohol related

accidents, which is the number 1 cause of death among teenagers? Of course your answer

will be “yes!”, but your actions speak otherwise. I am not writing this essay for my

health, or because I feel like complaining and criticizing everybody for our problems, but
because this issue is still in effect. There is still a chance for us to stop history from

repeating itself. AB1019 will be voted on again in February 2010. The citizens of

California need to call their local legislators and hold them responsible for their actions.

Ask for explanations and more important, ask them to vote “YES” on AB1019.