Of course, Betsy does not want dangerous teachers in our classrooms and puts the safety and wellbeing of our students before all else in California’s schools to promote a safe and healthy learning environment for our students.
If SB1530 truly added more protections for students, Betsy would have co-authored the legislation.
Here are the facts about SB1530:
Why didn’t Betsy vote for SB1530?:
The bill would not have removed dangerous teachers from our classrooms more quickly. Current regulations mandate a teacher who is accused of harming or abusing a student be immediately removed from the classroom.
The law, as written, is unconstitutional, as it would have stripped due process rights from teachers. Under SB1530, a teacher’s fate would be left up to a politically motivated and elected, school board as opposed to a judge and jury of her or his peers.
There are better ways to truly improve the current system and expedite due process when dismissing teachers. Betsy is currently working with Joan Buchanan who chairs the Assembly Education Committee to author a bill that will address the flaws in the system and ensure due process exists.
If the accusations are unfounded why am I getting mail that says otherwise?:
A special interest group who represents farmers called the Western Growers Association is attacking Betsy for supporting a bill that would have provided shade and water for California’s farm workers. Although Governor Brown vetoed this bill ensuring farm workers are given shade and water on September 20th of this year, this special interest group has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailers in the 50th Assembly District in retaliation against Betsy for advocating for our farm workers.
Remember:
-Betsy is a champion for ensuring effective, comprehensive protection for our students against abusive teachers and is bringing a bill to the floor next term to do just that.
-The Western Growers Association has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars producing inaccurate negative mail pieces against Betsy focusing on SB1530 in retaliation for her support of farm workers rights.
Please stand with Betsy and show that the 50th Assembly District’s voters are not swayed by false attack pieces.
Here is more ugly information about the Western Growers Association
They are currently spending millions of dollars attacking our representatives in addition to Assembly member Betsy Butler, for example here is another of their outrageous tactics towards other legislators.
The Western Growers Association is led by one of the 6 Co-chairs of the Romney campaign. Additionally, they have developed a reputation for running crude, nasty and semi-true political advertisements, under the guise of the independent expenditure rules allowing candidates like Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom to run dirty advertisements while all the while claiming they are not.
The WESTERN GROWERS ASSOCIATON is specifically attacking Betsy Butler over a piece of legislation she sponsored, that has nothing to do whatsoever with SB1530. IN FACT they are grossly on the record about it.
If you are interested, here are the TRADE ASSOCIATION LOBBYISTS busy attacking Assembly Member Betsy Butler:
Western Growers Board of Directors
Innovative Produce, OwnerGeorge Adam is a fifth generation produce grower in the Santa Maria Valley. After graduating from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo with a bachelor of science degree in farm management, George worked for Adam Farms from 1983-1994 as harvest supervisor. From 1994-2008 he…Uesugi Farms, Inc., PresidentUesugi Farms began as a 15-acre operation in Morgan Hill by George Uesugi who was farming Napa cabbage and strawberries. In 1979, Joseph Aiello and his partner, Dennis Humphreys, purchased the company. Chili peppers were added to the company’s list of commodities and Uesugi Farms began to carve…M. Caratan, Inc., Columbine Vineyards, Chief Operating OfficerKevin Andrew is chief operations officer for M. Caratan, Columbine Vineyards. He is responsible for directing the operations and sales functions for the company which was founded in 1919. He began his career with Superior Farming Company in 1984 as an area superintendent, and managed the firm’s…Barkley Ag Enterprises, LLP, President and CEORobby Barkley is a third generation farmer in the Yuma area. His family began farming in the 1910s. The current company was established in 1963 and today grows lettuce, broccoli, melons, cotton and wheat. In the last 20 years, Barkley has expanded his agricultural interests to include seed, wheat…Booth Ranches, LLC, PresidentLoren Booth is president of Booth Ranches, LLC, which was founded by Otis Booth Jr. in 1957. Today the company is still family owned and operated with acreage in Maricopa in the south and Orange Cove in the north. In addition to being a premium orange grower, packer and shipper, Booth Ranches…D.M. Camp & Sons, PresidentIn 1936, Edwin’s grandfather, W.B. Camp, founded the farming operation in Kern County and was later joined by his son, Don. The company farmed cotton and row crops, operated a seed potato farm in Washington and a cattle operation in South Carolina. Today, table and wine grapes, carrots, garlic…Chandler Farms, L.P., PartnerCarol Chandler received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis and her master’s degree from California State University in Fresno. Before joining the family farm, Carol taught in the San Joaquin Valley, including Fresno City College. W.F. Chandler founded Chandler Farms…Church Brothers, LLC, Church Brothers, LLCSteve Church was born and raised in the Salinas Valley, and has been a part of the produce industry for nearly 40 years. When Steve was 15 he worked in the lettuce fields where he learned his work ethic. Steve graduated from Arizona State University in 1971 with a bachelor of science degree in…Lawrence Cox Ranches, OwnerLarry Cox and his wife Tina founded Lawrence Cox Ranches in 1984 and began farming a 70-acre cotton field. The company now farms 3,300 acres in the Imperial Valley and the production has expanded to include all types of lettuce, melons, onions, asparagus, wheat, alfalfa, grains, hay and seed crops…Danna Farms, Inc., PresidentSteve Danna grew up on the family farm in San Jose, and has worked in all aspects of the business from production to sales. The family’s ties to the produce industry date back to the beginning of the 20th century when Steve’s great-grandfather settled in the Santa Clara Valley. The family…D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California, PresidentD’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California was founded more than 80 years ago, when the family emigrated from Italy. They soon began wholesaling product in Boston, expanding to California to help supply the East Coast operation. The wholesaler and grower-shipper divisions have remained in family control…S & H Packing & Sales Co., Inc., President/DirectorThe company was found in 1946 by the late Stephen Horwath. In 1957, S & H Packing & Sales Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries were established by Robert L. Horwath and his brother, Clarence S. Horwath. Their entire life was devoted to the produce industry. The business is currently owned and…Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., Vice PresidentIn 1909, Andrew Duda immigrated to America from the Austro-Hungarian empire to pursue his dreams of religious freedom, owning land and farming. He produced his first cash crop of celery in central Florida in 1926. In the 1940’s Andrew and his three sons expanded their acreage and in 1953, A. Duda…Sahara Packing Company, Vail Ranches, LLC, PresidentSahara Packing Company, founded in 1968, is a family corporation and has been a grower, packer, shipper, cooler and trucking company operating in New Mexico, Arizona, Baja California, Central Coast of California and home base of Brawley, California. Crops include all winter vegetables, asparagus,…Fanucchi Farms, PartnerJoe G. Fanucchi started farming in the Kern County area in 1915 and by the 1960’s his sons, Charlie, Joe and Frank joined him. The three brothers began to expand the business and in 1977 they founded Tri-Fanucchi Farms, Inc. They diversified their crop base by adding potatoes, carrots, onions,…Rio Farms, PartnerDavid Gill is a third generation California grower. At age six, he began helping his father and grandfather install pipe on the farm. David worked on his father’s ranch while he was a student and started his first farm, David Gill Ranch, after graduating from California Polytechnic State…Harris Farms, Inc., Chairman/CEOJohn Harris is chairman and CEO of Harris Farms, Inc. which was founded in 1937. As a diversified company, Harris Farms’ commodities include almonds, lettuce, onions, garlic, processing tomatoes, wine grapes and citrus. Harris Farms also features a beef packing operation and is involved in the…Orange County Produce, LLC, Owner/PartnerA.G. was Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 2003-2010. He is a third generation fruit and vegetable grower and shipper from Orange County. A.G. is co-chair for the Solutions From the Land Dialogue, a project that is developing a sustainable roadmap for 21st…LoBue Bros., Inc., Chairman of the BoardFred LoBue grew up in the family citrus business, which was started by his grandfather, Philip LoBue in 1934. After graduating from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management, he started as a manager in the packinghouse. In 1996, Fred was named president. The…Paramount Farming Company, PresidentJoe MacIlvaine has been president of Paramount Farming Company since 1986. He is responsible for general management of operations, including overseeing 120,000 acres of agricultural properties. The company is the leading grower in the country for almonds, pistachios and pomegranates. Prior to…Ramsay Highlander, Inc., President and CEOFrank Maconachy is the president and CEO of Ramsay Highlander, the world’s largest manufacturer of self-propelled harvesting equipment. Founded in 1969, Ramsay Highlander has become the premier manufacturer of custom engineered harvesting machinery for the produce industry. The company custom…Frank Capurro and Son, Member ManagerFrank Capurro founded Frank Capurro and Son/Capurro Marketing in 1924. This third-generation company is a grower, shipper, importer and marketer of mixed vegetables, lettuces, greens and summer vegetables. The family-owned company also has operations in Coachella, California and three locations…HMC Farms, PresidentHarold McClarty is the president of HMC Farms, which was founded in 1987. HMC Farms has two locations: Kingsburg, California and Santiago, Chile. The company farms, markets and packs peaches, plums, nectarines and grapes in central California and Chile. He is a graduate of the University of…Prime Time International, Managing Member/ProductionMark Nickerson began his company in 1992 with his partners, Carl Sam Maggio and Charles Hodges. The operation began as a farming and real estate investment company based in the Coachella Valley. The company grows, packs and ships colored sweet peppers, which they source year-round. Their other…The Nunes Company, Inc., PresidentThe Nunes Company, Inc., founded in 1976 by Tom’s father and uncle, Thomas and Robert Nunes, is a private, family-owned, vertically integrated grower/shipper and marketer of “Foxy” brand vegetables. The company began operations with 1,200 acres of iceberg lettuce in the Salinas Valley, and today…Grimmway Enterprises, Inc., General Manager-Farming DivisionKevin Pascoe was raised on his family’s farm in Bakersfield where he worked with his father and brothers in cotton and hay production. He attended California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo where he received his bachelor of science degree in agricultural business management. In…Pasquinelli Produce Company, Chief Executive Officer and Co-OwnerGary Pasquinelli joined the family business, which was founded by his father in 1950, after graduating cum laude from the University of Notre Dame and attended law school. Before starting the business, Pete Pasquinelli was a custom packer and seller for McLaren Produce in Yuma, Arizona….Westside Produce, President and Chief Operating OfficerSteve Patricio entered the produce industry after graduating from the University of Santa Clara with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was California-certified as a C.P.A. in 1976 and until 1992 served as the chief financial officer of Tri Produce in the San Joaquin Valley. He later began…Peter Rabbit Farms, President and Chief Executive OfficerJohn Powell, Jr. and his brother Steve are the third generation to manage the family business, which was founded by his grandfather Palmer in 1949. Peter Rabbit Farms is a grower, packer and marketer of green, yellow and red peppers, eggplant, table grapes, romaine and other leafy greens. They…Bonipak Produce, PartnerCraig Reade has long been involved in production agriculture through the family farm. Founded in 1932, Bonita Packing Company, d/b/a Bonipak Produce has grown, packed and shipped fresh vegetables for three generations. The company’s major crops include broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, celery,…Reiter Affiliated Companies, Chief Executive OfficerGarland is chief executive officer and a third generation farmer of the family company that was founded by his father Joe Reiter. The business operation has been committed to berry production for the past 100 years and markets its berries through Driscoll Strawberry Associates. The company was…The Growers Company, Inc., President/CEOSonny is currently president and CEO of the Growers Company, Inc. Joe L. Rodriguez founded the company in 1950 to provide labor services to farmers in the Glendale, Arizona area. Sonny officially joined the company in 1975 after graduating from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in…Rousseau Farming Company, PartnerWill Rousseau is a fourth generation Salt River Valley farmer who raises carrots, broccoli, cabbage, mixed vegetables, onions, cantaloupes, and watermelons. The company, founded in 1980, grows, packs and cools produce in Scottsdale and Tolleson. Will graduated from the University of Arizona with…Turlock Fruit Company, Vice PresidentTurlock Fruit Company has a long history as a San Joaquin Valley grower, packer and marketer of cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed melons. Steve’s grandfather, James H. Smith, often called “Cantaloupe Smith,” founded the operation in 1923. The company also grows apricots, asparagus, cherries, grain…Teixeira Farms, Inc., General ManagerMark is a fifth generation Santa Maria Valley farmer. His family began farming in the late 1800s, establishing Teixeira Farms, Inc. in Santa Maria, California in 1970. Teixeira Farms, Inc. now produces lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, celery and romaine. Mark has been with the family business for more…Donald Valpredo Farms, PresidentAfter Don Valpredo received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis, he went to work in his father’s farming business. In 1985, he established his own cotton and alfalfa operation and also began developing a vegetable division. Today, Donald Valpredo Farms grows carrots,…
Friends of Betsy Butler AD50 