KTLA News: "Impact of Proposition 13 on the Chicano community" (1978)

[Unidentified Man with red tie] In relation to the general solution to the current crisis. We support the board and their motion to urge, [Street noise, crowd chatter] Because of the devastating effect on the, ah, Hispanic community, not only to the tremendous amount of, ah, of, ah, Chicano or Latino employees that would be laid off as a result of the passage of 13, but also the impact on the bilingual services to the community. We are asking them to implement Rule Twenty Oh Five. Ah, which, would give department heads the right to exempt, an individual from lay off if he possesses, or she possesses, a particular skill important to the, execution of services from that department. And we very strongly feel that bilingual, bilingual abilities, is a particular skill and one very much needed especially within Los Angeles County. [Man with red tie] the State Legislature,to place on the November ballot, an initiative limiting the advantage of Proposition 13 to the homeowner, [Man with red tie] and not to the large landowners and corporations who are gaining such an economic windfall. [Man with red tie] Further we call on the Governor to call a special legislative session to formulate a progressive tax structure, whereby, everyone pays their fair share. And another possibility is to support the passage of the transfer amendment and economic conversion bill introduced in congress, which would take money from the military budget under certain conditions to fund vital domestic and human needs. I'd like to introduce, ah, Mr. Victor [Camera noise] [Street noise] [Camera start up noise] [Crowd noise] [KTLA 5 Reporter, off camera] What are you going to ask the board of supervisors today? What we're asking is that, we feel would, ah, ah, limit or at least soften some of the impact on, on the, ah, proposed layoffs and of county employees. [Reporter] What is the possibility in view of the normal, um, Social Security, or rather, um, what is the term? [Man] Senority? [Reporter] What is, what is the possibility in view of the normal seniority regulations? Well, they can implement this rule Twenty Oh Five, regardless of the, of the seniority. Ah, understanding that, I believe, the Supreme Court upheld that, ah, seniority would supersede affirmative action. However, this rule, does, does not specifically deal with affirmative action, but a particular skill, that an individual may have. And that's what we're saying, that the being bilingual, ah, the abilities of, ah, of, ah, bilingual is a very badly needed service, ah, because we have a tremendous Spanish-speaking only, or a limited speaking only population, in the county of Los Angeles, who receive a tremendous number of services. [Reporter] If there is substantial money from Sacramento, do you believe there's a chance there will be very few laid off? Well, it's a, I guess I'm, I know just as much as, ah, as the general population knows. Ah, we're hoping that we do get a, a substantial amount of money. Ah, however, if it doesn't happen, uh, you know we still need to have people get equal services. This is a very important thing. It'll be equality. You know are the people going to receive equal services in the community. And are the employees going to be treated equally? Or are we going to be traditionally, the last hired and first fired. And there are other ways. We're asking, you know, we, ah, support the boards, the motion to, ah, place on the November ballot, ask the State Legislature to place on the November ballot, an initiative to limit the benefits of 13 to the homeowner. We're also calling for Governor Brown to call a special legislative session to, to, ah, develop a progressive tax structure, which would mean that everybody pays their fair share. And, also, I mentioned, ah, that in congress there's a conversion, ah, bill, that would, transfer money from the military budget to human needs under specific conditions, that, savings from the military budget, not to weaken our defenses, but, out of savings. And this I feel is a really viable, ah, alternative and way to go. After all the federal government is going to get two billion dollars more taxes from California because ah, the people won't have their property taxes to write off. And so we should get that money back, in the first place, and I believe that Cranston now is introducing a bill, for that exact thing to happen. We hope it does. [Street noise] [Crowd chatter] Yeah. [Unidentified voice] providing the leader.