Capitol Alert

Republican Assemblyman Steve Knight's district will be targeted first in a new campaign by a coalition of union groups to pressure legislators to raise revenue in balancing the state's budget.

The six-figure campaign of targeted mailings was announced today by the "Fair Budget Coalition," a group of public employee labor unions.

Coalition members include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the California Teachers Association, California Federation of Teachers, State Building and Construction Trades, Service Employees International Union California State Council and other groups.

Spokesman Mike Roth said the goal is to stress that Knight, R-Palmdale, and other GOP lawmakers are out of touch with their constituents, who want to see the state's projected shortfall of $24 billion solved through a combination of program cuts and revenue increases.

Knight said he is open-minded on budget issues but does not base his decisions on television ads.

"It's not going to sway me," he said.

The freshman GOP legislator said he does not want to cut money for schools or services to the elderly, disabled or other vulnerable populations. But harming the state's economic engine with tax hikes is not a viable alternative because it would extend the state's recession, he said.

"I don't want to hurt our business community and I don't want to hurt our taxpayers," Knight said. "That's exactly what will happen by (further) taxing them and raising their fees."

Knight won his seat by less than 2 percentage points last November in a district that encompasses portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans outnumber Democrats by slightly more than 1 percentage point.

Knight's district will receive the first two in a series of mailers by the group to "draw attention to the Republican assemblyman's support for budget cuts that harm middle-class families and vulnerable populations," the coalition said in a written statement.

One of the mailers begins with a headline that reads, "Steve Knight's Cuts Are Hurting Californians," and its appeal ends with Knight's photograph, office phone number and a line reading, "Tell Assemblyman Steve Knight that enough is enough."

The coalition objects to the extent of proposed cuts to schools, health care, home care and other services in solving the fiscal emergency that has been exacerbated by a sagging economy and plunging tax revenue.

Roth said the campaign will be expanded to other legislative districts. He declined to identify targeted lawmakers or to elaborate on the cost of the mail appeal, other than to say it totals six figures.

Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers, said that he hopes the campaign will build momentum for a balanced approach that solves the state's fiscal emergency without unduly hurting the needy or damaging schools.

"If we go around the state and put up advertising that asks the public to tell legislators that they need to do the job they were elected to do, which is to provide the services that Californians need, then perhaps we can get some movement in Sacramento," Hittelman said.

Republicans consistently have balked at the notion of tax hikes to bridge the budget gap. Hittelman said that some Democrats may be targeted, too, if they are unwilling to consider revenue generation.

The coalition's campaign is separate from a $1 million television advertising campaign launched last week by Service Employees International Union to encourage adoption of tax hikes in curing the budget shortfall.

Hittelman said the California Federation of Teachers will launch a radio campaign this week as well.