California Sen. Leland Yee: I'll fight school cuts, help business

Extend tax increases, protect public education
At a time when we're being asked to make painful sacrifices to balance the state budget, I am proud to stand with our teachers and students against further cuts to public education.
Recent projections show that California faces a budget shortfall of at least $10 billion. Although Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed temporary tax extensions to save vital services, Republicans have demanded that we cut our way to a balanced budget. These cuts would certainly hit our youngest, oldest and most vulnerable populations the hardest. Public education would not escape the axe, and an all-cuts budget could mean more teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and fewer days in the school year.
As a product of public schools and as a father of four, public-school-educated children, I know first-hand the importance of a quality public education. I also understand the fear of losing that education to budget cuts, anxieties shared by many San Francisco parents who have vocalized concerns about cuts, growing class sizes and the loss of after-school programming in recent SFUSD-led budget Town Hall Meetings throughout the City.
This is why I am so thankful for our teachers, who have stood up, protested cuts and fought for our kids. In raising awareness, teachers are refusing to sit by as lawmakers balance the budget on the backs of our youth.
I plan to vote against any cuts to public education this year, as I have in the past, and I am urging my Republicans colleagues to give the people a chance to vote to temporarily extend taxes and help protect our schools, and our future.

Taking a stand in support of small businesses
Since my time as a San Francisco supervisor and community leader, I have fought the encroachment of large chain stores that threaten our city's locally-owned, small business community. In the two decades since, my support for small business has not wavered.
This is why I am supporting the fight waged by residents in the Richmond District to protect small, independently-owned pet stores from the entry of the national pet-supply chain Petco on Geary Boulevard.
It is critical that we protect and promote our city's microenterprises. These mom and pop shops, corner markets, neighborhood laundry mats, family-owned restaurants, home-based firms and others, make up an astounding 88 percent of all businesses in California. Such establishments are the backbone of our City and deserve our protection.
As a member of the state Assembly, I joined forces with the San Francisco Police Department, Council of District Merchants, and San Francisco SAFE, Inc. to create a Safety Awareness Walk to protect the safety of small business owners in the Sunset. I supported merchants in the Richmond who fought to keep a Starbucks off Geary in the Inner Richmond. 
As a state senator, I sponsored legislation that recognizes July as Microenterprise Development Month, in efforts to further increase awareness of the resources available to microbusiness. I have also authored and passed bills to help several small business industries, including certified public accountants, temporary staffing agencies, rice-based noodle producers, and many others.
It is critical that we fight continuously to support our small businesses, to protect the character of our communities, and to help ensure a stable foundation for our city's economy.