Tuesday, 1 February 2000
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/080-5472.html
Scripps-McClatchy Western Service
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The state Senate voted yesterday to make
Cesar Chavez Day a full-fledged, paid holiday for state workers
and school employees.
The bill to celebrate the March 31 birthday of the United Farm
Workers union founder, heralding as a speaker for the voiceless
and a champion of civil rights, passed on a 23-0 vote, with all
the ``yes'' votes cast by Democrats. Republican senators abstained
from the vote, sitting silently at their desks, or were absent
from the Capitol chambers.
The measure now goes to the Assembly, where Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa,
D-Los Angeles, promptly predicted it will ``fly through.''
However, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis has not yet taken a position
on the measure, a spokesman said.
``Cesar Chavez touched the lives of millions of people, people
from all walks of life. Cesar was a voice for the voiceless. Cesar
created hope for those who had lost it, and he believed in the
principle of non-violence,'' declared Sen. Richard Polanco, the
Los Angeles Democrat who is authoring the bill.
Senate Republicans, who have been openly wooing Latino voters
and candidates, did not engage in debate and did not express their
objections to the bill on the floor.
Senate Republican leader Ross Johnson, when asked by a reporter
why he abstained on the vote, replied only, ``I didn't care to
vote for it.''
But another Republican who also didn't cast a vote, Sen. Charles
Poochigian of Fresno, said he was concerned about the projected
multimillion dollar cost of providing another paid holiday for
state workers.
``We've got 13 or more state paid holidays now. Where does it
end? There are many ways of recognizing people's contributions,''
Poochigian said.
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