Teachers union leads in record year of lobbying California lawmakers

The L.A. Times reports:

The California Teachers Assn. spent the most, as it does periodically: $6.5 million. Among its many successes, it persuaded lawmakers to pass a last-minute bill restricting school districts' ability to lay off more teachers if future funding cuts occur.

"That was a huge score for the teachers," said Larry Gerston, a political science professor at San Jose State.

In addition to paying a team of seven in-house lobbyists, the CTA wined and dined elected officials and their staffs and helped cover travel and lodging costs as hundreds of teachers converged on Sacramento for a "week of action" on the budget crisis last May.

It's for the children.