Campaign Update
Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Inside This Issue:

Election Day is one week away. Victory on Proposition 86 is within reach, but we need YOUR help to make it happen. Remember, Big Tobacco will do anything, say anything, and spend anything to defeat Proposition 86. Your voice can make the difference – let's make every day count!

Email Your Friends and Colleagues
Can you send an email to all of your friends and colleagues who are California voters? The final tally on Prop 86 is going to be a close one – every YES vote on Prop 86 is crucial. Here is a sample email to personalize and send:

Proposition 86 will save lives and reduce smoking. Proposition 86, slated for the November 7, 2006 ballot, will increase the state's tobacco tax by 13¢ per cigarette ($2.60 per pack) to reduce smoking in California and help address some of California's most urgent health care needs.

According to the California Department of Health Services, Proposition 86 will:

• Prevent 700,000 kids from becoming adult smokers
• Prevent nearly 180,000 deaths among California kids now under the age of 17
• Prevent approximately 120,000 additional deaths due to smoking among current California adult smokers who quit smoking
• Save Californians $16 billion in health care costs

That's why Big Tobacco opposes Proposition 86 and every major healthcare advocate has joined the campaign to pass it. Please visit www.yesprop86.org and vote yes on 86!

Phone-Banking
Our goal is to make tens of thousands of calls in this final week to share with California voters the truth about Prop 86. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Click here to find a phone banking effort in your area.

Please join us at one or more of the following events in support of Prop 86:

November 2
Multi-ethnic event in support of Prop 86 with California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, and other health-related community of color organizations, at La Clínica Fruitvale Village, 3451 East 12th Street, Oakland, 10:00 AM. Contact Vanessa Cajina with Latino Coalition for a Healthy California at 916-448 3234.

November 2
Dia de los Muertos – "Latinos United for Prop 86" event honoring Latinos who have died from tobacco-related illnesses, at Cesar Chavez Park, Sacramento, 10:30 AM. Contact Elia Gallardo with California Primary Care Association at 916-440-8170.

• Tobacco Companies Lead Spending on Proposed Tax Increase, Los Angeles Daily News, October 30, 2006.
• Proposition 86 Garners Endorsements from Growing Number of Newspapers, "Yes on Proposition 86" Press Release, October 26, 2006.
• CDC October 26th press release: "Decline in Adult Smoking Rates Stall; Millions of Nonsmoking Americans Remain Exposed to Secondhand Smoke."

Thank you for all of your help in moving us towards victory for children's health coverage. If you have any questions or would like additional information about supporting this crucial measure for the health of California's kids, please don't hesitate to contact Kelly Hardy at khardy@childrennow.org or 510-763-2444 x126.

The 100% Campaign, a collaborative effort of Children Now, Children's Defense Fund and The Children's Partnership, was created to ensure that all of California's children obtain the health insurance they need to grow up strong and healthy.
www.100percentcampaign.org

The PICO California Project is the united effort of 20 California congregation-community organizations affiliated with the PICO National Network. Collectively, we represent 350 congregations and 400,000 families statewide and are actively organizing in over 70 cities in Northern and Southern California.
www.picocalifornia.org