[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DEAN TIPPS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 2008

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, today I rise along with 
my fellow Members of Congress Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Mike Honda, Barbara 
Lee, Doris Matsui, Jim McNerney, George Miller, Jackie Speier, Pete 
Stark, Ellen Tauscher, Mike Thompson, and Lynn Woolsey to congratulate 
Dean Tipps on his retirement and to honor a man whose career of over 40 
years has been dedicated to empowering and bettering the lives of 
working men and women.
  For the last 22 years, Dean Tipps has been executive director of the 
California State Council of the Service Employees International Union. 
In this capacity, he has directed the council's statewide legislative 
and political activities on behalf of the 650,000 California members of 
the Service Employees International Union. As the director of the 
largest union in California, Dean Tipps' impact has reached beyond SEIU 
membership as the growth, innovation, and persistent advocacy of the 
SEIU has served as an example to other unions in a variety of 
industries.
  Mr. Tipps' vision, leadership, and strategic thinking have had a 
substantial impact on California's people and politics over the last 
few decades. Dean's ability to build coalitions and bring together the 
necessary resources has meant that working people have had a powerful 
voice in electoral and legislative arenas. Dean Tipps has been a leader 
in many of the labor movement's victories in California, including the 
defeat of State Proposition 226, the election of Gray Davis, and 
labor's special election victories in 2005.
  He began his political work in 1976 as the first legislative advocate 
for the California Tax Reform Association and was deeply involved in 
the politics of California's property tax revolt. In 1979, he moved to 
Washington, D.C., to become the founding executive director of Citizens 
for Tax Justice. At CTJ, Mr. Tipps developed the successful campaign 
strategy that defeated Howard Jarvis' Proposition 9 in 1980 and was 
involved in initiative campaigns in Massachusetts, Ohio, and other 
States. He subsequently went to work for the Service Employees 
International Union where he became the Public Sector Division 
Director. In 1986, he returned to California to assume direction of 
SEIU's California State Council and has continuously led the council 
except for taking leave in 1988 to navigate the Assembly Democratic 
Campaign Committee.
  In his many capacities and positions with various groups, Dean Tipps 
has remained constant in his dedication to helping our country fulfill 
its responsibility to the men and women who labor in service jobs that 
make our lives more comfortable. He leaves grateful colleagues and a 
grateful membership. We are proud to add our thanks for his many years 
of advocacy and our congratulations for all his achievements.

                          ____________________