The California Democratic Party is electing a new chair at the May 31 Convention in San Francisco.
Several candidates running for Chair came to Lake County to meet with our delegates to the state party and any other Democrats who were interested to attend.
Above: Kimberly Ellis is second from upper left
Above: Daraka Larimore-Hall is third from lower right
Staying visible and promoting our Democratic values, local Democrats marched in two Memorial Day parades. This one as part of Lower Lake Daze on Sunday the 26th, Susan Cameron, Laurie Friedman, and Polly Ann Johnston represent. The day before, we walked in the Lakeport parade. Both opportunities to build community and keep our message out there.
You are invited to the Programs Committee presentation by Dr. Harry Lyons and Rick McCann on Wednesday, June 12, at 6:30 pm in Lower Lake at the Methodist Church Community Room, 16255 2nd Street. Dr. Lyons will speak about his work to restore the health of Clear Lake, and, with the help of Mr. McCann, will entertain us with song. Two brave fellows!
Harry Lyons has lived in Lake County for over forty years, for much of that time conveying scientific information on Clear Lake to two generations of college students. The Emeritus Professor of Biology/Ecology from Yuba College (now Woodland Community College) grew up in Brooklyn, attended Rutgers College and Stanford University, and was awarded PhD in Oceanography as a National Science Fellow from the Scripps Institution of the University of California.
He currently pursues his interest in water by serving as a President of the Board of the Lake County Resource Conservation District and as a founding member of the Middle Creek Restoration Coalition. He has been appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to the Blue-Ribbon Committee for the Restoration of Clear Lake. As a member of the Restoration Coalition he will speak about the history, science, and politics behind the Middle Creek Flood Damage Protection and Ecosystem Restoration Project. As a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee he will review the promise and progress of the socioeconomic and environmental assessment commissioned by Assembly Bill 707.
No presentation by Dr Lyons would be complete without some relevant music. In that effort, Professor Rick McCann, who headed the Orchestral String Program for the Lake County Office of Education, will assist. Here is a chance to hear two of Lake County’s favorite instructors.
All are welcome!
THE
MIKE THOMPSON FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
Invites you to attend his
Annual Lake County Ravioli Dinner
Saturday, April 13, 2019
5:00 – 7:30 pm
Boatique Winery
8255 Red Hills Rd, Kelseyville
Platinum Sponsorship $1000
(includes 10 tickets)
Gold Sponsorship $500
(includes 8 tickets)
Silver Sponsorship $250
(includes 6 tickets)
Bronze Sponsorship $150
(includes 4 tickets)
Individual Ticket Price $25
Lake County Democrats have proudly endorsed Shanda Harry for Superior Court Judge
Our region is being hit by the largest fire in California history, threatening homes, businesses and lives across our district. Our thoughts are with those devastated by this disaster and those still evacuated, not knowing if they will see their homes again. We are deeply grateful to the incredible firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders working around the clock to keep us safe, often in harm’s way themselves.
This week I wrote to the president, along with Democrats and Republicans from across our state, asking that he immediately grant a federal disaster declaration to provide the individual and public assistance that survivors will need on the road to recovery. Know that I will fight for every penny of federal support possible. Together, we will rebuild.
Everyone should take a minute to sign up for the alerts that will keep you and your family up to date on developments, evacuation procedures, and how to seek help.
To find out how you can help survivors, you can click here to learn about the Rotary 5130 Fire Relief Fund. Please let us know what we can do by replying to this email.
—Team Thompson
July Legislative Update
• Once again, Lake and Napa Counties are threatened by destructive wildfires that have destroyed homes and forced thousands to evacuate. Congressman Thompson is doing everything he can to deliver federal resources that will help recover and rebuild.
• Congressman Thompson wrote to HHS demanding they allow him to visit child detention facilities located close to our district that are housing children separated from their parents at the border. After initially being denied access, Thompson and other Members of Congress were allowed to visit. Following their tour of the facilities, Thompson again called on the Administration to reverse their separation policy and immediately reunite families that were torn apart.
• The Congressman also highlighted the long-term impact of Republican-led sabotage of the Affordable Care Act in a House Committee on Ways and Means markup and called on the majority to consider legislation that will end the sabotage and make a real difference in lowering costs and improving our health care system.
• The Congressman also joined with other military veteran Members of Congress to denounce the President’s statements at a summit with Putin in Helsinki. Led by Thompson, they demanded the President strongly state that he knows Russia interfered in our election and support the intelligence community reports that provided this vital information and keep our nation safe each and every day.
• Finally, the Congressman wrote to the State Department asking them to once again reinstate their ban on the publication of gun blueprints. As the chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, Thompson cited the extreme danger of these guns to the public and their inability to be traced by law enforcement.
July 20, 2018
Takeaways from E-Board
Dear Fellow Rural Caucus Members, I am still “unpacking” everything I saw and heard at the Executive Board Meeting in Oakland, but wanted to send you a quick report on our Caucus meeting.
The turnout was great! I was so impressed and appreciative. This was my first time chairing. Thank you for such a great showing.
Huge thanks go to Marge Joehnck , Carol Taylor, Jaimie Buetler, Mike Duncan, Lupe Arin-Law (and daughter Lucinda), Angela Torens and Renee Zeimer for a flawless, perfectly smooth election.
And, heartfelt congratulations go to Martha McClure, our newly elected North Coast Regional Chair.
I am very excited about the tremendous support we are gaining from the Party:
Chairman Eric Bauman formally announced the hiring of a community organizer for rural California – a very real investment in our efforts.
A highlight of the weekend was communications specialist Isaac Wright’s workshop on rural voter outreach and engagement. Isaac has offered to help us develop messaging specifically for rural California. His keys points include:
Rural voters count more than ever. We have over five million rural voters in California, representing 10% of the population.
Our core values – Social Security, building on the ACA and increasing Medicaid, expanding clean, alternative energy, preserving the environment, equality and opportunity – will resonate in our rural communities when we communicate locally and authentically. (Isaac’s presentation deck is here attached.)
The Voter Services Committee has formed a Rural Outreach Subcommittee. Our contact is Justin Meyers.
The CDP is making Voter Circle, a friend to friend voter outreach app, available at no charge for rural counties. Amy Champ is meeting with them in Sacramento this week. Details to follow on how to sign up. In the meantime, here is the link to their website
We were honored to have civil rights icon Dolores Huerta speak to us. I was particularly struck by her call to action to rally support in the Legislature for SB 623, Senator Bill Monning’s measure to provide all Californians with clean and safe drinking water. The bill is facing an uphill battle and will need our support when the Legislature reconvenes August 6.
Shockingly and intolerably, one million Californians, mainly in rural and disadvantaged areas, do not have access to reliable, safe, clean drinking water. Clean drinking water has been deemed a human right and is mandated by state law.
In that vein, as Mike Smith reported, the Water Policy Discussion Group has formed an offshoot, working group to monitor that state monies already available are actually getting to rural and disadvantaged communities.
Also on the topic of water, much as our Water Policy Discussion Group arrived at no consensus, so too the E-Board voted “no position” on Proposition 3 (aka the Water Bond).
Regarding the internet – a key issue for our rural communities, the call went out to keep up the pressure on Net Neutrality. Push your legislators. And, if you can, please attend and voice our concerns at the California Public Utility Commission workshop on its funding program to extend rural broadband September 25 in Sacramento. Here is the agenda for that meeting and a link to watch the livestream.
A thousand apologies to Helene Rouvier, who started to give her presentation on the excellent work being done by the Cannabis Committee, but was cut short by time constraints. Please read her flyer, by clicking here, which lays out the significance of this issue to rural communities and small farmers, how you can get better informed and involved, starting with answering the survey to identify the specific concerns in your county.
Lastly, we passed an amended version of our Bylaws, which will be posted on our Rural Caucus website and the CADEM website. The Bylaws are still a “work in progress” as more amendments will be needed to comply with the requirements of the CDP Rules Committee for our Caucus re-certification. I will get those revisions to you as soon as I get them, certainly in plenty of time before our next meeting in Long Beach in November.
I am very proud of the work we are doing on so many important topics. Please know how much I appreciate you and all that you do.
With all my very best, Joy
0717-Ballot-Props-2018-July-EBoard-copy1
For further info on each campaign & California’s Ballot Measure process use ballotpedia
California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee Report July 2018 Executive Board Meeting
November 2018 Ballot Measure Positions
PROP
1 Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018. (SB 3, Chapter 365,
Statutes of 2017)
Support
2 No Place Like Home Act of 2018.
(AB 1827, Chapter 41, Statutes of 2018)
Support
3 Authorizes Bonds to Fund Projects for Water Supply and Quality, Watershed,
Fish, Wildlife, Water Conveyance, and Groundwater Sustainability and
Storage. Initiative Statute.
**
4 Authorizes Bonds Funding Construction at Hospitals Providing Children’s
Health Care. Initiative Statute. Support
5 Changes Requirements for Certain Property Owners to Transfer Their
Property Tax Base to Replacement Property. Initiative Constitutional
Amendment and Statute.
Oppose
6 Eliminates Recently Enacted Road Repair and Transportation Funding by
Repealing Revenues Dedicated for Those Purposes. Requires Any Measure to
Enact Certain Vehicle Fuel Taxes and Vehicle Fees Be Submitted to and
Approved by the Electorate. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Oppose
7
Daylight saving time.
(AB 807, Chapter 60, Statutes of 2018) Support
8
Authorizes State Regulation of Kidney Dialysis Clinics. Limits Charges for
Patient Care. Initiative Statute. Support
##########
9 Division of California Into Three States. Initiative Statute. Oppose
10 Expands Local Governments’ Authority to Enact Rent Control on Residential
Property. Initiative Statute.
On July 18, 2018 the California Supreme Court removed Proposition 9 from the ballot.
10 . Local Rent Control Initiative allowing local governments to adopt rent control, repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Support
11 Requires Private-Sector Emergency Ambulance Employees to Remain on Call
During Work Breaks. Changes Other Conditions of Employment. Initiative
Statute.
Oppose
12 Establishes New Standards for Confinement of Certain Farm Animals; Bans
Sale of Certain Non-Complying Products. Initiative Statute.
Support
** No Official Position