El Cerrito Democratic Club

Volunteer an afternoon to walk the Democrats into a progressive government that:

• Responds to the voters, not George Bush's cronies
• Redirects the billions spent on mercenaries in Iraq and uses it for education, health and environment needs at home
• Can make us proud to call ourselves Americans

ECDC will supply the walking list, a small map, and ECDC flyers. You supply some time you are free to walk around your neighborhood for about an hour at a time, leaving information at progressive voter's residences that 2008 is the year to change the way things have been going for the last seven years under George Bush. Even if you can't walk, ECDC has things you can do from home or that aren't too strenuous. To get more information visit our walking page.

ECDC will hold two endorsement discussions for races and several measures on the November 4 ballot.

• The first is on Tuesday, Aug 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the basement Social Hall of the United Methodist Church, 6830 Stockton Ave (Near Richmond) in El Cerrito.
• The second will be held on Saturday, Sep 6 at 1:00 p.m. in the Social Hall of St. Peter CME Church, 5324 Cypress Ave, also in El Cerrito.

All members of the community and all candidates in the races shown below are invited and encouraged to participate. All participants are reminded that while everyone attending is able to submit questions and listen to the discussions, only paid up members of ECDC may vote in any endorsement actions. Any members with a question about their status, should contact ECDC VP Membership, Yvonne Steffen at ysteffen@sbcglobal.net or 510-237-0250. Also, while all candidates have been invited to participate, ECDC bylaws only permit endorsement of registered Democrats and limit the number of endorsements in each race to the number of seats being decided.

The following races and Propositions/measures will be addressed at the August 26 meeting:

• El Cerrito City Council (3 Seats)
• Kensington Fire Protection District (2 seats)
• Kensington Police Protection & Community Services District (2 seats)
• EBRPD Ward 1 (1 seat)
• Proposition 12 (YES, NO, or No Position)
• AC Transit parcel tax extension (YES, NO, or No Position)

The following races will be addressed at the September 6 meeting:

• WCCUSD (2 seats)
• Contra Costa Community College Ward 2 (1 seat)
• Contra Costa Office of Education Area 1 (1 seat)
• West Contra Costa Healthcare District Full Term (2 seats)
• AC Transit (At Large) (1 seat)
• AC Transit Ward 1 (1 seat)
• BART District 7 (1 seat)

All registered Democratic candidates who could be identified prior to the newsletter deadline were invited to submit a photo and statement up to 250 words. All other candidates were invited to submit a photo. At deadline time for the ECDC News there were 30 candidates for the races listed above.

As of June 28, 2008 the California Secretary of State has qualified eleven propositions for the November 4th General Election ballot. While three are pending approval and eighteen more are in the signature gathering stage, June 26th was the last date for Secretary of State approval for a Proposition to get on the November ballot. The eleven that have qualified are:

1. Proposition 1 (Bond Measure) (Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century.)
   SB 1856 (Chapter 697, 2002). Costa. Safe,
   Approval would enact SB 1856, Costa, which would provide for the issuance of $9.95 billion of general obligation bonds, $9 billion of which would be used in conjunction with available federal funds for the purpose of funding the planning and construction of a high-speed train system in this state pursuant to the business plan of the authority. Nine hundred fifty million dollars of the bond proceeds would be available for capital projects on other passenger rail lines to provide connectivity to the high-speed train system and for capacity enhancements and safety improvements to those lines.
2. Proposition 2 (Initiative Statute) (Treatment of Farm Animals.)
   1274. Proponent: Joe Ramsey (916) 967-8102.
   Requires that an enclosure or tether confining specified farm animals allow the animals for the majority of every day to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up, and turn around. Specified animals include calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens, and pregnant pigs. Exceptions made for transportation, rodeos, fairs, 4-H programs, lawful slaughter, research and veterinary purposes. Provides misdemeanor penalties, including a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment in jail for up to 180 days. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Probably minor local and state enforcement and prosecution costs, partly offset by increased fine revenue.
3. Proposition 3 (Initiative Statute) (Children’s Hospital Bond Act.)
   1271. Grant Program. Proponent: Diana S. Dooley (916) 552-7111.
   Authorizes $980,000,000 in bonds, to be repaid from state’s General Fund, to fund the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing and equipping of children’s hospitals. Designates that 80 percent of bond proceeds go to hospitals that focus on children with illnesses such as leukemia, cancer, heart defects, diabetes, sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. Requires that qualifying children’s hospitals provide comprehensive services to a high volume of children eligible for governmental programs and meet other requirements. Designates that 20 percent of bond proceeds go to University of California general acute care hospitals. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State costs of about $2 billion over 30 years to pay off both the principal ($980 million) and the interest ($1 billion) costs of the bond. Payments of about $67 million per year.
4. Proposition 4 (Initiative Constitutional Amendment) (Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy.)
   1287. Proponent: John Smith.
   Amends California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minor until 48 hours after physician notifies minor’s parent, legal guardian or, if parental abuse reported, an adult family member. Provides exceptions for medical emergency or parental waiver. Permits courts to waive notice based on clear and convincing evidence of minor’s maturity or best interests. Mandates reporting requirements, including reports from physicians regarding abortions on minors. Authorizes monetary damages against physicians for violation. Requires minor’s consent to abortion, with exceptions. Permits judicial relief if minor’s consent is coerced. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential unknown net state costs of several million dollars annually for health and social services programs, court administration, and state health agency administration combined.
5. Proposition 5 (Initiative Statute) (Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation.)
   1310. Nonviolent Offenders. Proponent: Daniel N. Abrahamson (510) 229-5211.
   Requires State to expand and increase funding and oversight for individualized treatment and rehabilitation programs for nonviolent drug offenders and parolees. Reduces criminal consequences of nonviolent drug offenses by mandating three-tiered probation with treatment and by providing for case dismissal and/or sealing of records after probation. Limits court’s authority to incarcerate offenders who violate probation or parole. Shortens parole for most drug offenses, including sales, and for nonviolent property crimes. Creates numerous divisions, boards, commissions, and reporting requirements regarding drug treatment and rehabilitation. Changes certain marijuana misdemeanors to infractions. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increased state costs that could exceed $1 billion annually primarily for expanding drug treatment and rehabilitation programs for offenders in state prisons, on parole, and in the community. Savings to the state that could exceed $1 billion annually due primarily to reduced prison and parole operating costs. Net savings on a one-time basis on capital outlay costs for prison facilities that could exceed $2.5 billion. Unknown net fiscal effect on expenditures for county operations and capital outlay.
6. Proposition 6 (Initiative Statute) (Criminal Penalties and Laws.)
   1326. Public Safety Funding. Proponents: George C. Runner, Jr., Gary Ovitt and Mike Reynolds.
   Requires new state spending on various programs to combat crime and gangs, and to operate prison and parole systems. Increases penalties for several crimes, including violating gang injunctions, using or possessing to sell methamphetamine, or carrying loaded or concealed firearms by certain felons. Eliminates bail for illegal immigrants charged with violent or gang-related felonies, establishes crime for removing or disabling a monitoring device affixed as part of a criminal sentence, and changes evidence rules to allow use of certain hearsay statements as evidence when witnesses are unavailable. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Net state costs likely to exceed a half billion dollars annually primarily for increased funding of criminal justice programs, as well as for increased costs for prison and parole operations. Unknown one-time state capital outlay costs potentially exceeding a half billion dollars for prison facilities. Unknown net fiscal impact for state trial courts, county jails, and other local criminal justice agencies.
7. Proposition 7 (Initiative Statute) (Renewable Energy.)
   1304. Proponent: Jim Gonzalez c/o Randall W. Keen (310) 312-4000.
   Requires all utilities, including government-owned utilities, to generate 20% of their power from renewable energy by 2010, a standard currently applicable only to private electrical corporations. Raises requirement for all utilities to 40% by 2020 and 50% by 2025. Imposes penalties for noncompliance. Fast-tracks approval for new renewable energy plants. Requires utilities to sign longer contracts (20 year minimum) to procure renewable energy. Creates Solar and Clean Energy Transmission Account to purchase property or rights of way for renewable energy. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State administrative costs of up to $3.4 million annually for the regulatory activities of the Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, paid for by fee revenues. Potential, unknown increased costs and reduced revenues, particularly in the short term, to state and local governments resulting from the measure’s potential to increase retail electricity rates, with possible offsetting cost savings and revenue increases, to an unknown degree, over the long term to the extent the measure hastens renewable energy development.
8. Proposition 8 (Initiative Constitutional Amendment) ( Limit on Marriage.)
   1298. Proponents: Dennis Hollingsworth, Gail J. Knight, Martin F. Gutierrez, Hak-Shing William Tam, and Mark A. Jansson c/o Andrew Pugno (916) 608-3065.
   Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments. This is because there would be no change to the manner in which marriages are currently recognized by the state.
9. Proposition 9 (Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute) (Criminal Justice System. Victims’ Rights. Parole.)
   1325. Proponents: Henry Nicholas, Marcella Leach and LaWanda Hawkins c/o Ashlee N. Titus (916) 442-7757.
   Requires notification to victim and opportunity for input during phases of criminal justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. Establishes victim safety as consideration in determining bail or release on parole. Increases the number of people permitted to attend and testify on behalf of victims at parole hearings. Reduces the number of parole hearings to which prisoners are entitled. Requires that victims receive written notification of their constitutional rights. Establishes timelines and procedures concerning parole revocation hearings. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Unknown potential increases in state prison and county jail operating costs due to provisions restricting early release of inmates. To the extent that any such costs were incurred, they could collectively amount to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. A potential net savings in the low tens of millions of dollars for the administration of parole reviews and revocations if the changes related to parole revocation procedures were not overturned by potential legal challenges.
10. Proposition 10 (Initiative Statute) (Bonds. Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy.)
    1332. Proponents: Allison Hart, Mitzi Dudley and Thomas Daly c/o Daniel K. Abramson (213) 624-6200.
    Authorizes $5 billion in bonds paid from state’s General Fund, allocated approximately as follows: 58% in cash payments of between $2,000 and $50,000 to purchasers of certain high fuel economy and alternative fuel vehicles; 20% in incentives for research, development and production of renewable energy technology; 11% in incentives for research and development of alternative fuel vehicle technology; 5% in incentives for purchase of renewable energy technology; 4% in grants to eight cities for education about these technologies; and 3% in grants to colleges to train students in these technologies. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State costs of about $9.8 billion over 30 years to pay both the principal ($5 billion) and interest ($4.8 billion) costs on the bond. Payments of about $325 million per year. Increase in state sales tax revenues of an unknown amount, potentially totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, over the period from 2009 to beyond 2018. Increase in local sales tax and VLF revenues of an unknown amount, potentially totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, over the period from 2009 to about 2018-19. Potential state costs of up to about $10 million annually, through about 2018 -19, for state agency administrative costs not funded by the measure.
11. Proposition 11 (Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute) (Redistricting.)
    1307. Proponents: Kathay Feng, Jeannine English and David Fleming
    Creates 14-member redistricting commission responsible for drawing new district lines for State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts. Requires State Auditor to randomly select commission members from voter applicant pool to create a commission with five members from each of the two largest political parties, and four members unaffiliated with either political party. Requires nine votes to approve final district maps. Establishes standards for drawing new lines, including respecting the geographic integrity of neighborhoods and encouraging geographic compactness. Permits State Legislature to draw lines for congressional districts subject to these standards. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Probably no significant increase in state redistricting costs. (Initiative 07-0077.)

The complete wording of these propositions can be seen at the California Secretary of State’s web site at: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm#2008General.

ECDC will participate in the El Cerrito community Fourth of July Celebration at the Portola School playground and Cerrito Vista Park. As in the past, ECDC will staff a booth at which we will be registering voters, signing up voters for permanent absentee voting, passing out club information, getting petitions signed, meeting old friends and greeting new ones.

The event runs from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., at the Portola site and until 7:00 p.m. at the Cerrito Vista site. Set up starts 9:00 a.m. with take down starting at 4:00 p.m. A table, chairs, cooler with water, a sun shield and needed materials will be delivered to the site, so all that is needed are ECDC volunteers who will staff the booth.

At a minimum, ECDC needs at least six volunteers to run the site - two each for three two hour shifts. More are always welcomed and will help make our presence there more effective. You can sign up for helping ECDC at the Fourth of July celebration. Contact Hilary Crosby (homehilary@comcast.net or 510-375-5647) to volunteer or for more information.