El Cerrito Democratic Club

The May meeting was quite eventful. After a presentation from Miranda Dietz, researcher at UC Berkley Labor Center on minimum wages and the local economy, the Club passed a resolution urging the El Cerrito City Council to enact a minimum wage ordinance with amounts and annual adjustments no lower than those set for in the City of Richmond’ minimum wage ordinance by January 1, 2016 (see below). The Club also heard a presentation form Ben Greif, Evolve, on their latest campaign on modifying Prop 13. The Club also passed a resolution supporting the National Day of Action for Medicare’s 50^th Birthday.

Minimum Wage Ordinance Resolution

WHEREAS, a person who works full time in the City of El Cerrito should earn enough to pay for his or her basic living expenses; and

WHEREAS, the cost of living in West Contra Costa County is significantly higher than the state average; and

WHEREAS, in 2014, Richmond became the first city in West Contra Costa County to pass a municipal minimum wage ordinance to help fill the gap between the California state minimum wage and our higher-than-average local cost of living;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the El Cerrito Democratic Club calls on the El Cerrito City Council to enact by January 1^st, 2016, a municipal minimum wage with amounts and annual adjustments no lower than those set forth in the City of Richmond’s Minimum Wage Ordinance.

The Executive Board passed a resolution drafted by Club member and CADEM AD 15 delegate Rochelle Pardue Okimoto in support of Loving Day (which was June 12) commemorating Loving v. the Commonwealth of Virginia Supreme Court decision allowing interracial marriage. The ECDC joined a number of  organizations that signed on to support the resolution. Rochelle worked to get the resolution passed by the California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee, CDP Region 5 Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, the El Cerrito City Council and the El Cerrito Human Relations Commission. Way to go Rochelle!

By Greg Lyman

The Central Committee bylaws were changed in November 2014 and now require all club’s to include the definition of a member in good standing.  Suggested type changes to by-laws would be in the section that defines a member to insert a phrase or a sentence that states something like “Members whose dues are current shall be members in good standing.”   

The membership and dues portion of the ECDC bylaws are currently:

III. Membership: Any registered Democrat becomes a member upon payment of annual dues.  Dues may be waived by the Executive Board for good cause, such as inability to pay.  ECDC administrative information about members (e.g., name, address, phone number, e-mail address) is confidential except when disclosure would serve or promote ECDC activities or administration.

1. Annual Dues: Dues shall be determined by the membership and shall be at least $5/year.

We currently allow members to renew on their anniversary date. We will be discussing a change to make it clearer that dues are to be paid by a date certain, however, that proposal was challenged as requires discussion by the members.

Therefore, to satisfy the Central Committee, the membership and dues portion of the bylaws is proposed to be:

III. Membership: Any person becomes a “member in good standing” (hereafter “member” or “members”) upon verified payment of annual dues and proof of registration in the Democratic Party. ECDC administrative information about members (e.g., name, address, phone number, e-mail address) is confidential except when disclosure would serve or promote ECDC activities or administration.

1. Annual Dues: The members shall determine the amount of the annual dues at the September meeting and shall be at least $5/year. Dues may be waived by the Executive Board for good cause, such as inability to pay.