El Cerrito Democratic Club

by Arlin Robins

Regular Club Meeting

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

6:00 p.m.

Zion Presbyterian Church

545 Ashbury Ave

Our guest will be Miranda Dietz, who will discuss Minimum Wage.

Miranda Dietz is a researcher at the University of California Berkeley Labor Center. She is co-editor of When Mandates Work: Raising Labor Standards at the Local Level along with Michael Reich and Ken Jacobs. She has written on local enforcement of labor standards, low-wage airport workers, and temporary workers in California. In addition to research on low-wage workers, Miranda focuses on health care and health reform in California. She is involved in the California Simulation of Insurance Markets microsimulation model (CalSIM). Her analysis has focused on churn in and out of insurance coverage and on the remaining uninsured in California. Miranda received a Masters in Public Policy from UC Berkeley in 2012, and Bachelors in Government from Harvard University.

We will have a second presenter from Evolve who will speak on their latest campaign on modifying Prop 13. The new campaign is called “Make It Fair”.

Other items on the May 26 meeting agenda:

1. Resolution Supporting National Day of Action – Medicare
2. Discussion and approval of clarification/changes in By-Laws section regarding Member in Good Standing – ECDC membership and membership dues.
   • Please restrict comments to the specific subject under discussion. This will allow us to keep focus and complete each section of the By-Laws, as they are brought before the membership.
3. Request for committee volunteers: Contact will be Carla Hanson for all committees.
   • 4th of July Committee – to man ECDC Booth at EC 4th Festival –Carla Hansen heading
   • Bar-B-Que Committee for August meeting. Nick Arzio heading
   • Other committees as time permits.

• Kensington Fire Protection District Board Meeting –Wednesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m.  Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Ave
• Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District Board Meeting – Thursday, May 14, 7:30 p.m. Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Ave
• Contra Costa County Central Committee Meeting Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. John F Kennedy University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill
• Economic Development Committee Meeting Thursday, May 28, 7:30 p.m. Hillside Conference Room 10940 San Pablo Ave
• ECDC Meeting – Tuesday, May 26, 6:00 p.m. Zion Presbyterian Church, 545 Ashbury Ave
• East Bay Young Democrats Thursday, May 28, 6:00 p.m. PIO restaurant 91 Shattuck Square, Berkeley
• El Cerrito City Council Meeting – Tuesday, May 19, 7:00.p.m. El Cerrito City Hall
• El Cerrito City Council Meeting – Tuesday, June 2, 7:00.p.m. El Cerrito City Hall

Following is the proposed resolution to be voted upon by the membership at our May meeting:

Resolution Supporting the National Day of Action for Medicare’s 50th Birthday

Whereas Medicare is the nation’s largest and most successful health insurance system serving the health needs of almost 50 million older and disabled Americans; and

Whereas Medicare has been the most financially efficient health care system in the United States with administrative costs averaging only 2 percent of program outlays; and

Whereas the Ryan Budget attacks Medicare; proposing to raise eligibility to age 67, and turn Medicare into a voucher program in the future; and

Whereas the Ryan Budget proposals would dramatically increase retiree health care costs for unions and City and County governments; and

Whereas July 30, 2015 will mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Medicare Act.

Therefore, be it resolved that the El Cerrito Democratic Club supports the “Medicare Turns 50” national campaign to celebrate the success of the Medicare program; and

Be it further resolved that the El Cerrito Democratic Club, as part of the national campaign, will educate and mobilize its members for the National Day of Action on Thursday, July 30, 2015, and will work to defend, improve, and expand Medicare as part of the fight for universal healthcare; and

Be it further resolved that the El Cerrito Democratic Club will assign a representative to attend the planning sessions of the Medicare’s 50th Birthday Coalition (M5O).