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| THE VOTER |
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Making Democracy Work
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December
2016-Volume 69, Issue No.4
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| League of Women Voters San Jose / Santa Clara P. O. Box 5374
San Jose, California 95150 |
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President's Message
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Mary Collins President,
LWV SJSC
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Happy Holidays! As we enter this season of celebrations, I am grateful for and acknowledge the work of our dedicated League members who made our program goal of Making Democracy Work a reality. This election did challenge and stretch our League with the large number of candidates from school board to president, as well as the dozens of state, county and local propositions to be considered. In addition the tone of this political season magnified the challenge and the need for our input and analysis.
Despite these challenges, we did complete our mission of protecting voters' rights through registering new voters at many events. We provided educational meetings on candidates and issues allowing voters to make their own informed decisions. Voters Edge provided an invaluable source of online information. Our commitment to providing this impartial and accurate information continues into the future.
Soon you will be receiving a letter requesting additional financial support for our League. This support is indispensable to allow us to provide our services and materials to the community free of charge. Consider responding as generously as you can to enable us to continue our voter service work as well as our actions on issues of concern to our community.
To celebrate this year's work together we are having our annual Holiday Party on December 6 at Carol and Jim Lathrop's home in downtown San Jose. Please drop by and enjoy the celebration of our accomplishments and each other. You will receive an invitation with the time and location.
Looking ahead to the New Year, I want to alert you to two important events. The first is Bay Area League Day being held in San Jose on Saturday, January 28. The topic this year is housing. The second event is our Program Planning meeting to set our goals for the next year.This will be held on February 11. More specific information on both these events will be coming. Please schedule them in your calendars now.
Again, thank you for all your support.
Without you the League could neither monitor our government representatives nor advocate for our community - without your support the League might not exist!
Enjoy this season with family and friends.
Mary
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Membership
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Thank you to the following member
for her donation to the League:
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League Holiday Party - Tuesday, Dec 6th, 5 to 8pm
RSVP Today
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We hope you can come and enjoy great company and delicious food at the League holiday party.
Please RSVP to
by Friday, December 2nd.
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You are cordially invited to attend the
L
eague of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara Annual Holiday
Party. Hosted by the Board members, all League members and their spouses/partners are welcome.
The party will take place at the home of
Jim and Carol Lathrop
San Jose 95110
Please join us for the festivities on
Tuesday, December 6th
Refreshments will be served from 5 to 8pm
Party is in Social Room, 2nd floor.
Inside building, take elevator to Social Room, 2nd floor on the Julian Street side. When you reach Social Room, press 0200 on key pad to enter.
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We had a Very Active Election Season this Year
By Sandy Mory
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We had a very active Election season this year with positive feedback from organizations and volunteers. These are a few of the events where we reached out to many neighborhoods, districts, and communities.
We did twenty Pro/Con events as well as a CreaTV taping of all the propositions on the ballot.
We worked with Southwest League on an event at Shir Haddash and forwarded other requests to the appropriate League.
Toward the end of October we received several requests from EAH Housing requesting forums for their residents. We also had requests from 3-4 groups that we were unable to fill.
Thank you to all those who presented: Martha Beattie, Liz Bogatin-Starr, Ann Clarke, Mary Collins, Gloria Chun Hoo, Connie Hunter, Carol Lathrop, Jim Lathrop, Sally Pyle, Pat Reardon, Pam Vavra, Rosaleen Zisch. The feedback has been positive and glowing.
We were involved in five candidate forums. We also worked with Terry Christensen and his CreaTV show Valley Politics.
Thank you to all who were involved in making the forums run smoothly: Gloria Chun Hoo and Rosaleen Zisch as moderators; Marie Arnold, Liz Bogatin-Starr, Mary Collins, Maryann Haggerty, Robin Hayr, Paula Radzinski, Cecilie Schulze, and Carol Watts who served as timers, question sorters and greeters at the forums.
Cecilie Schulze and Judy Conner produced the election content on Voter's Edge.
Also, Carol Watts got involved and set up a phone bank of Roma Dawson, Helen Hayashi, Marie, Gloria, and Carol herself to call candidates who were not participating. Roberta Hollimon of the Cupertino/Sunnyvale League spent hours at the Registrar of Voters (ROV) obtaining candidate contact information for us.That was extremely helpful and met League's goal of being responsible for 139 candidates.
We also have had many volunteers registering new citizens at the Immigration New Citizen Ceremonies and many volunteers working at ROV on election night.
Thank you to all who worked so hard this year!
Sandy
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Apartment Rent Ordinance (ARO)
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When San Jose's Apartment Rent Ordinance was adopted in 2015, there were a few issues Council directed staff to continue to research. Two of them are: ARPO, an Anti-Retaliatory Protection Ordinance (similar to Just Cause Eviction) and Ellis Act (monetary help to people whose affordable housing unit goes away, such as in razing for a new development). The process started with community input meetings the week of November 14.
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(L-R), Marie Arnold, Gloria Chun Hoo,
Jacky Morales-Ferrand, Director of Housing for the City of San Jose,
Judy Chamberlin, Trudy La France
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Several League members attended the meeting on November 16 where they could individually indicate preferences for some of the choices the staff is considering. Some questions they considered: What would be some reasons for Anti-Retaliatory Protection? (Ex: tenant is being harassed
, ongoing Housing Code violations on the property.) What are some justified reasons for eviction? (Ex: substantial violations of lease, non-payment of rent, owner wants unit for himself or family member.) What kind of monetary help should tenants receive if their ARO unit is taken away? (Ex: first and last month rent, deposit, difference between ARO rent and market rent, a combination of those.) Who should receive compensation if their ARO unit is taken away? (Ex: all equally, or extra help for senior, disabled, families with children.)
City housing staff is also researching what other cities are doing. San Francisco has a policy that helps displaced tenants with rent increases for 24 months. Based on public input and talking with tenants and landlords, the staff will develop a report and recommendation. For more information on the ARO, go to the city's housing department's website:
HERE
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Affordable Housing Impact Fee
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Three League members attended a meeting November 10 to hear a few proposed changes to the Affordable Housing Impact Fee, which League supported when it was adopted and continues to follow. Discussed were some exemptions to the fee (apartment complexes with 20 or fewer units) and a structure to assess the fee on square footage of Urban Villages which contain both retail (no fee) and housing (fee). The meeting included public input and the staff recommendation will go to Council for a vote December 6. For more information, go to the housing department's website:
HERE.
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT
Action, Events, Voter Education
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ACTION COMMITTEE - Be part of the Action team. Join League members and meet with California elected officials, observe City Council meetings, engage in League advocacy.
Contact
Judy Chamberlin.
VOTER REGISTRATION
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Volunteer and help coordinate registration at the Naturalization Ceremony several times each year and Get Out the Vote registering Voters. Contact Sandy Mory.
HOLIDAY PARTY,
Tuesday, December 6th. Brighten up the party with decorations and help with set up or help with carpools. Contact
Paula Radzinski.
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Proposition 1: The 2014 $7 Billion Water Bond
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Gloria Chun Hoo and Trudy La France attended a presentation by Stanford Professor Barton H. Thompson on Proposition 1: the $7 billion 2014 Water Bond. The informative session was sponsored by the League of Women Voters Southwest Santa Clara Valley.
Professor Barton H. "Buzz" Thompson stated that only 2% of the $7 billion has been spent. The Governor-appointed California Water Commission is reviewing projects in a competitive public process in March 2017 that emphasizes public good (habitat and species: Ex. The Delta and salmon runs), building climate preparedness (warming), and using best available science.
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Hana Itani, LWV SW Santa Clara Valley, Professor Barton "Buzz" Thompson, Gloria Chun Hoo, Trudy La France, LWV SJSC, Meg Giberson, LWVSWSCV
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Projects will be funded at 50% of cost. However, most of the bond money is allocated into specific categories (Ex. water storage $2.7 billion, watershed protection $1.495 billion, and water recycling $795 million) and cannot be moved from one fund into another. There is no state oversight committee, there is no overall vision for the bond, and the emphasis tends to be on traditional projects. Professor Thompson hopes for more money being allocated to groundwater storage which would increase water storage by 8.4 billion acre feet of water rather than a new reservoir or expansion of reservoirs which would add only 1.2 million acre feet of water capacity. More money for research and development could improve recycling, and water quality, and for conservation and education.
The League can monitor what projects are being funded and how the money is spent.
Separately in 2014, California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Local entities need to draw up plans by 2017 but no action is required until 2040. Groundwater composes as much as 40 percent of California's total water supply on average, and more in dry years. The new state law requires groundwater to be sustainably managed, but so-called "adjudicated" groundwater basins, twenty-seven large basins now being overseen by court agreements in California, are exempt from that law. (Calif. Dept. of Water Resources)
Water in the West: Addressing the Accumulating Threats to the West's Water Supply:
READ HERE
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: READ HERE
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Bill Status Reports
League of Women Voters California
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Based on
our positions, League of Women Voters California (LWVC) periodically reviews bills before the California State Legislature and makes recommendations.
2016-2017
Need help with legislative terms? Try this useful
glossary
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LWV Presents: Insights and Perspectives
Comcast Channel 30, Monday nights at 7:30pm, Comcast guide lists re-broadcasts
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The best way to describe Channel 30 is TV "by the community for the community." Channel 30 airs non-commercial, member-produced videos that educate, express views, and expose talents to the San Jose community and beyond.
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Terry Christensen, Gloria Chun Hoo
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Schedule of Airings in December and January:
Mon, Dec 5 and Dec 19, 7:30pm
Gloria Chun Hoo interviews Terry Christensen
on the impact of 2016 Local Elections.
Mon, Dec 12 and Dec 26, 7:30pm
Rosaleen Zisch interviews Paul Bernal on San Jose's historic Roberto Adobe & Sunol House.
Mon, Jan 2 and Jan 16, 7:30pm
Rosaleen Zisch interviews Laura Hawkins and Ashley Kinney,
Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley
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Paul Bernal, Rosaleen Zisch
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November Recorded Broadcasts:
Gloria Chun Hoo interviews Joseph DeViney, Commissioner, Santa Clara County Department of Agriculture:
VIDEO
Rosaleen Zisch interviews Brian Wo, Co-Founder, Director of Partnerships, Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition:
VIDEO
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Calendar
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Information on many of these events is available in this newsletter. See our
website calendar
for current listings and more information. If you'd like more information but don't have web access, contact the League at (408) 271-7163.
| December 6 |
Holiday Party |
| January 7 |
Board Meeting |
| January 28 |
Bay Area League Day |
| February 4 |
Board Meeting |
| February 11 |
Program Planning Meeting |
| June 1 |
State Convention begins |
| June 10 |
Annual Meeting |
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Address / Email Change
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To keep our records current please send any changes to your address, email address, or phone number, to our Dues Secretary, Sandy Remmers. The only updates she receives are on the renewal form which is only sent once a year.
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The Voter
Submissions due the 20th of the month
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The LWVSJ/SC Voter is distributed monthly. Article deadline is the 20th of the month. If you have questions or comments, contact
Liz Bogatin-Starr,
the Voter Editor.
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Join Our League
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Visit our website to join and donate to our League.
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Democracy is not a spectator sport! Educate! Advocate!
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