THE VOTER
 LWV San Jose/Santa Clara Newsletter
Making Democracy Work
December  2017-Volume 70, Issue No.4

In This Issue
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League of Women Voters

San Jose / Santa Clara

P. O. Box 5374
San Jose, California 95150 

President's Message
Mary Collins
 Mary Collins  President,  LWV SJ/SC

Happy Holiday Season,

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season with your family and friends. Perhaps you can celebrate with us at our A nnual Holiday Party on December 5th. And, I want to give you a heads up on opportunities in the coming year.

Mark your calendar for the January 20th program planning meeting. As you know, program is the foundation for all League advocacy and action. In 2018, in addition to our local issues, we will consider League of Women Voters US proposals to give input to Convention 2018. Decisions made at our meeting go directly to the national and/or regional levels. Our local emphases go to our Annual Meeting for acceptance. Your input is fundamental to a successful and relevant League.

Our nomination committee becomes active in the new year. Consider accepting a board position or a co-chair position. I know Martha Beattie, our treasurer, will love the present of a co-treasurer, and we are definitely seeking an action chair. You can find information on board responsibilities, policies and procedures on our League website or contact me at  Mary Collins.

Voter Service is preparing for the upcoming election cycle. Voter's Edge, our online guide to elections  covering federal, state, and local races in the state of California, can use volunteers with computer skills and time to reach out to candidates to get their candidate information. A Voter's Edge training is scheduled for March 10th in Palo Alto.  Our Speakers Bureau presents forums describing pros and cons on ballot measures. We would love to expand the membership of this group.

Registering new voters remains a priority. We are continuing to register local high school students and we participate in registering new citizens at the naturalization ceremony in January. If interested in Voters Edge, the Speakers Bureau or Registering Voters contact Suzanne Sikora.

In Action we continue to monitor the City Councils of San Jose on housing and land use, and Santa Clara on the changing of Santa Clara's voting system. A committee is reviewing the Evergreen Senior homes project, the Climate committee is continuing, and the Coyote Valley Update committee is active. You are welcome to join any of these efforts.

By now, you have received our annual fundraising appeal. Your contributions truly enable us to do our work. As always: W e Commit to Make Democracy Work.

I want to thank you for your contributions through your membership, through your additional financial support and through the actions that you choose to take.

Have a Happy New Year!



 

MEMBERSHIP

Welcome to New Members
Shalom & Jon Marquardt 
Anne Souza
Thank you to the following members 
for contributions for our League:
Helen Hayashi

League Holiday Party - Tuesday, December 5th, 5:30 to 8:30pm
Enjoy a Festive Evening with friends and great food in downtown San Jose

 
We hope you can come and enjoy great company and delicious food at the League holiday party.

Please RSVP to
by Friday, December 1st.
  


You are cordially invited to attend
The League 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  
 
Please join us for the festivities on
Tuesday, December 5th
Refreshments, from 5:30 to 8:30pm
If you're arriving early at 5pm, street parking is limited.

Party is in Social Room, 2nd floor. 
Outside building, press 0200 on key pad to enter.
Take elevator to Social Room, 2nd floor on the
Julian Street side. 

LEAGUE MEETINGS AND OUTREACH



What comes to mind first, when you think about our democracy? 
Justice for you, your family and all those you care about? 
Your liberty to vote and vote for whom you choose?
Your freedom of speech and peaceful assembly?
Equality for all?
And other important democratic values for ourselves and our posterity.

The League of Women Voters has, for almost 100 years, worked to protect our democracy.  Our efforts are now more important and more challenging than we've experienced in nearly a lifetime.  
 
You know what LWV SJ/SC has been doing over many years.  Our focus for 2018 is to:
  • Protect our voting rights with voter registration and voter education efforts.
  • Educate a more diverse community of residents with programs that provide an opportunity to meet important civic leaders and providers of critical services for our region by "Lunch with League" and the new "Evening with League" that gives working people the opportunity to engage on civic topics.
  • Expand monitoring and outreach regarding our environment and climate, housing, transportation and other critical issues in our region.
  • Produce CreaTV programing that offers dynamic interviews with civic leaders to share important need-to-know information that residents access through YouTube and Comcast.
  • Engage our elected officials and civic leaders with well-considered positions on key community issues.
  • And many other important educational and advocacy actions.

Your financial support will help keep us growing strong.
 
By donating
during our annual fundraising
 
You Can Help


Please support the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara today! Your generous tax-deductible donation of any amount will make a difference. 
Donate online with PayPal or use your credit card by going to this link:
CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

And you can also donate by check when you receive the Annual Fundraising letter in late November.

Thanks for helping make our democracy work!
Karen Warner Nelson, Development Committee Chair

LOCAL CITY/COUNTY ISSUES
Panel Discussions

Early Childhood Education: Why Is It Essential to Our Collective Future?
LWV Palo Alto Annual Luncheon with Speaker Professor Deborah Stipek
LWV Palo Alto invites League members to LWVPA's annual winter luncheon with speaker Professor Deborah Stipek of Stanford University, who is a national authority in the area of Early Childhood Education. Professor Stipek, a former Dean of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education is presently the Judy Koch Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education and the Faculty Director of the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford.

Professor Stipek will speak on: Early Childhood Education: Why Is It Essential to Our Collective Future? This exciting and timely event will be held on Monday, December 11, 11:30-1:00 PM at the Mitchell Park Community Center in the El Palo Alto Room in Palo Alto.  The address is 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA  94303. 

LWVPA would love to have you and members of your organization attend this luncheon event as we build a stronger group of allies and partners that can help advocate with us for our children.  

RSVP on Eventbrite by December 8 or send a check by Dec 6 payable to: LWVPA, 3921 E. Bayshore Rd., Palo Alto 94303.

Based on our positions, League of Women Voters California (LWVC) periodically reviews bills before the California State Legislature and makes recommendations.
  
2017-2018
  • Bill Status Report for 2017: Bills on which the LWVC has taken a position and recommended action.
  • Bills of Interest 2017-18:This report includes bills being "followed" by the League, on which no formal position of support or opposition has been taken, as well as bills on which the LWVC has taken a position and recommended action.  
Need help with legislative terms? Try this useful glossary .

Sign up for Action Alerts - League of Women Voters California (LWVC)
LWVC Grassroots Action Network
Advocate with League members statewide on the issues you care about in your community. Join the League of Women Voters California's (LWVC) grassroots action network. Action Alerts provide up-to-date information on bills and legislation: Voting Rights and Elections, Money in Politics, Immigration, Education, Housing, Transportation, Climate Change, Health and more...

SIGN UP HERE  to receive LWVC Action Alerts and be notified when your voice is needed.

Read More
League and Community Activities

LWV Presents: Insights and Perspectives
Comcast Channel 30, Mon, 7:30pm and Sun, 4:30pm; Ch 27, Wed, 5:30pm
The best way to describe Channel 30 and Bay Voice Channel 27 is TV "by the community for the community." Channels 30 and 27 air non-commercial, member-produced videos that educate, express views, and expose talents to the San Jose community and beyond.  

Connect to our League Web Site for current and archived Insights and Perspectives broadcasts:   Insights and Perspectives recorded broadcasts

Schedule of Airings 
Channel 30, Mon, 7:30pm, Sun, 4:30pm
Channel 27, Wed, 5:30pm 

CREATV CHANNEL 30 Live Streaming from your computer 
Watch CREATV Channel 30 shows on your computer with an internet connection. 
Calendar
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.

Dec 2 Board Meeting
Dec 5 Holiday Party
Jan 6 Board Meeting
Jan 18, 2018 New Citizens Ceremony
Jan 20, 2018 Program Planning
Feb 3, 2018 Bay Area League Day
March 10, 2018 Voters Edge Training

Address / Email Change
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.
 
The Voter
Submissions due the 20th of the month
The LWV SJ/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.

  Democracy is not a spectator sport!  Educate!  Advocate!
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