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Serving the people of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Morgan Hill & Gilroy
January 2023
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Message from the President
Building on our 2022 achievements
2022, like all election years, was a busy and productive time for the League. Our Voter Service teams were responsible for Candidate Forums, Pros & Cons presentations and the Voter's Edge online resource that helped thousands of voters make decisions about how to cast their ballots. This work, plus voter registration, is at the core of the League's mission and our member and non-member volunteers did us proud.
Building Leadership
Although 2023 is not an election year, it will be an important time to strengthen our leadership infrastructure in preparation for 2024 which promises to be a challenging Presidential Election year. We urgently need more members to step up into leadership roles including chairing Voter Registration and serving on the Board. Please contact me to discuss these opportunities and how a few hours of your time and talents can have a deep impact on our community.
Growing Membership
Our League added 25 new members in 2022! Much of this success can be attributed to the enthusiastic efforts of the Membership Committee but it is also notable that many of our new members do not know anyone in the League and came to us on their own. They are concerned about the increasing number of threats to voting rights and fair elections and, as several commented, "I just want to do something to protect democracy." We welcome them and hope they will quickly become an active part of our organization.
More Together Time
Zoom was a life saver during the pandemic and has proven to be an efficient tool for committee and Board meetings. It's also been effective for Lunch with League, allowing us to have fabulous speakers from out of the area and expand attendance. But people crave in-person events as they become more comfortable with returning to social interaction. We held two in-person social events last year, and plan to offer more in 2023, starting with the annual Program Planning meeting on Feb. 4. It will be a joy to gather together for League business and casual conversations that deepen our commitment to the League and to each other.
Whatever resolutions you might be making for 2023, I hope that increasing your involvement with the League is one of them. We need you.
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On behalf of the officers and Board of Directors, we wish you and your family a healthy and hopeful new year!
Diane
Diane McNutt
Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org
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Virtual Lunch With League
Santa Clara County Supervisor
Susan Ellenberg
2023 County Board President
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023
12 noon-1 p.m. via Zoom
Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg will be the guest speaker for the 2023 Lunch with League kick-off event on Thursday, Jan. 19, 12 noon-1 p.m. via Zoom. Supervisor Ellenberg, who will become President of the Board on Jan. 10, will discuss the county’s progress in addressing major issues including mental illness and substance abuse disorders, childcare for greater economic stability, true public safety, and getting residents who are experiencing homelessness into stable housing. With the theme “Building Together,” she will present a framework for the necessary tools the county must employ to meet these challenges. There will be audience Q&A after her talk.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Supervisor Ellenberg is a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University School of Law. She moved to San Jose in 1991 and worked as a real estate and land use attorney and a social justice educator before her election to represent District 4 on the Board of Supervisors. She is a member of the California State Association of Counties Executive Committee and Co-Chair of Joint Venture Silicon Valley. Additionally, she sits on the boards of FIRST 5 Santa Clara County and the National Association of Counties Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee.
REGISTER HERE
Virtual Lunch With League events are FREE and open to all members of the community. Please invite people you know to attend.
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This year our Program Planning meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Vineland Branch Library, 1450 Blossom Hill Rd., San Jose from 10 a.m. - 12 noon.. It will be great to see you in person!
At this meeting, our League members discuss local issues of and propose priorities for our League activities for 2023-2024. We can decide what current focus areas to keep and whether there are new directions we should take. Our proposals then go to the Board for review and then to the Annual Meeting in June for acceptance by the League membership.
In addition, this year our task is to suggest up to three issues for emphasis for the League of Women Voters California. Again, these can be continuation of current work and/oror new areas for action. We could propose a new study, an update of current positions or support for other league suggestions. The LWVC Board will review all suggestions and prepare recommendations for the 2023 State Convention in May.
Your ideas and perspectives are valuable. Please plan to attend this meeting to share and give your voice!
CLICK TO SIGN UP
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Holiday Party
dazzled
"The Three Glorias" were among three dozen guests at the 2022 Holiday Party in December, the second in person event held last year as the world -- and the League -- cautiously returns to normal life. Board members Gloria Loventhal, left, and Gloria Chun Hoo, center, welcomed new member Gloria Ascher. Thank you to the Membership Committee for organizing this lovely party, and especially to new member Mary Gardner for offering her home for the get-together.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Sustain Groundwater in California: The Challenges Ahead
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m.
This event, co-sponsored by LWV Bay Area and LWV of Piedmont, features Paul Gosselin, Deputy Director of Sustainable Groundwater Management, California Dept. of Water Resources. Up to 60% of the state’s annual water supply depends upon groundwater in times of drought. Learn about how California is implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to balance the needs of agriculture while adjusting to climate change. REGISTER HERE.
Discussion with State Senator Josh Becker
Friday, Jan. 27, 11 a.m.
LWV Bay Area is hosting this event with Senator Becker who represents Senate District 13 which is comprised of most of San Mateo County and the northern parts of Santa Clara County. Among his many assignments, he chairs the Senate Subcommittee on the Clean Energy Future and serves on the Transportation Committee. Registration information will be posted by Jan. 10 HERE.
Update on Housing Elements
The cities of San Jose and Santa Clara have received comment letters from the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) regarding their submitted Housing Elements. The Housing Element is a required part of a city’s general plan. Both San Jose and Santa Clara have items that must be completed prior to any approval by HCD. If a city does not have an approved Housing Element, it risks losing funding and other penalties.
The League's Housing and Homelessness Committee will review both Housing Elements during its January meeting (date TBD) with guest speakers invited from both cities. Contact Committee Chair Roma Dawson to receive the Zoom link. Committee Chair, to make certain you receive the zoom link.
Read about the City of Santa Clara Housing Element and HCD's comments HERE. See “HCD Findings/Comment Letter Nov. 30” under Documents/Links.
Read about the City of San Jose Housing Element and HCD's comments HERE.
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Generous donors help the League with its important work
We truly appreciate the individuals who have donated to our League during the first six months of our fiscal year. Having an adequate financial base allows us to pursue options that increase our effectiveness. THANK YOU to:
American Online Giving Foundation * Gina Armstrong * Martha Azevedo
Martha Beattie * Ralph Campbell and Diane Ritchie * Marcia Citta * Mary Collins Louise Detwiler * Sherri Dohemann * Virginia Holtz * Gloria Chun Hoo *
Beth Hughes * Constance Hunter * Lynda Ramirez Jones * Susanne Karmin Barbara Marshman * Socorro McCord * Diane McNutt, *Lily Mei
Michael Mulcahy * Kathleen Muller * John Powley * Paula Radzinski * Norma Ruiz Laura and Russell Smith * Kathy Sutherland * Carol Watts
If you would also like to make a tax deductible donation to our League, it's easy to do online through our website or by mailing a check to LWVSJ/SC, P.O. Box 5374, San Jose, CA 95150; or by directing a gift from your Donor Advised Fund to LWVSJ/SC.
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Join the Legislative Interview team
Join your local League for the 2023 legislative interviews scheduled in January and February. Every year, LWV encourages local Leagues to participate in interviews with each of their state legislators. These interviews are a great way to connect with our legislators, increase our visibility, and to make legislators aware of issues that we're following.
State Senators who represent neighborhoods in our League:
District 15 - Dave Cortese
District 17 - John Laird
District 10 - Bob Wieckowski
State Assemblymembers who represent neighborhoods in our League:
District 23 - Mark Berman
District 24 - Alex Lee
District 25 - Ash Kalra
District 26 - Evan Low
District 28 - Gail Pellerin
District 29 - Robert Rivas
Our interviews are often in conjunction with other local Leagues who live in the same legislative districts. Interview questions are provided by LWV California, the interviews are well organized, and they are generally done via Zoom.
We would love to see a variety of League participants, including both long-time members and new ones. Please contact Vicki Alexander for more information or to sign up for an interview.
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