Candidate for Assembly Lori Wilson, and State Ballot Propositions
It is that time again! PDB’s next Membership Meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 11th at 7:00 pm. This meeting is all about the upcoming election, so please remember to mark your calendars!
Our program this month will feature:
Lori Wilson, newly elected District 11 Assembly Member, will talk about the issues facing the District and State;
Discussions about the following important propositions: Proposition 1: The Proposition is a legislatively proposed amendment to the California Constitution to prohibit the State from denying or interfering with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives; Proposition 28: The Proposition proposes to provide additional funding for arts and music education in all K-12 public schools by annually allocating from state General Fund an amount equaling 1% of required state and local funding for public schools and a greater allocation to schools serving economically disadvantaged areas; Proposition 30: Proposition 30 is the increasingly controversial proposition that proposes to fund programs to reduce greenhouse gasses by imposing taxes on Californian with personal incomes exceeding $2 million.
Don’t miss this important meeting! We’re still meeting via Zoom – stay tuned for the link, to be posted here.
Support for Kari Birdseye & Terry Scott – our Benicia City Council candidates
(NOTICE: AUCTION EXTENDED TO 8PM ON THURS. AUG 15.)
Montage of artist yard signs for Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott – view and bid on these and many more at the AUCTION.
Scores of Benicia artists have created original, handmade campaign yard signs to support our two favorite candidates, Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott which will be installed in yards all over town, and widely posted on social media.
From the Artists:“Our hope is that all the signs find homes in front of Benicia domiciles, and that we raise some serious money for the two campaigns. And finally we hope this helps get Kari and Terry seats on our City Council. Our vibrant and genuine affirmations in the form of campaign signs will balance the negative campaigning we may soon see from Big Oil interests. Thanks for your support ~ have fun bidding!”
Here’s how you can get your sign!
Click on this link: runmyauction.com/kariterry.php (or use and share the QR code) to make bids and purchases in the Artist Sign Project Auction.
>>NOTE: The Auction ends at 8pm sharp on Wednesday, September 14. (NOTICE: AUCTION EXTENDED TO 8PM ON THURS. AUG 15.)
Thank you for supporting Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott for Benicia City Council. Let’s show what grass roots can do! All proceeds benefit the campaigns.
“The language of the renewal measure is exactly the same as the current measure except for the expiration date. But remember: two previous City Councils have determined that specific renewable energy projects not requiring public services (one a wind turbine project and one a solar project) were consistent with the language of Measure K.”
Check out Bob’s introduction, comments and our conversation with him on the meeting recording. You can fast forward to 00:17:19.
Erik Upson, our Benicia City Manager, gave us some insight into the Benicia budget and why Measure R was put on the ballot.
Check out Erik’s introduction, comments and our conversation with him on the meeting recording – you can fast forward to 00:37:05.
Erik clarified first that his position is such that he is not speaking to advocate for or against the measure, but only to provide information, understanding and context.
He explained that our small city is a “full service” city – we have our own police, fire, water and wastewater services, library, parks and recreation department, a marina and a federally recognized dam and reservoir, a refinery, a deep water port, two State parks, a historic district, etc. “It’s monumentally challenging for a city our size with 211 employees.”
Our greatest challenges include retaining and attracting staff, and the issue of deferred maintenance. Measure R is directed at resources that will assist in both. Once we have spent money to improve the roads it will be cheaper in the future to maintain them. More money spent now on improvements means less money spent in the future.
Measure R would adopt a transaction & use tax:
Adding 0.75% tax on retail sales price
Increases retail sales tax to 9.125%
Current retail sales tax is 8.375%
7.25% – State
0.125% – Solano County
1% City of Benicia
For further study: The official Ballot Measure R, an Impartial Analysis, and arguments for and against can be found on the Solano County Registrar of Voters website.
Voting whether to endorse Measure K and Measure R – YES ON BOTH!
Following the presentations, members in good standing voted to endorse Measure K and Measure R.
Tonight’s Action Items
Kathy Kerridge highlighted tonight’s action items. All are encouraged to make a quick phone call to our legislators about “Joe Manchin’s dirty side deal.” For links, phone numbers and a script, scroll down to page 4, September action at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQ2_r5aOZ255jl277ODmcr1vfZ2GPwoU/edit . https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQ2_r5aOZ255jl277ODmcr1vfZ2GPwoU/edit
Announcements
Benicia Mayor Steve Young – At Council on September 20, we will hear a report on citizens’ water conservation. We were asked to conserve 20% a couple months ago. We will also hear from Equity and Diversity Manager Dr. Maliika Chambers, to update us on her work and the work that the Committee United for Racial Equity (CURE) has been doing. We will also consider three requests: one from Councilmember Strawbridge on soccer fields, another from Vice Mayor Campbell on a pride sidewalk, and another from Councilmember Largaespada on vacant First Street properties.
Candidate forum, Wednesday, October 12, 7-9PM, Benicia Senior Center, (open to the public), sponsored by the League of Women Voters, AAUW, and Benicia Voice Podcast.
Lisa Reinertson – Kari Birdseye & Terry Scott Artist Sign Auction. Many artists from the Benicia community have painted campaign signs for our candidates Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott. Deadline for bids is tomorrow night, 8PM sharp, August 14th. (NOTICE: AUCTION EXTENDED TO 8PM ON THURS. AUG 15.)All proceeds go to the campaigns. https://www.runmyauction.com/kariterry.php
Terry Mollica (for Kari Birdseye) – Ballots will go out in the mail on October 10, so we have less than a month before voting will start! It’s crunch time now, lots of ways to contribute as volunteers for Kari in big ways and little ways. Kari’s website is https://karibirdseyeforbenicia.com/Go to the How Can I Help page.
Kathy Kerridge – Please consider becoming a member of our Steering Committee. We will be losing Maggie, our secretary at year’s end, and it would be great to have a few more people to participate. If interested, and for any questions, email me kathykerridge@gmail.com.
MEMBER MEETING
