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Events, Progressive Democrats of Benicia

Meeting of March 18 – Town Hall with U.S. Rep Mike Thompson

Town Hall with Congressman Mike Thompson

We arranged for our Congressman Mike Thompson to meet with us at a Town Hall here in Benicia on March 18.

Click to download flyer

Co-sponsored by Progressive Democrats of Benicia, Carquinez Patriotic Resistance, and Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible for Justice, the program was held at the Benicia Senior Center, 187 East L St., 6:30 to 8:30.

This was a special opportunity to hear from our Congressman and to ask him questions. He was asked to focus on five specific issues in his opening remarks, with follow-up questions from the audience on these issues, and others time permitting. The five issues were:

  • Gun violence prevention
  • the Green New Deal / Global warming
  • Health Care
  • Taxes / Economic Inequality
  • Immigration

California Legislature, California Politics, Courage Campaign

Interesting and informative: Find your California Representative’s Courage Score

A PDB member recommended this from California’s Courage Campaign:

Courage Scores grade legislators on how well they stand up for constituents over corporations or special interest groups that seek to exploit Californians, particularly the poor, disadvantaged, or communities of color.

Find your California Representative’s
Courage Score HERE.

Read all about the Courage Scores here.

350 Bay Area, Climate action, Climate change, Fossil fuels, Legislative Action

Letter from PDB Chair Ralph Dennis – Support Assembly Bill 40 on fossil fuel phase out

Dear PDB members and friends –

Ralph Dennis, PDB Chair

I received the notice below from 350 BayArea regarding this proposed legislation.  PDB is working with 350 BayArea Action to track climate-change-related bills in the current CA Legislative Session.  AB 40 is one of the bills we support and here we are asking for your letters of support to our Assemblymember, Tim Grayson.  See more and take action below.

Ralph Dennis, Chair, PDB

From 350 Bay Area Action:

We are all in a key position to make a big difference in fighting climate chaos, because we live in the Assembly district of Tim Grayson – who sits on the Assembly Transportation Committee. The Transportation Committee will be hearing testimony on AB40 very soon.

Please send him this letter urging him to vote yes on AB40 asap!

AB40 would require the State of California Air Resources Board (CARB) to draw up a plan to phase out fossil fuel vehicles by 2040.

AB40 is the successor to AB1745, which came before the Assembly Transportation Committee in 2018, but did not have the votes to move on. AB1745 called for phasing out fossil fuel vehicles by 2040. AB40 takes a two-step approach—first have the CARB develop a feasible plan, and then vote on that plan in 2021.

Show your support for the transition to clean energy here.

As climate activists we understand that climate science is telling us that we have to move even faster than the dates that these bills dictate. However, AB40 would give us a foot in the door, and set a clear market signal that we have to eliminate fossil fuel vehicles. Hopefully, this will stimulate automakers to move quickly into making zero emission vehicles (electric or fuel cell).

We hope you send this letter! Assemblymembers really pay attention to letters from their constituents!

You can read the full text of AB40 here. Please let us know if you have any questions about AB40 or other ways we can cut greenhouse gases from transportation.

Thanks for your support,

Jack Fleck and Elena Engel

350 Bay Area Transportation Campaign

[email protected]