Category Archives: Meeting reflections

Meeting reflections

Meeting Reflections – November 15, 2022 – Election results and where from here

MEETING REFLECTIONS
NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Our normally scheduled Second Tuesday meeting would have fallen on election day this month, so we postponed our PDB meeting for a week, until the Third Tuesday, November 15.

After a year of jam-packed and informative meetings, we planned for this post-election time together to simply reflect on and discuss the outcome of the elections and where we want to go from here in 2023.

Support for Georgia Senate candidate Raphael Warnock

After the treasurer’s report and several announcements (see below), our Steering Committee presented a recommendation to contribute to the extremely important campaign of Georgia Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock.  After discussion, it was moved and seconded to donate $500 to the Warnock campaign. The motion was overwhelmingly approved by Zoom poll.

PROGRAM: Election Results and Where from Here…

Our secretary “zoomed” us into breakout groups to chat about our experiences and learnings during the months leading up to last week’s local, state and national elections.  Members were also asked to suggest topics for future meetings, to address the need to find a new club Secretary as of January 2023 and to find new members for our Steering Committee.

Returning to the plenary session, we engaged in a great free-ranging discussion on our election learnings and observations, etc.. Here are a few notes from that discussion:

2022 Benicia Election – Some Lessons Learned:

    • Start planning and campaigning earlier! (As in NOW!)
    • We won the mail-in vote.
    • Better marketing for average people (for instance, Birdseye tv ads were helpful).
    • Terry Scott did a great job of visiting lots of homes.
    • Clever flyers are key.
    • Signs were scattered – maybe too few and far between.
    • Letters to the editor in print and online were helpful (even though the Benicia Herald has only 1200 or so subscribers).
    • Campaigns took advantage of residents’ long memories of Valero PAC’s massive spending and dirty tricks in 2018/20. (A group that was totally separate from candidates’ campaigns had a website and sent out 5,000 postcards. PDB endorsed and arranged without any campaign knowledge to send out 4,000 postcards, many to multiple-voter residences.)
    • Forums were ok, but could be improved – maybe could be more debate-like.
    • Do more at Farmers Market next time.
PDB – Where  From Here:
    • Program suggestions: ISO, GHG reduction, North Study Area (Seeno property)…
    • Member diversity – need to look into ways we can reach out more, become more relevant to and attract participation of more racially diverse members and youthful members.
    • Shorter meetings?

Participants were encouraged to write down notes from their breakout rooms and contact us.

Announcements
    • A member shared results of our Meeting Poll. Using a form on our website, members indicated whether and how we should return to in-person meetings. Results indicate that we will continue monthly zoom meetings for now, but maybe starting next Spring, will hold quarterly in-person meetings.
        • Zoom only – 4 in favor
        • In-Person only – 6 in favor
        • Combination, continue zoom except for in-person on a quarterly basis – 25 in favor
    • A member shared good information about letter-writing for the Warnock campaign via VoteForward, https://votefwd.org/.
    • A member shared information about his “marketing” project for a more general audience than current PDB outreach, the podcast Benicia Voice, https://anchor.fm/beniciavoice/ available on Apple and Spotify – and encouraged everyone to listen and subscribe to it.
Meeting reflections

Meeting Reflections – October 11, Lori Wilson & State Ballot Props

MEETING REFLECTIONS
OCTOBER 11, 2022, 7:00 PM

Read summary reflections below.
Watch the Zoom recording here. 

Candidate for Assembly Lori Wilson

Our program this month featured Lori Wilson, our District 11 California Assembly Member, who is running for re-election. Ms. Wilson talked about issues facing the District and State.  (See recorded video for intro at minute 2:50 and Assemblywoman Wilson at 4:00.)

State Ballot Propositions

We also heard speakers and discussed the following important State ballot 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. Gina Fisher, Speakers Bureau Director of the Yes on Prop. 1, shared the campaign’s perspective on the proposition. (See recorded video at minute 32:00)
  • 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. Danielle Bunch of Create CA spoke about why her group supports the proposition. (See recorded video at minute  49:21)
  • 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. Max Baumhefner, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, and a member of the coalition supporting the Yes on 30 campaign, will speak about the need for the proposition. (See recorded video at minute 1:08:08)

Local Candidates Birdseye and Scott

We heard from our two endorsed candidates for Benicia City Council, who shared recent campaign efforts and the need for volunteers in these final weeks before the Nov 8 election. See the recorded video – Terry Scott spoke at minute 1:24:54 and Kari Birdseye spoke at minute  1:27:04.

Valero/Labor PAC Update and discussion

Mayor Steve Young offered comments about the Valero/Labor PAC’s apparent lack of involvement this year (so far) in supporting or opposing candidates for Benicia City Council. The PAC is sitting on a war chest of over $220,000, and PDB members have not received any mailers from the PAC as yet.  The PAC has yet to file a campaign finance report with the City of Benicia, which would indicate that they have not exceeded $1,000 for or against any given candidate.

Announcements

  • A member promoted the October 12, 2022 local Candidate Forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters Solano and the American Association of University Women. [Later: recording of the Forum is now available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m49BYWS4bg ]
  • This member also shared information about Benicia Voice Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at https://anchor.fm/beniciavoice/.  Recent Benicia Voice topics have included Clean and Fair Elections in Benicia and interviews with all five candidates for Benicia City Council.
  • A member shared information about a SafeQuest Solano fundraiser, Art From the Heart, on October 24.  SafeQuest Solano organizes domestic violence and sexual assault response programs.
  • This member also encouraged members to consider serving on the PDB Steering Committee. PDB is also looking for someone to serve as our next club Secretary.
  • A member concluded with a reminder for all members to vote, and to remind all family members and friends to vote.
  • NEXT MEETING: November 15, 2022 at 7 PM.
Meeting reflections

Meeting Reflections – September 13, Local Ballot Measures

MEETING REFLECTIONS
PDB MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Read summary reflections below.
Watch the Zoom recording here.  >Passcode: ^9#YCAHJ

Local Ballot Measure K

After inhouse business and announcements, our meeting focused once again on the upcoming fall election.  We heard first about Benicia ballot measure K.

Bob Berman, Benicia

Bob Berman with the Solano County Orderly Growth Committee spoke about the history of Measure K and why it is back on the ballot.

A yes vote on the ballot measure will extend the duration of our Urban Growth Boundary Measure:

    • Continues existing protection – preventing urban sprawl
    • Preserving agricultural land and open space
    • Extension until December 31, 2043

“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.

For further study: Ballot Measure K, an Impartial Analysis, and the argument in favor can be found on the Solano County Registrar of Voters website.

Local Ballot Measure R

Erik Upson, Benicia City Manager

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.
  • Maggie Kolk (for Bart Sullivan, not present) –
  • 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
  • Maggie Kolk – Solano Pride Fundraiser, Saturday Oct 1, 6-10PM, at the Dan Foley Cultural Center, 1499 North Camino Alto, Vallejo.  eventbrite.com/e/roaring-20s-casino-night-tickets-405424785447 or facebook.com/events/455389029827571/
  • Terry Scott– Election day is only 56 days away! My campaign for City Council is looking for volunteers.  Email me at  [email protected] or go to the website https://www.terryscottforbenicia2022.org/.
  • 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 [email protected].