2024 Election, Endorsements, Meeting notices

Our Next Meeting – MONDAY, August 26

MEMBER MEETING
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2024, 7:00 PM

ZOOM MEETING

___________________________________________________________________________

Dear members and supporters—

The Progressive Democrats of Benicia (PDB) will host a candidate forum on Monday, August 26, at 7pm via Zoom (sign-in details are below and on our website).   But before we get into that, please save the date for our next endorsement meeting.

Save Wed. 9/4 for Next Endorsements

Please save 7pm on Wednesday, September 4 for our next endorsement meeting.   We will hold it over Zoom.   We will be interviewing Benicia School Board and Solano Community College Board candidates, and hearing about the ballot measures Benicia will be voting on in November.  

This is an important meeting,  and very early as well as not on our usual schedule, so please save the date if you would like to participate!  

The Zoom information for our meetings is the same every month so you can copy and paste the link below in your calendar for 8/26 AND 9/4.  

Monday, August 26 Benicia City Council Endorsements

Monday’s virtual event, which is free and open to all regardless of city of residence or political party, will feature interviews with four Democratic candidates vying for local office.

This is YOUR opportunity to engage with local Democratic candidates and gain insights into their positions on key issues affecting Benicia.  We ask that you share this notice to your family, friends and network so you can all hear directly from the candidates as you make up your minds for the November ballot.  Everyone is welcome.

Zoom Details

The link and sign-in information for most PDB membership meetings in 2024 is below. 

Topic: PDB General Meeting
Time: August 26, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273821941?pwd=WktDazJLaTJHVTBPNWd3dzlXaGd2Zz09

Meeting ID: 862 7382 1941
Passcode: 528756

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US

We look forward to seeing you Monday, August 26 at 7:00 pm via Zoom!

Get to Know the Candidates!

The Democratic candidates for Benicia City Council (in alphabetical order) are Christina Gilpin-Hayes, Trevor Macenski (Incumbent), and Franz Rosenthal (website coming soon to franzforbenicia.com). (Photos provided by candidates.)

Benicia’s incumbent Mayor Steve Young), who is seeking reelection, will also be requesting PDB’s endorsement.

The forum will include a series of prepared questions for the candidates, followed by an opportunity for attendees to participate in a Q&A session.  Learn more about the candidates before the forum by clicking their names or images to visit their websites.  PDB is a chartered Democratic club and may only endorse Democratic candidates, per our by-laws.

Have You Checked Your Voter Registration?

While we have your attention, don’t wait until the last minute to find out there are issues with your voter registration!  If you haven’t voted in a long time, if you moved and want to make sure your registration is exactly as it should be, or if you’re just double-checking, you can check your registration at the Secretary of State’s website.  This website also gives you helpful information like your polling location, language preference and more.

Check Your Voter Registration! (CA)

Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO), Meeting notices

Our Next Meeting – THURSDAY, July 25

MEMBER MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024, 7:00 PM

ZOOM MEETING

___________________________________________________________________________

Dear members and supporters—

PDB’s July General Membership Meeting will be later in the month than our usual second Tuesday so we can accommodate our special guests’ schedules for an exciting program.

This month, PDB will be meeting on Thursday, July 25 at 7pm, over Zoom.  Our program will feature representatives from Benicia City Council’s ISO Subcommittee and the Benicia Industrial Safety and Health Ordinance (BISHO) Working Group, who will be joining us to share perspectives on the adoption of an Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO) in Benicia.

Save the Dates: ISO Presentations on 7/16 & 7/25

First, please save the date of Tuesday, July 16 to watch the 6pm Benicia City Council meeting, where our City Council and the Benicia community will receive an update from the Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO) Subcommittee.  Vice-Mayor Terry Scott, Council Member Kari Birdseye, and Fire Chief Josh Chadwick have over the last several months met with key stakeholders and experts to draft a model ISO for Benicia, and we’re very excited to learn more about their process and how it’s going.

Then, at our Thursday, July 25 Zoom Membership Meeting, PDB members, supporters, and any interested community members can learn more about the road to Benicia’s ISO from Vice Mayor Terry Scott.  Terry Mollica, chair of the resident-led BISHO Working Group, will also be on hand to share his views and more about how he thinks we can support the effort.  We have the link for that available below if you would like to save it to your calendar.

This will be a fascinating discussion where you can learn about how you can support City leaders and staff as we strive toward a safer, healthier Benicia for all.

Zoom Details

The link and sign-in information for most PDB membership meetings in 2024 is below. 

Topic: PDB General Meeting
Time: July 25, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273821941?pwd=WktDazJLaTJHVTBPNWd3dzlXaGd2Zz09

Meeting ID: 862 7382 1941
Passcode: 528756

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US

We look forward to seeing you Thursday, July 25 at 7:00 pm via Zoom!

2024 Election, Endorsements, Local elections, November election, Solano County

PDB URGES SOLANO VOTERS TO OPPOSE EAST SOLANO PLAN/CALIFORNIA FOREVER DEVELOPMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 20, 2024

BENICIA – The Progressive Democrats of Benicia (“PDB”) stand with the Solano Together coalition of individuals and organizations, including the Greenbelt Alliance, Solano County Orderly Growth Committee, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club California, and others, in opposing the California Forever’s East Solano Plan.

PDB’s mission is to promote equity, justice, and environmental stewardship in our community. We advocate for democratically determined, sustainable, and inclusive solutions that honor both the needs of Benicia and Solano County residents and the preservation of our natural environment. 

The proposed development by California Forever contradicts these core principles. The project’s glossy marketing and recent rebranding cannot hide the reality that its leaders have failed to fully answer questions about how to provide for the Solano County community’s present and future needs. PDB must therefore urge a “NO” vote on the initiative, should it qualify to appear on the November ballot.

PDB acknowledges the urgent need for affordable housing for Californians; however, California Forever has provided no clear commitment to addressing this issue, referring to home prices in the millions. The East Solano Plan also risks vital water and land resources, our air quality, and the future of Solano County’s agricultural economy without adequately addressing serious infrastructural concerns around the city’s accessibility or impacts to neighboring cities. Moreover, California Forever’s East Solano Plan ballot measure threatens to cause irreversible damage to Solano County’s unique conservation areas and jeopardize the future of some of California’s most resilient farms and rangelands. Finally, the nature of the proposed city’s governance is unclear, generating real concerns about whether residents in this new city will have the ability to participate democratically in their governance.

The Progressive Democrats of Benicia urge voters to support the development of genuinely affordable housing, safeguard our environment, and protect Solano County’s democratic values and future by voting NO on the California Forever/East Solano Plan measure in November.

For media inquiries: Kathy Kerridge, Chair ([email protected])

To download a PDF copy of this release, click this link: Progressive Democrats of Benicia News Release re. California Forever’s East Solano Plan (6.20.24)

Equity & Justice For All