Nov 2020 Berkeley

Here are my recommendations on Berkeley’s measures and elected officials:

Berkeley Measures

FF: Yes to Parcel Tax for Emergency Services

GG - Yes for Trip Tax on Transportation Network Companies (Uber+Lyft)

HH - Yes for Utility Users tax for Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

II - Yes for a new Police Accountability Board

JJ - Yes for Higher Mayor + Council salaries

KK - Yes to Update Outdated Parts of the City Charter

LL - Yes to Extend Voter-Approved Spending Limits

MM - No Endorsement on Complicated Measure on Rent Control and ADUs

Berkeley Elected Officials

School Board: Laura Babitt and Ana Vasudeo

Mayor: Jesse Arreguin

City Council, District 2: Terry Taplin #1 (plus #2 Carter, #3 Sharenko)

City Council, District 3: Deborah Matthews #1, Ben Bartlett #2

City Council, District 5: No endorsement

City Council, District 6: No endorsement

Rent Stabilization Board: Marasovic, Johnson, Kelley, Simon-Weisberg, and either Ahmadi or Panahi

For details, read on ...

Nov 2020: Alameda County Measures, Judges, + Elected Officials (Federal-State-Special Districts)

Here are my recommendations on Alameda County’s measures plus elected officials from the federal down to county/district level.

Alameda County 

Measure V: Yes for Utility Users Tax Unincorporated areas

Measure W: YES YES YES for Housing and Services for People Suffering from Homelessness

Federal + State offices
President: Biden-Harris
U.S. Representative, 13th Congressional District: Barbara Lee
CA State Senator, 9th Senate District: Nancy Skinner
CA State Assembly, 15th Assembly District: Buffy Wicks
CA State Assembly, 18th Assembly District: Rob Bonta

Special Districts:

AC Transit At-Large: Chris Peeples

AC Transit Ward 1: Wallace

AC Transit Ward 2: Jean Walsh

BART District 1: Jamie Salcido

BART District 3: Rebecca Saltzman

BART District 7: Lateefah Simon

East Bay Regional Parks Ward 1: Elizabeth Echols

Plus (for all of you who ask me about Oakland every year), see below for a friend's recommendations. 

For details, read on ...

Nov 2020 State Propositions

Here are my recommendations for the state propositions. Details are below the jump. 

14: No: Health Care & Schools are Better Uses of State Tax $$ than Medical Research

15: YES YES YES for Schools + Communities First

16: YES YES YES to Support Racial and Gender Equality

17: YES YES YES to restore voting rights to people on parole

18: YES to Allow Some 17 year-olds to Vote in Primaries

19: NO NO NO to a Cynical Ploy to Reinforce Racial + Wealth Inequities in Property Taxes

20: NO NO NO - Don’t Reimpose Harsh Sentencing that Creates Overcrowded Prisons

21: YES to allow CA Cities to Use Rent Control

22: NO NO NO - don’t let Uber+Lyft be exempt from labor law and subvert democracy

23: NO, cuz OMFG why are we voting on Dialysis rules again?

24: NO to revising Consumer Privacy Protections

25: YES to Confirm Law Eliminating Cash Bail … and then fix the alternative

And now for the detailed writeups on each measure ...

Nov 2020 first thoughts

This is a really big election. The Presidential election looks huge. The Senate races around the country look huge. And because this is a presidential general election, there are many state and local measures on the ballot too. With COVID and heightened concern around voter security, many people will vote earlier than ever this year (you should too!). With this first post, I encourage you to do 3 things:

• Read my slam-dunk no-doubt positions on 6 of the state propositions (Yes on 15/16/17, NO on 19/20/22)
• Get involved in the election -- see below for ideas
• Give me input/advice on other races: is there a race you’re particularly torn on, or think is particularly crucial?

March 2020 Elected Officials

Here's how I'm voting for all the elected offices on this primary ballot. I make NO recommendation in the big race -- for President -- 'cuz I don't know who I'll vote for on March 3. But I do make rec's in races you don't hear about every day on TV. 

Here's the summary -- details are after the jump:

President: I'm still figuring it out
Alameda County Central Committee, 15th Assembly District: for sure Echols, Waters, Lopez, Neal, Barnett, Tregub, and probably Rosales + Laverde
Congress, 9th District: Barbara Lee
CA Senate, 9th District: Nancy Skinner
CA Assembly, 15th District: Buffy Wicks
Superior Court Office #2: Elena Condes
Alameda County Supervisor, 5th District: Keith Carson

And now for the detailed writeups ...

March 2020 Ballot Measures

Here are my choices for state and local ballot measures. Details are below the jump. See a separate post for my thoughts on candidates:

State13: YES for School bonds

Alameda County

C: YES for Child Care, Preschool, Early Education, + Pediatric Health Care

Contra Costa County

J: YES for More Equitable + Sustainable Transportation 

Berkeley

E: YES for Berkeley School Teachers

G: YES for Berkeley School Facilities Bond

H: YES to Continue Existing Schools Parcel Tax

And now for the detailed writeups on each measure ...