Election day: June 8, 2010 1 reen voter guide Index Statewide Offices ...... 1, 3 Federal Offices...... 5 State Propositions ...... 1, 6 Superior Court Judge ...... 5 reen Local Measures ...... 1, 7 voter guide County Offices ...... 7, 8 Green Party County Council ...... 9 Election Day: June 8, 2010 Green News ...... 10, 11 A special election publication of the Green Party of Alameda County, Voter Card ...... Back page an affiliate of the Green Party of California Primary Election June 8, 2010

Statewide Races “Several years ago, I helped organize immigrant Measure C farmers to fight for their rights at South Central Farm, and Berkeley Municipal Swimming Governor was joined in this struggle by many Greens, Hollywood celebrities, Progressives, and people of conscience, from Pools The apparent major party candidates for Governor all over California. . . If South Central Farm was saved YES, with standard bond of California in November are Jerry Brown, Democrat, instead of bulldozed, we would have had a local farmer’s reservations and Meg Whitman, Republican. Greens therefore have an market for thousands of L.A. residents. Better, more af- opportunity to choose our best candidate in the primary fordable food, less need for transportation, more open This measure would raise $22.5 million in bond and then run a hard and true campaign for the November space, more local business. . . Let’s put our communities money to rehabilitate and modernize the existing com- election. It is hard for us to believe that either Whitman first: find community-based jobs, grow community gar- munity pools at King, Willard and West Campus and or Brown will generate a large committed following, and dens, empower our youth, rebuild our inner cities.” creates a new indoor Warm Water Pool at West Campus the chances are they will actually hurt voter turnout in the Deacon also points out that California is 50 out of 50 that will replace the existing pool at Berkeley High. most progressive parts of the state. In sum, this should be in per-student funding and contrasts the role of education Measure C will also provide a new source of operating an excellent year to publicize the Green Party message, in keeping young people out of prison. funding ($900,000 annually) to support and expand the and build our party in many places across the state. “I believe we can spend California taxpayer money community’s aquatics programs. The special tax created Greens have two candidates in the June Primary better by educating, rather than incarcerating our youth. by this measure will repay the bond debt and provide the to choose from for Governor of the State of California. Send our young men and women to community college operating funds, costing the average household about $57/ They are Deacon Alexander and Laura Wells. Deacon instead of jail; that’s something as Governor I can do. year. It requires a 2/3 vote to pass. Alexander is a former Black Panther and retired Union Let’s put them in school before they end up in jail.” The three pools proposed for renovation were built in carpenter from Los Angeles, and he promises to “begin In his speech at the Green Party State Assembly in the 1960’s. Their age and deteriorating condition require with the homeless, the disenfranchised, the down and out. San Jose this year he described the interconnectedness of annual inputs of money from the city for facilities that a These people have been excluded, denied and rejected for the issues, how, for example, homelessness—a key issue large segment of the community feels are outdated and far too long. I pledge to bring them into my campaign Deacon focuses on—is also connected to Proposition 13 continued on page 7 for Governor, and to register them as Greens.” He has a -- a key issue that Laura Wells focuses on. Deacon stresses long record of social and political activism. Laura Wells that his positions on the issues, and those of Laura Wells, brings a wealth of experience in financial and management are nearly identical: Proposition 14: NO, NO, NO! areas, and articulates a concise and essential message of “Both my gubernatorial primary opponent, Green Elections: Restricts November structural changes to California’s political and financial Party candidate Laura Wells, and I fully support the Ten crisis (changing the 2/3 vote, revising Proposition 13 Key Values and platform of California Green Party. Our choices & alters primary election provisions for business/corporate taxation, etc). She has differences lie not in substance, but in our priorities. A also demonstrated strong leadership as a previous candi- party and candidate which put the rights of the least of Proposition 14 is an extremely deceptive measure. date for State Controller, and locally in the Bay Area for us first, is one which can proudly represent all Califor- Known as the “Top Two Primary,” Prop. 14 is sometimes many years as a person of integrity, vision, and consistent nians.” referred to as an “open primary” even though it would progressive values. And in the next six months, Deacon says, he plans actually close off voter choice for the November general In our write-up below, we are only providing you to work to increase the number of registered Greens by election to a mere two candidates. Its advocates claim with a basic overview about Deacon Alexander and Laura 5 percent. “With more Greens, we can vote for new op- that it would provide voters with more choices when in Wells, as it is our practice to not make endorsements in portunities, new ways to do things, for new change.” reality it would almost certainly kill off all other political contested Green Party primary contests (except for very See Deacon’s website: http://www.deaconforgov. parties except for the Democrats and the Republicans. We unusual situations). Therefore we strongly urge you to com. strongly encourage you to not only vote “No” on Prop. 14, also review each of the candidates’ websites ( www.Dea- but to also contribute time and/or money to help defeat this conForGov.com and www.LauraWells.org) to learn more Laura Wells for Governor measure. For the latest details about how to support the about them. Many progressives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and “No on Prop. 14” campaign, please see: www.cagreens. the East Bay in particular, are familiar with Laura Wells org/erwg/Prop14 and www.StopTopTwo.org Deacon Alexander for Governor and know of her innovative and inspirational solutions for Proposition 14 would completely change the nature On January 5th 2010, former Black Panther and California’s problems. Progressives hear Laura speaking of the primary election. Political parties, including the long-time social advocate, Deacon Alexander, announced at local Green Party events, see her handing out fliers at Greens, would no longer be able to choose their own of- his candidacy for Governor of California in Los Ange- peace marches, discussing local issues while tabling at ficial nominees for the ballot. Instead, for each partisan les’ ‘Skid Row.’ Surrounded by hundreds of Skid Row the Oakland farmer’s market, and speaking at city council office, all of the candidates from all of the parties, plus homeless living in an area known as Central City East, meetings. continued on page 6 Deacon, a sixty-four year old retired union carpenter and In general Laura Wells works constantly to change L.A. Green Party member, pledged to improve the lives the system, to learn new methods of democracy being of those in need throughout California: implemented around the world, and to educate people “My campaign for Governor is very simple. As first about ways such changes can happen. In fact, in 2010, Proposition 16: NO, NO, NO! act of my campaign, I begin with the homeless, the dis- one of Laura’s key efforts paid off: her work to change the PG&E’s Roadblock to Local enfranchised, the down and out. These people have been City of Oakland’s voting system to Instant Runoff Voting Electricity Alternatives excluded, denied and rejected for far too long. I pledge to (IRV)—in which candidates are rank-ordered instead of bring them into my campaign for Governor, and to register only choosing one—was finally implemented after years Proposition 16 is the misnamed Taxpayers Right to them as Greens.” of work. Voters have also shown, overwhelmingly, that Vote Act. “The proposed Taxpayers Right to Vote Act il- Many of Deacon’s ideas to improve society came they support Laura as a candidate, her ideas and her solu- lustrates what Californias initiative process has come to. from his father, a bricklayer’s assistant and political ac- tions: in her 2002 run for State Controller she received It's a plaything of powerful interests using deception to tivist. In 1970, Deacon, then a member of the Southern over 400,000 votes. And now, her 2010 run for Governor line their pockets,” says an L.A. Times article (12/28/09). California Communist Party, helped organize a successful of California may be her strongest campaign yet. TURN (The Utility Reform Network) calls Prop 16 ”the movement to acquit all charges against Angela Davis, and Laura’s campaign is focusing on the key problems of worst special kind of special interest ballot initiative, paid joined Latino immigrants to fight for Los Angeles’ South California’s economy, ones she knows the other parties for by a single corporation to benefit a single corporation.” Central Farm. In 2000, he co-founded the South Central will not touch—Prop 13, fair taxes, and creating a State The Sierra Club (Bay Chapter) calls it “PG&Es attempt Green Party with Donna Warren. Bank. In March of 2010 her campaign printed 10,000 to stifle competition and prevent local governments from Today, Deacon’s focus is still community. He wants copies of a leaflet listing the “13 Ways Prop 13 has been adopting clean energy solutions.” California to implement community-based jobs in bring- Unlucky for California” on one side, and “FAQs: State Prop 16 “requires two-thirds voter approval before ing people back to work from the state’s dire 12 percent Bank for California,” on the other, and has been distribut- local governments provide electricity service to new unemployment. He also sees community as an key part of ing them at rallies and meetings all over the state. Laura rebuilding the basic infrastructure of California. Deacon exposes the role of corporations in Prop 13, facts the continued on page 6 describes an example from his experience: average California voter is unaware of: continued on page 3 2 Election day: June 8, 2010 reen voter guide The Green Party of Alameda County The “GPAC” is one of the few County Councils Locals: Voter Guide Contributions that produces a Voter Guide for each election. We mail Alameda County Green Sundays: 2nd Sundays, at 5 We would like to thank the campaigns, businesses, about 8,000 to Green households, and distribute another pm (followed by a 6:45 pm County Council business meet- and individuals whose donations allowed us to produce 10,000 through cafes, BART stations, libraries and other ing); Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave. at 65th St., this voter guide. For the candidates and campaigns, locations. Please read yours and pass it along to other Oakland. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnnouncementsGPAC. please be assured that we conducted our endorsement interested voters. Feel free to copy the back “Voter (510) 644-2293 process first. No candidates or measures were invited Card” to distribute it as well. to contribute to the funding of this publication if they Berkeley Greens: We will start meeting again during had not already been endorsed. At no time was there a Your Green Party discussion of the likelihood of a candidate’s financial sup- The things you value do not “just happen” by the Summer, to get ready for the November election campaign. To join our email list, and for more information, port during the endorsement process. The Green Party themselves—make a commitment to support the Green County Council voted not to accept contributions from contact: [email protected]; 510-644-2293; www. Party. Call us to volunteer your time during this election for-profit corporations. If you have questions about our berkeleygreens.org season and beyond. Clip out the enclosed coupon to funding process, call us at (510) 644-2293. send in your donation today. During these difficult times, individuals who share Oakland-Emeryville-Piedmont Green Party: Enjoy politics? Missing a race? Green values need to stand firm in our principles and Regular meetings have been temporarily suspended because If you’re interested in political analysis or campaigning, join together to work to make our vision of the future most of our active members are now busy volunteering for we could use your help. Or if you are wondering why we a reality. local Green campaigns such as Laura Wells for Governor didn’t mention some of the local races, it may be because The Green Party of Alameda County is coordinat- (see page 1) and Don Macleay for Oakland Mayor (see page we don’t have analysis from local groups in those areas. ing tabling, precinct walking, phone banking, and other 11). For further details, see our YahooGroup, or telephone Are you ready to start organizing your own local Green volunteer activities. us: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oaklandgreens ; Michael or Party chapter or affinity group? Contact the Alameda The Green Party County Council meets in the eve- Jan, (510) 436-3722 County Green Party for assistance. We want to cultivate ning on the 2nd Sunday each month at 6:45pm. This is the party from the grassroots up. East and South County Greens: We are looking for the regular “business” meeting of the Alameda County Some races aren’t on the ballot Green Party. We have several committees working on east and south Alameda County Greens interested in help- Due to the peculiarities of the law, for some races, outreach, campaigns, local organizing. Please stay in touch ing re-activate an East County and a South County local. If by phone or email if you want to get more involved. interested, please contact Suzanne Baker (510) 654-8635, when candidate(s) run for office(s) without opposition [email protected] they do not appear on the ballot—but in other races Ways to reach us: they do. We decided not to print in your voter guide County Council: Credits: write-ups for most of the races that won’t appear on Phone: (510) 644-2293 Listen to our outgoing message Our “unindicted Voter Guide co-conspirators” include: your ballot. Where we have comments on those races for upcoming events. Jan Arnold, Victoria Ashley, Bill Balderston, Paul Burton or candidates you will find them on our blog web site Website: www.acgreens.org (page layout), Maxine Daniel, Dave Heller, Greg Jan, Khur- (www.acgreens.wordpress.com). Please check it out. Email lists: To join a discussion of issues and events with shid Khoja, Kim Linden, Gretchen Lipow, Bob Marsh, Patti other active Greens, send an email to: Marsh, Michael Rubin, John Selawsky, Pamela Spevack, Lisa [email protected] Stephens, Joan Strasser, Kate Tanaka, Lindsay Vurek, and the (all one word, no spaces, but a dash between County-sub- rest of the Newsletter team! scribe). To get occasional announcements about current Green Party of Alameda County activities send an email to: [email protected]. Our endorsement process A Note About Bonds, Financing, Taxes and Fiscal Responsibility For many of the candidates’ races, we created ques- The Green Party of Alameda County has always been RESERVATIONS. Why? Structural inequities in the tax tionnaires for the candidates and solicited their responses. For others we conducted over-the-phone or in-person hesitant to embrace bond financing. Our commitment to system make responsible and progressive financing im- interviews. We also gathered information from Greens being fiscally responsible is as important as our commit- possible. With the passage of taxpayer revolt “Prop 13” and others working on issues in their communities and ment to being environmentally and socially responsible. and related “Jarvis-Gann” legislation, for tax purposes from the public record. For local measures we gathered Because people who buy bonds are almost exclusively property valuation can only rise 1 percent per year (un- information as comprehensively as possible. The Green the wealthy, as investors are paid back over the 20-30 less half or more interest in the land is sold or the owner Party of Alameda County held endorsement meetings year life of the bond, wealth is transferred from middle dies). This prevents retirees, the handicapped and others to consider all the information and make decisions. Our and low income taxpayers to rich bondholders. As noted on fixed incomes from being taxed out of their homes with endorsements are as follows: in the Voter Guide in 1992, over 35,000 U.S. millionaires rising property values. We whole-heartedly agree with this When we list “No endorsement,” either we had un- supplemented their income with tax exempt state and lo- effort to protect those with fixed incomes. Unfortunately, resolved differences that prevented us from agreeing on cal bond checks averaging over $2,500 per week (that’s the bulk of the “tax relief” goes places the voters never a position, or no position was warranted. over $130,000 per year tax free). They avoided paying intended it to go--to huge corporations that own most of We only endorse bond measures for essential public federal and state taxes on over $5 billion which must be the land in the state. projects that are unlikely to be funded otherwise. Our en- made up by the rest of us. The Green Party of Alameda Gas and electric utilities, phone companies, oil com- dorsement “Yes, with standard bond reservations” reflects our position that funding through bonds is more costly and County calls on the public to join us in working to phase panies, agribusiness, silicon valley conglomerates, and therefore less fiscally responsible than a tax. out this regressive and unfair subsidy of the rich and their railroads never die, only “merge.” Even though more Where no recommendation appears, we did not investment bankers (who take millions of dollars off the than half of their stock may be traded every year, it never evaluate the race or measure due to a lack of volunteers. top when the bonds are issued). counts as a sale of their land, which will never be taxed at Working on the Voter Guide is fun! Give us a call now to In spite of these realities, we often endorse bonds for more than cost or 1972 values plus 1 percent per year. Let get signed up to help on the next edition! socially and environmentally responsible projects WITH the corporations pay their fair share for the schools, for the veterans, for the environment, for the parks and open Green Party of Alameda County space. In order to do this, we say “Split the Tax Rolls,” 2022 Blake Street, Suite A, Berkeley, CA 94704-2604 keep the tax protection as it is now for natural persons, remove the eternal tax break for the corporations. If the (510) 644-2293 • http://acgreens.org corporations were paying their share California would not have to resort to bond financing to pay for its needs. Name:______Phone (h):______Phone (w):______Support Your Green Party Address: ______The Green Party cannot exist without your help. City/ZIP: ______Unlike some political parties, we do not receive email address:______funding from giant, multinational polluting corpo- Enclose your check made out to “Green Party of Alameda County” or provide your credit card information below. rations. Instead we rely on donations from generous people just like you. Credit card #: ______Exp: ______

Signature: ______In order for the Green Party to be an effective Include your email address if you want updates on Green activities between elections. alternative, we each need to contribute money and/ If you’d like to volunteer your time, check here  and we’ll contact you. or volunteer time. Please send in the coupon to the There’s much to do, and everyone’s skills can be put to use. left with your donation today! And give us a call if State law requires that we report contributor’s: you can volunteer your time.

Occupation: ______Employer:______Please clip the form to the left and mail it Thanks for your contribution of: today to help your Green Party grow.  $1 $5  $10  $25  $50  $100  $500  $1,000  $ __ Election day: June 8, 2010 3 Statewide Offices reen voter guide Governor continued from page 1 young men at the California Department of Corrections Party of Los Angeles County Council—stepping down to and Rehabilitation at the Heman G. Stark Youth Correc- devote time to running for State Controller. “Prop. 13, in 1978, was promoted to California voters tional Facility. Born and raised in Whittier, California, Frankel believes that the government in Sacramento as a way to reduce taxes and to stop fixed-income seniors Castillo is a Pipe Keeper and Sun Dancer for the People. has become corrupted by political machines that fail to and others from losing their homes due to escalating He is also a proud member of the statewide Bear Clan serve the citizenry. Their failure to actually fix the prob- property taxes. Since then, the bulk of the ‘tax relief’ Society and a Marine Corps veteran (1960 to 1965). Jimi lems in society and the economy have motivated him to goes places the voters never intended—giant corpora- participated on the Board of Directors and also contributed run for office. He aims to work to restore decent wages tions. Corporate properties are rarely re-assessed since as a counselor for the Southeast Area Counseling Center to workers, to protect the environment, return business to corporations don’t die and seldom sell.” in Santa Fe Springs, California. He actively helps plan healthy production and improve the quality of life in Cali- Most Californians are also not aware that Prop 13 and staff UCLA’s annual Graduation Pow-wow and Youth fornia communities. He is self described as a pragmatic, requires a 2/3 vote in the California State Legislature to Leadership Conference and donates much time to work fiscally prudent, and a political aisle crossing Green. pass a budget or increase taxes, but maintains a simple with the UCLA Native American Student Association. To bring about improvements in these areas he pro- majority vote to lower taxes: Jimi Castillo’s stated priorities are to establish a more poses reform in two critical areas: the State tax structure “So the legislature lowered tax rates in boom years,” affordable and accessible educational system; to reform and the Legislature. In the arena of taxes he seeks to im- Laura explains, “benefiting primarily the richest of the the criminal justice system; to assure California residents prove and update Prop 13 era Property tax laws. Also, he rich individuals and corporations—and now the rest of have access to clean, safe drinking water while protecting would improve and favor California’s businesses, labor, us are stuck since 67 percent is needed to get fair taxes our existing surface and groundwater from pollution. He communities and environment. back.” Put simply, she says, “It’s BAD to require a 2/3 wants to preserve the ocean realizing its enormous diver- In the area of the legislature he supports proportional super-majority to increase taxes, when it only takes a sity of life and function. Further among his goals are to representation—inclusive to third parties and indepen- simple majority to lower taxes.” create a greater awareness of the rights of all indigenous dents; he supports redefining term limits to 20 consecu- As Governor, Laura Wells would change that -- elimi- peoples worldwide by promoting full self government tive years and terms to 4 years; he seeks a 51-55 percent nate the 2/3 super-majority and replace it with a simple on all Indian reservations. He advocates for children’s majority vote on budgets and revenue/tax reforms. majority to raise taxes. In her platform statement on edu- rights. He wants to set a standard of excellence in public For more: ELECTROSS.COM . cation, Laura explains the very real and direct effects of land management to ensure that we maintain a healthy the 2/3 super majority policy: environment in the future. Treasurer “This dismal legacy of bi-partisan failure has resulted For more: www.jimicastillo.org Charles “Kit” Crittenden from three decades of Prop 13 thinking that put a higher priority on low taxes and high real estate values, than on Secretary of State Kit Crittenden grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, son of the Head of the Department of Archives and History the educational opportunities and employability of our Ann Menasche children and citizens. Last year, Governor Schwarzeneg- for the state of North Carolina. He studied philosophy at ger and the Democratic Assembly cut over $9 billion from Ann Menasche has devoted most of her life to working the University of North Carolina where he received a BA K-12 on top of an earlier $11.6 billion reduction, leading for economic and social justice, civil rights, environmental and MA. After a brief stint at the Naval Flight School in to layoffs of thousands of teachers.” sanity, and peace. She has 30 years of litigation experi- Pensacola, Florida he entered a PhD program at Cornell Another solution Laura advocates is a State Bank for ence in civil rights and public interest law, having worked University where he completed his doctorate in 1964. He California. A State Bank could provide loans to students since 2002 in the field of disability rights. She is a long- went on to teach at the University of Florida and Florida and community businesses at a fair interest rate, and the time activist in the peace, disability rights, and gay rights State University and California State (Northridge) from interest would stay in California to invest in California, movements, and currently serves on the County Council which he retired as Emeritus Professor in 2002. He joined instead of Wall Street. Laura describes the basis for the of the Green Party of San Diego. the Green Party in the early 90’s and served on the Los An- State Bank idea in an FAQ on her campaign Website: She is running for Secretary of State because she has geles County Council, most recently in the mid 2000’s. “North Dakota has a state bank for more than 90 years, witnessed how the corporate domination of elections has Kit points out that the office of California State and now is the only state with a budget surplus, not a defi- increasingly undermined the hopes and dreams of ordinary Treasurer is responsible for investment and finance of cit. With that example, a wave of change is beginning in Californians. She notes that each year the legislators from the state’s funds. The Treasurer is the State’s chief asset which public officials and candidates are proposing state both major parties enact ever more devastating budget cuts manager, financier, and banker and is chair or a member of banks around the country. . . California is the 8th largest that continue to unravel the social safety net upon which a number of State commissions and boards, among them economy in the world. Most countries, with economies of many in this state depend. the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State all sizes, have central banks, and control their own money Yet each year, the influence of big corporate donors Teachers’ Retirement System. It is through the Treasurer’s supply and credit. Why not California?” and their highly paid lobbyists place out of reach any real office that important public works projects such as hous- As Governor, Laura would also make more broad solution to the budget crunch. She believes that WE THE ing, economic development, and student loans are funded, changes to California’s taxes: PEOPLE can take the state back by fixing the way we as well as parks and environmental projects. He believes “Let’s have fair taxes for a change. When you look at run elections.She supports publicly funded elections, free that public money for these projects should be decided in all the taxes and fees that a person pays to local and state equal media access for all candidates, free candidate state- light of the Green Party’s Ten Key Values. government, the lowest 20 percent of income earners pay ments in Voter Handbooks, instant runoff voting (IRV), Sustainability is one of these values: “We support 12 cents of every single dollar [while] the top 1 percent proportionate representation and other democratic reforms public policies and individual behaviors that will con- pay only 7 cents of their dollars.” that allow the voices of non-corporate and third party serve our resources and protect our environment over the Laura’s positions on the issues are in line with Green candidates to be heard. She intends to insist on corporate long term in order to preserve the quality of life of future values: she supports Single Payer Universal Health Care accountability and crack down on corporate crime. generations,” as one elaboration puts it. This directly ap- for California, the use of clean, sustainable, local energy, Anne’s vision for California is a place where everyone plies to some of the areas over which the Treasurer has including publicly-owned utilities, Community Choice enjoys a high quality life, with a clean environment, and control. Ecological Wisdom is another value: “We sup- Aggregation (CCA), and localized (distributed) electricity equal rights under the law; where each person has access port sustainable urban growth and agricultural practices generation, instead of nuclear power or carbon sequestra- to universal quality healthcare, affordable housing, a that will conserve our planet’s resources and protect our tion, and opposes government bailouts of large corpora- living wage job, educational opportunity from preschool environment,” also a guideline the Treasurer’s office can tions and banks. through college or university, and a strong social safety follow. The Ten Key Values will be a crucial guide in And Laura remains optimistic about the future: net that respectfully supports them when they are too old carrying out the duties of the office so as to bring about a “There are too many brilliant and talented people to work, have lost their jobs, or have disabilities and need just, environmentally sensitive, peaceful society. among us,” she says, “too many energetic, entrepreneurial assistance. She believes that fixing our broken electoral Kit notes that the disparity in wealth and income in leaders, too many caring and creative citizens among us system won’t win all these things but considers it a good the state is huge and growing. Notably, large corpora- to settle passively for this sorry state of affairs.” place to start on the path to a better California. Her focus tions do not pay their fair share of taxes, and in the case See her Website: http://www.LauraWells.org is on PEOPLE POWER NOT CORPORATE POWER. of firms such as Chevron who take oil from California’s For more: www.voteann.org soil, do not pay oil extraction taxes as are required in Lieutenant Governor other states, for example Texas and Alaska. California is Controller therefore robbed of an important source of income. Con- Jimi Castillo Ross Frankel centrations of wealth, in corporations and individuals, are Jimi Castillo is the uncontested Green candidate for an impediment to democracy, as they concentrate power Lt. Governor. Ross Frankel was born in Los Angeles where he has which can be used to exercise disproportionate influence The Lieutenant Governor serves as acting Governor lived all his life. He and his partner of 11 years, Michael, over government. Fair taxes must be imposed so that the in the event of the Governor’s absence from the state. The are married and currently live in Lawndale CA. He state can provide the necessary social services; disparities Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Senate, but in received a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount in wealth should be reduced so that all Californians can this position he has only a casting vote. The purpose of University and has worked in the field of general account- participate equally in government. The increased revenues a casting vote is to break a tie. The Lieutenant Governor ing for 25 years and as a public school elementary teacher resulting from implementing tax reform would enable also serves in an ex-officio capacity as a voting member for two years. He has served as Treasurer and Assistant to the office of Treasurer to allocate funds in accord with of the University of California’s Board of Regents and the Treasurer of a condominium owners’ association for basic justice and the Ten Key Values while continuing to as a voting member of the California State University’s a combined total of 13 years and is currently a Member offer the opportunities for businesses that want to utilize Board of Trustees. He serves and rotates with the State of the Board of Directors there. California’s many commercial advantages. Controller as Chair of the State Lands Commission and He has been a volunteer with almost a dozen political As a professor in a California State University for 32 also as Chair of the California Commission for Economic campaigns—Democrat, Republican, and non-partisan— years, Kit has come to see the importance of education Development. and several environmental and socially progressive cam- for personal development as well as for its contribution Jimi Castillo (Tongva/Acjachemen), a respected Na- paigns, such as the Big Green Initiative, and No on Prop 8. He has recently finished a term as Treasurer to the Green tive American spiritual leader, has served as a mentor for continued on page 4 4 Election day: June 8, 2010 reen voter guide Statewide Offices continued from page 3 Insurance Commissioner company doing business with ANY nation (including to the commercial processes of the state. Citizens in a William Balderston Israel) in that region that has a nuclear weapons arsenal. Second, the Democrats’ nominee will likely be Dave democracy must learn to think critically and not accept William Balderston on your ballot, universally known Jones, a left-liberal politician with a good labor record. whatever opinions are put before them. The state’s once- as “Bill,” is a long-time political activist in the East Bay. The critical focus must not be on him as an individual, splendid educational system must be restored. This will He taught high school English and social studies over but on his party, which has continually served corporate require adequate funding – which can be found in new two decades in East Oakland and served in the political interests. sources of taxation (adopting an oil extraction tax, and leadership of the teachers’ union (the Oakland Education Website: www.healthcareforall2010.net increasing the marginal tax to its former rate of 11 percent Association) for over a dozen years, as well as represent- as opposed to its present 9 percent level, to mention two ing Oakland teachers at the state (CTA) and national State Superintendent of Public obvious possibilities). It has been extremely short-sighted (NEA) levels. Further, he continues to be a key organizer to allow California’s great educational structure to become for the OEA and for the CTA & NEA Peace and Justice Instruction seriously weakened. Kit also believes California’s great Caucuses (he is active as well in the CTA Green Caucus). (Non-Partisan) tradition of artistic and intellectual creativity and innova- His labor work also involves writing for and supporting Larry Aceves tion in ways of living and progressive politics must be Labor Notes. Thankfully, Jack O’Connell is termed out. Unfortu- continued. Bill currently serves on the steering committees of nately, twelve candidates have qualified for the ballot in For more: www.crittendenforstatetreasurer.com Labor 4 Peace & Justice, the East Bay Sanctuary Cov- this winner take all race. (There is no Green candidate in enant, and Vote Health and recently participated in national this race.) Some of the twelve are known entities, some conferences of US Labor Against the War and the Labor Attorney General are unknowns without school or management experience. Campaign for Single-Payer. He has been involved in inter- Peter Allen The list of candidates: Larry Aceves, Retired School national solidarity work around Haiti and Iran, especialy District Superintendent; Karen Blake, Geologist; Alexia Peter Allen has extensive experience in energy and the labor movement there. L. Deligianni, School Boardmember Orange Unified; environmental law, and has been a prosecutor, an ad- Finally, his involvement with teachers and youth led Lydia Guitierrez, Public School Teacher; Diane A. Len- ministrative law judge, and a consumer advocate. He is Bill to prioritize organizing around the March 4th Day of ning, Retired Educator; Leonard James Martin, Retired; currently an attorney with the California Public Utilities Action and he’s an ongoing participant in the fight against Grant McMicken, Math Teacher; Daniel Nusbaum, Public Commission. privatization and the neo-liberal program applied to the School Teacher; Gloria Romero, Educator/State Senator; Peter has a BA degree in American Studies from UC public sector, especially public education. Faarax Dahir Sheikh-Noor, Unknown; Tom Torlakson, Santa Cruz, and received his JD (cum laude) from the As a socialist and committed believer in independent State Legislator; and Henry Williams Jr., Adjunct Profes- University of San Diego School of Law in 1989. After law working class politics, Bill has been an active supporter sor. Whew. school, he worked for a law firm on major securities and of the Green Party and campaigned for many state Green Gloria Romero and Tom Torlakson have experience environmental litigation, including cases relating to the candidates. In line with not only his commitment to a in Sacramento, but have served in the legislature that has savings and loan crisis and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In single-payer health care system, but also his anger and systematically dismantled public education in California 1990, Peter joined the San Diego City Attorney’s office, frustration at the corporate exploitation of basic needs for over the past 10 years. Gloria Romero, in particular, has first as a prosecutor, and later representing the City and working people, Bill has decided to run for the Green Party strongly supported charter schools, The Race to the Top, its residents on utility issues before the California Public nomination for California Insurance Commissioner. and standardized testing. Larry Aceves is a retired fifteen- Utilities Commission (CPUC) Bill’s program begins with a total rejection of the cur- year local Superintendent, having also been a teacher and In 1992, Peter became a staff attorney with TURN, rent commissioner’s practice in hiring former insurance school principal in a long career. He retired in 2006. He a consumer group in San Francisco. He represented the corporation employees/executives as ‘investigators’ of the has support from many in the education field, including interests of residential and small business utility ratepayers doings of their former employers. many progressives. Alexia L. Deligianni serves on the before the CPUC. In 1998 (after a hiatus from practicing As regards health care, there is a limitation legally Orange Unified School Board; looking at her website we law), Peter joined the CPUC, first as a staff attorney and in powers of this office, especially in regards to people cannot support her (anyone who says they will never vote later as an administrative law judge, working on a range in health maintainence organizations. Nonetheless, there nor advocate for raising taxes doesn’t belong as our State of energy, telecommunications, and environmental issues, are key demands and proposed legislation that must be Superintendent of Instruction, not now, not never!). We including the California energy crisis. highlighted in this campaign, including: have several teachers, including some public school teach- From 2007 to late 2008, Peter worked for the historic -altering existing legislation from a 70 percent re- ers, in this mix, and they deserved some consideration. law firm of Thelen LLP, focusing on energy regulatory quirement to 95 percent as to the amount of premiums However, only Diane A. Lenning has distinguished herself issues for a range of clients, including renewable and devoted to patient care; in any real manner, and her website does not give a deep conventional energy companies. Upon the firm’s demise, -a graduating taxation of insurance companies’ profits understanding of her positions and proposals. Peter returned to the CPUC as an attorney and as interim made from the time premiums are paid until when the We are recommending Larry Aceves, based on his 30 director of the Commission’s Divison of Policy and Plan- monies are used to pay health care providers; and plus years in public education, his commitment to public ning. Peter’s work currently focuses on issues relating to -expanding requirements to OPEN THE FINANCIAL education, his endorsements, and the possibility that he electric transmission, electric vehicles, renewable energy, BOOKS of ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES doing busi- might win this thing! legislative matters, and the California Environmental ness in California. Quality Act. More important is to use this campaign to demand Peter’s positions on the issues include: that insurance companies should have no role in the health 1) Elimination of the death penalty. The cost to Cali- care system in California and nationally. Not only must we fornia of its labyrinthine efforts to kill some of citizens continue to expose the exploitative profits ($11.7 billion (who are already locked up in prison) is far too high. for the top five insurance firms this year), but the whole Neither our wallets nor our souls can afford to keep pay- narrowing of options for patients. This requires not only ing for this wasteful and pointless process. advocating for a single-payer health insurance approach 2) Legalization of drugs, particularly marijuana. (specifically supporting SB 810 and preparing for an ini- Prohibition of alcohol was a dismal failure, and led to tiative campaign), but in educating around the long-term the rise of organized crime in the United States. The war need for a national health system. on drugs has repeated the same mistakes, and is costing As regards other forms of insurance, we should also ESPECIALLY FOR OUR California huge amounts of money while providing virtu- advocate for a single-payer auto insurance and flexibility ally no benefits. for how to access this insurance. For more immediate FALL VOTER GUIDE 3) Protecting the environment and the public health issues, we can call for: R Writing R Phone Calls R Fundraising by encouraging the development of renewable energy -legislation limiting an insurance premium increase R Developing Questionnaires R Selling Ads sources, maintaining moratoriums on new nuclear power to COLA and exemptions for the unemployed; We’ll be working on the Fall Voter Guide plants and offshore oil drilling, reducing emissions of -assessing insurance companies to pay for expanded from July until September, but please contact us greenhouse gasses and other pollutants, and supporting driver education programs, linked to safety issues around during May or June, if at all possible! usable and affordable public transit. teenage drivers; OTHER HELP NEEDED: 4) Protecting against government encroachment into -advocating the need for driver licences for undocu- private matters, including one’s choice of (consenting mented residents, which would help expand immigrant R Tabling at Events R Program planning adult) marriage partners, abortion (consistent with Roe rights and make the roads safer for all; and and/or organizing for Green Sundays v. Wade’s approach), and one’s home, data, and body. -reorganizing DMV procedures around threats to R Helping with coordination of tabling 5) Ensuring that California’s tax structure and cor- revoke licences for lack of insurance. at events porate laws are consistent with California’s values and We can also address home insurance, proposing: policy goals. -regulating home insurance payments linked to mort- 6) Supporting affordable and high quality public gage status and subsidizing the home insurance for owners education. facing foreclosure; and 7) Encouraging healthy and sustainable agricultural -state-run earthquake insurance. practices. Two final points are worth mentioning. First, Mr. 8) Last but not least, protecting Californians against Poizner, the current commissioner, has proposed divest- both street and white-collar crime. ment from insurance companies doing business in Iran. www.peterallen- For more information, please see: We should advocate removing funds from ANY insurance forag.com and www.peterallenforag.blogspot.com/. Election day: June 8, 2010 5 Federal Offices, Superior Court reen voter guide

U.S. Senate There is an urgent need to reverse the carbon loading Superior Court Judge, Duane Roberts of our atmosphere. If all the ice on Greenland melts, sea level will rise 20 feet. If all the ice on Antarctica melts, it Seat 9 Duane Roberts—a long time community organizer rises another 200 feet. These are the dangers we are fac- Dual Endorsement: from Anaheim and Green Party County Councilor in Or- ing. Huge ice sheets the sizes of states are breaking off of Louis Goodman and Victoria ange County from 1998-2000—has focused on the health Antarctica. Kolakowski care debate in his campaign, prompted by Senator Barbara Deregulation is a giant failure. It has not only lead Boxer’s support of Obama’s healthcare plan in Congress, to an unprecedented environmental disaster but a global We are co-endorsing Victoria (Vicky) Kolakowski and which Duane describes as “yet another taxpayer bailout economic disaster that has fallen on the backs of working Louis Goodman, as Kolakowski is the most progressive, of Wall Street billionaires.” In contrast to the Democrats’ people around the world. We can no longer allow corporate and Goodman the more experienced. John Creighton has plan, Duane sees health care as, “a fundamental human interests to run roughshod on our planet. They need to be much relevant experience in the courtroom, but has spent right deserving of all people and not a commodity to be held accountable. We need a global minimum wage and a most of his long career as a prosecutor, which is likely to sold at a profit to the highest bidder.” He advocates, in- strong pact of global workers rights. Corporations should limit his perspective. stead, starting a single-payer, “Medicare-for-all” system not be allowed to leverage labor in one country against Kolakowski’s experience is primarily in civil matters, and driving the private health insurance giants out of the labor of another. administrative law proceedings and other transactional business. When elected, he will not vote for any money for and policy-oriented work, but she has no criminal law “By getting rid of Wellpoint, CIGNA, Aetna, and any war. The Pentagon budget is out of control and those experience. Her complete lack of familiarity with criminal other private health insurers,” Duane says, “taxpayers and monies need to be spent on decaying infrastructure, and practice is cause for concern. Criminal matters and civil consumers will save hundreds of billions of dollars each the public good. We need to start building sustainable matters are handled differently, with different and more year that were wasted on profiteering and inefficiency— energy sources, wind, solar, tidal, geo-thermal and move rigorous procedural standards applied to criminal matters, money that could be better spent guaranteeing everybody as quickly as possible away from a carbon based energy as someone’s freedom hangs in the balance in a criminal in this country has access to the high quality health care supply, that does not include building more nuclear power proceeding, while civil matters are usually monetary or they need.” plants. commercial disputes. While she is no doubt a very good With a degree in Criminology, Law and Society from The Democrats have not just sat on the sidelines while administrative law judge and has significant civil litigation UC Irvine, Duane has been active on the accountability the Republicans have been busy privatizing public assets experience in federal and state courts, Kolakowskui needs of public officials, particularly around police brutality, and socializing the costs, they have been complicit with time to develop her skills and qualifications to become immigrant rights and affordable housing. He has also held the Neocons in these efforts. We need to eliminate the an excellent superior court judge. Though her opponents several local community positions in his area, including Federal Reserve. We need to hold the banking industry lack experience in civil matters, this is less of a concern Chairman of Social Concerns Committee at the Unitar- and the real estate industry accountable for their criminal for the reasons stated above. ian Church of Orange County, and the first Green Party negligence at best, and outright fraud in all likelihood. The Kolakowski’s endorsements may not all be in at the candidate for the Board of Trustees of the Anaheim Union leaders of the Bush administration should be investigated time of this writing, but it should be noted that names of High School District. That campaign was endorsed by and held accountable for the two illegal, immoral wars some prominent LGBT lawyers were not listed, indicat- Local 681 of the Hotel & Restaurant Employees Union which were started under fraudulent circumstances. ing the possibility that the LGBT bar may not be solidly and the Orange County Central Labor Council, AFL- The leaders of the banking industry have been making behind her. In addition, her references to the Judicial CIO—the first time in the history of Orange County that a millions of dollars in bonuses. Those monies should be Canons in her responses to our questionnaire should have non-Democrat or Republican candidate has been endorsed fines for their crimes that go directly to paying down our either been more forthcoming or more straightforward in by a major labor union. national debt. admitting limited knowledge. Kolakowski is progressive, “The so-called ‘health care reform’ bill, rubber- Preemptive war is illegal. This was a huge, unconsti- however, and as a transgendered person, her election stamped by Congress over the weekend,” Roberts stated tutional power grab by the executive branch that Congress would be a milestone in transgender rights. in a March press release, “is in reality nothing but a rot- should reverse. It is Congress’ duty to declare war, not the Goodman is very experienced in the courtroom, has ten scheme to bailout Wall Street billionaires who made President’s. experience on the prosecution and defense sides, and has huge investments in private health insurance companies also been court appointed as a Judge Pro Tem. These are that now face declining revenues as a result of a rapidly U.S. Representative, significant advantages for someone running for judge. shrinking customer base.” He would undoubtedly adjudicate matters fairly. He Duane exposes the fact that since the year 2000, District 10 acknowledges, for instance, that substance abuse is best private health insurers have lost more than nine million addressed as a healthcare and not criminal matter, which customers. He explains that the role of Democratic Party Jeremy Cloward is encouraging, and as he appears to have a healthy respect politicians has been to “come to their rescue with this for individual rights, he wouldn’t be perceived as someone Jeremy Cloward is running unopposed in the Green scam to prop them up by forcing millions of new people with a bias in favor of law enforcement. Party Primary to become our Congressional candidate in to purchase their defective, over-priced policies and sub- However, Goodman may not think in terms of a District 10. (Most of this district is in Contra Costa County sidize their obscene profit margins with public funds.” broader context as Kolakowski appears to. While drug and but there’s a piece around Livermore that’s in Alameda Roberts also supports the legalization of marijuana; alcohol abuse may indeed contribute to crime, there are County.) Jeremy stands for single-payer universal health tuition-free public university education; withdrawal of social, economic and political institutions that contribute care, free education from kindergarten through graduate U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan; same-sex mar- to people’s developing drug and alcohol dependency. school, free daycare for all children, reducing the US riage; immigrant rights; and solar power, among other These same institutions set the parameters that define what military budget by 6/7ths, nationalizing all US banks that positions. He opposes the privatization of Social Secu- “crime” is, who is “criminal” and how society should deal received bailout money, nationalizing the “Big 3” US rity. with crime. In this broader context, Goodman’s proposed automobile makers so their facilities can be converted We strongly support a vote for Duane Roberts for US solution to crime (encouraging sober living) is neither to making more fuel-efficient and electric cars, paying Senate. See his website: www.voteforduane.org realistic nor likely to be effective, and basically gives the reparations to all African-Americans, a general Federal criminal justice system a pass. That said, Goodman has an fund for the research and development of alternative en- impressive list of judicial endorsements from judges with U.S. Representative, ergy sources, a living wage of $20/hour and a $250,000 a reputation for being liberal/progressive, (most of them limit on executive pay. And that’s just the highlights from center/center-left.) and also merits our endorsement. District 9 the “Why I Am Running” page of Jeremy’s refreshing Creighton has been a career prosecutor for a quarter website. David (Dave) Heller of a century, which is not to say he is incapable of over- Jeremy grew up in Pleasant Hill and it’s a pleasure seeing his courtroom in a fair and impartial manner, only Dave Heller has been a member of the Green Party to see this “local boy” still here and raising his voice for that he looks at issues through the lens of his individual since he moved to California in 1992. He has a degree in the issues that are most neglected by the two corporate experience and his individual experience does not include physics from Bard College and a degree in architecture parties. Jeremy has been a truckdriver and a teacher, and criminal defense work. That’s not necessarily a criticism from The San Francisco Institute of Architecture, where currently is an adjunct professor of political science at of Creighton, just an acknowledgment. Creighton seems he studied environmental design and permaculture. He Diablo Valley College. He ran in the special election in to be law enforcement’s favored candidate. His endorsers has worked on numerous environmental building proj- 2009 (to replace Ellen Tauscher) and is back for another (with some exceptions) appear to be from the center to ects in various parts of California. He worked on the try. Jeremy’s campaign is thoroughly Green; his website center-right. Nader and Benjamin campaigns in 2000. He was the has a page with “Our Ten Key Values.” campaign coordinator for Berkeley’s 2004 Measure I, Please visit www.jeremycloward.com for more, much which finally brought Instant Runoff Voting to that city. more, information, and to get involved in Jeremy’s cam- He has been demanding a substantive investigation into paign. the events of September 11th for almost nine years. For the past five years, he has been working on reversing the Democratization (big D) of KPFA and Pacifica towards the democratization (small d) of them. The airwaves are Green Sundays a public commodity and should not be controlled by any Green Sunday forums are usually held on the second Sunday of every month. Join other Greens to discuss im- political party. portant and sometimes controversial topics, hear guest speakers, and participate in planning a Green future. Dave Heller believes we are on the precipice of envi- ronmental calamity. He is an advocate of facilitating safe When: Second Sunday of the month, 5:00-6:30pm bikeways, funding public transportation, public educa- tion and universal health care. Education and health care Where: Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland (between Alcatraz and 65th St.) should be a citizen’s right, not commodities for corporate Wheelchair accessible. greed. 6 Election day: June 8, 2010 reen voter guide State Propositions

Prop. 14 — NO Proposition 13: No continued from page 1 Seismic Retrofitting, independents as well, would all run together on the same ballot, opening yet another possible way for candidates to Property Tax primary election ballot, and then the top two vote-getters, deceive the voters. regardless of their party affiliation, would go on to the If we want to make improvements to our current elec- Currently, if a property owner would like to seismi- November general election. tion system, there are much better alternatives than the cally upgrade their building, no new taxes are applied after For the Green Party, as for other small parties, Propo- illusory choice presented by Prop. 14. For example, we the upgrade—except for unreinforced masonry buildings. sition 14 would be devastating. Our candidates would most could use Ranked Choice Voting for both party primary In the case of unreinforced masonry buildings, a tax likely never again appear on a November general election elections and for the November general election. That way, kicks in after 15 years. Prop 13, the Seismic Retrofitting ballot. We would be “lost in the crowd” in the “mega- voters could rank as many candidates as they wanted, and Amendment, proposes a constitutional amendment which candidate, free-for-all” primary election. Our capacity not worry that voting for what they most believe in could would apply the same permanent tax breaks on seismic to present alternative choices would simply be crushed. lead to what they most oppose. That would be a system retrofits for unreinforced masonry structures as for all And after several elections where none of our candidates that truly puts more power into the hands of the voter, other types. are able to appear on a November general election bal- instead of the hands of the candidates and the deal-making There are questions about this proposition that would lot, a likely outcome is that fewer voters would register political parties. As many of you know, Ranked Choice take extensive research to answer. Since un-reinforced as Greens, and we would therefore lose our ballot status, Voting will be implemented for non-partisan city offices masonry buildings are extremely dangerous in an earth- and our existence as a recognized political party will have in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Leandro this November, quake, is a tax break which expires after 15 years really been extinguished. following the lead of San Francisco, which has now suc- significantly less of an incentive to retrofit than if the tax An example of what would be in store for California cessfully used it for a number of years. Or, we could use break didn’t have a time limit? Could Prop 13 mainly be is Washington state’s 2008 elections. Washington imple- proportional representation, as is used in the majority of a tax break for corporate property owners who did their mented a “Top Two” primary just two years ago, and no European and other countries around the world, which retrofits more than 15 years ago? smaller party or independent candidate for any statewide would greatly improve political representation in our leg- We don’t know. But we have concerns given that the or congressional race appeared on the November general islative bodies compared to the antiquated winner-take-all only listed sponsor of the proposition is the far-right con- election ballot—for the first time ever since Washington method that this country has now been using for over 220 servative Republican State Senator Roy Ashburn (Ashburn became a state in 1889. years, since its founding. voted against every gay rights measure in the State Senate The extinguishing of voter choices is enough of a Finally, we also disagree with the philosophic un- since taking office only to later admit to being gay after reason to defeat Proposition 14, but there are several derpinnings of Proposition 14. We disagree with the being arrested for a DUI). The lack of even an attempt at other negative consequences of this measure for voters to notion that political parties are inherently bad; that there “bi-partisan” support makes us suspicious about the true consider. First, by eliminating party primaries, Prop. 14 is something wrong with like-minded people organizing nature of this proposition, even if the actual text of Prop. puts increased pressure on non-incumbents and/or non- themselves into political parties having candidates of their 13 may not immediately raise any red flags. frontrunners within the same party to drop out, lest they choice competing in a general election. In fact, we believe Furthermore, the absence of any website listing in the “split the vote” of their party’s voters. This of course puts it's their political right to do so. official state voters pamphlet is yet another strike against more power into the hands of party machines and party The supporters of this proposition are trying to use this ballot measure. Prop. 13’s language is complex and insiders, and less into the hands of primary election voters the dysfunction of state government as an argument for difficult to understand by most citizens. —exactly the opposite of what Prop. 14 proponents want approving their measure. They say that the problems are When we can’t understand a proposition’s effects and you to believe! due to the current electoral process, which produces few side effects, we should usually vote No. Election costs will likely increase, first because the moderates and is responsible for excessive 'partisanship' in candidates will need to advertise themselves to more vot- Sacramento. The Green Party disagrees with both of these ers for the primary election. In addition, especially when arguments. We believe that the current system, if anything, Proposition 15: Yes, with there is no incumbent in the race, for the many districts produces too many moderates. If diversity of opinion in reservations where a single party is dominant, currently only the prima- state government is the goal, proportional representation ry contest has expensive, heavily contested elections. But would be a far superior remedy. As to “partisanship,” we Public Funding of Elections Trial with “Top Two,” the likelihood for expensive November believe that the blame falls squarely on the actions and (“Fair Elections”) elections increases, giving well-funded candidates even policies of the current Democratic and Republican parties, more of an advantage over what they already enjoy. and not with the general concept of political parties, per Prop 15 is the most recent proposal to arrive on the Proposition 14 also permits the possibility of Novem- se. ballot which would open ever so slightly the door to pub- ber general elections whereby the only two candidates on Those who are truly interested in strengthening de- lic funding of elections. The good news is that it would the ballot could both be from the same party, which would mocracy would be well-advised to study how proportional provide public money for candidates; the bad news is completely eliminate any party choices whatsoever for the representation works in Europe and many other places that the money will be bestowed in a less than equitable voters. Prop. 14 also forbids write-in votes to be counted across the planet, rather than spend time considering the way—notably less for “lesser” parties. in the November general election, thereby removing a deceptive fantasy presented by the authors of Proposition That said, the Green Party of Alameda County none- long-standing check-and-balance on the November can- 14. If you can help support the “No on Prop. 14” campaign, theless endorses, with reservation, this proposition. Public didates. And finally, under Prop. 14, candidates would no please be sure to see: www.cagreens.org/erwg/Prop14 and/ financing of elections is a bedrock issue for Greens: we longer be required to disclose their party affiliation on the or www.StopTopTwo.org. literally live and breathe to free our elections from the scourge of corporate money and we believe that this baby step in the right direction is worth supporting. We agree Prop. 16 — NO with the League of Women Voters that the “amount of continued from page 1 money in politics is outrageous and corrupts the system” customers or establish a community choice electricity (Executive Director, Consumer Federation of California). and that “Prop. 15 will get politicians out of the fundrais- program using public funds or bonds.” The rebuttal to the argument in favor is signed by Michael ing game so they will focus on California’s priorities. Elec- Greens favor a local, decentralized economy wherever Boccadoro (Executive Director of the Agricultural Energy tions should be won, not bought by special interests.” feasible. Locally generated solar and wind power would Consumers Association), Lenny Goldberg (Executive Again, the downside is the second class status of reduce the need for large power plants located far away. Director of the California Tax Reform Association), and the non- corporate candidates. Continuing to treat minor PG&E would still be the transmitter of electricity over Janis R. Hirohama (President of the League of Women parties as second-class participants creates a burden that, the grid. PG&E is a regulated monopoly, a compromise Voters of California). in turn, relegates us to second-class status. While it is a between private for-profit businesses and a government Opponents of Prop 16 are expecting an expensive vicious circle, the practical reality is that we may well service. Greens criticize the way for-profit businesses ad campaign by PG&E, which has already started. Early manage to qualify for funds that are far in excess of any influence the political process. In this case, the California in April, “Yes on 16/Californians to Protect Our Right to we are ever able to raise, given our own self-imposed legislature passed a bill in 2002 permitting communities Vote” sent out a mailer picturing solar panels and a field non-corporate donation policy. Also problematic, the two- to opt out of reliance on PG&E to generate electricity. of sunflowers under a blue sky with soft white clouds, as tiered structure will cause a burden if we ever implement Communities can buy electricity from any supplier, or if that were an accurate picture of how PG&E generates proportional representation. PR creates a level electoral can generate electricity locally. They can join together electricity. playing field, but second-class public financing would then (“community choice aggregation,” or CCA) to do so. San PG&E wants to retain their near-monopoly. Despite be a significant hurdle to a minor party candidate. Still, in Francisco, Marin County, Oakland, Berkeley, and others a State mandate for 20 percent renewable power by 2010, the big picture we must grapple with the fact that this is are in the process of exploring or implementing CCA. PG&E is nowhere near that amount. (For details, see the a “pilot” project and that its success could surely herald The ballot argument in favor is signed by the president California Public Utilities Commission website.) For this mounting momentum toward our goal of public financing of the California Taxpayers Association and the President and other reasons, PG&E is not confident that Californians of all elections. of the California Chamber of Commerce. However, de- will voluntarily continue to believe their promises. So Prop The current ballot measure applies only to candidates spite its title and its ballot argument signers, this is not 16 is an arrogant, greedy attempt to buy, at the ballot box, for Secretary of State. Its claimed purposes are to eliminate about taxes. PG&E, the largest for-profit utility in Cali- an end to the threat to some of PG&E’s profits, in the form the corrupting influences of large campaign donations both fornia, paid for the signatures to qualify this initiative for of the movement for locally controlled power. For people for challengers and incumbents. The Fair Elections Fund the ballot. They are trying to protect their monopoly over concerned with the need to move toward sustainable en- (FEF) would be financed from $700 fees paid every two who provides your electricity. ergy generation, and/or seeking local community control years by lobbyists, lobbying firms, and their employers (al- The ballot argument against Prop 16 is signed by Jean- of energy policy, opposing Prop 16 is an easy decision. though $25 would go to the General Fund), by qualifying nine English (California State President of AARP), Andy No, No, No. donations obtained by Primary Elections and Independent Katz (Chair, Sierra Club California) and Richard Holober candidates, and by taxpayer donations. For more: http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/proposi- tions/15/ Election day: June 8, 2010 7 State Propositions, Local Measures reen voter guide

Proposition 17: No Berkeley Measure C Mercury Insurance’s Ploy to continued from page 1 Raise Auto Insurance Rates near the end of their useful life. Willard Pool is scheduled Measure E is a split roll tax (that implements a dif- to close next year. If the Berkeley community wants to ferent rate on residential from commercial property), and Official Title: Allows auto insurance companies to continue to have an aquatics program, there is no question is supposed to raise $14 million per year. This $659 (for base their prices in part on a driver’s history of insurance that a large infusion of cash will be needed from some- residential property) tax replaces the two existing school coverage. where. parcel taxes (measures A and H), and will continue for This proposition is 99 percent funded by Mercury Berkeley’s Warm Water Pool serves seniors, the eight years. There are exemptions for seniors and for Insurance because it will increase their profit margin. It disabled and others needing aquatic therapy for healing. disabled recipients of SSI. This measure will require a takes away hard fought consumer protections won through Green Party member Dona Spring, who served on the 2/3 yes vote to pass. It is NOT on the June 8th Primary Proposition 103 and court decisions. The proposition will Berkeley City Council from 1992 until her death in 2008 ballot, and will be voted on entirely by mail, with ballots allow auto insurance companies in California to surcharge from pneumonia and rheumatoid arthritis, was a champion mailed out in late May and due back by June 22. drivers, who cancel their insurance and then restart it for the Warm Water Pool. The Warm Water Pool currently Although the residential parcel tax is $659 per parcel again. Examples would be military personal during a housed at the High School Gym is slated for demolition, regardless of size, the nonresidential (that is, commercial) tour of duty, or anyone not using their car for an extended its Landmark status and significant community opposition rate would be $0.13 per square foot of lot or $9500 per amount of time, who temporarily cancel their policies. not withstanding. The bond measure previously approved parcel, whichever is less. Also, a late payment could cause the same surcharge. for this project could be used for the High School site Parcel taxes have become a necessary source of main- The discounts and rewards for drivers mentioned in only—a new source of money is necessary for the project taining the public schools these days. The previous parcel ads by proponents of Prop. 17 are allowed now; nothing to go forward. tax passed by only 35 votes. Expecting people to vote for bars the auto insurance companies giving these discounts. Measure C is a compromise. The other proposals $659 is a bit of a gamble. If it loses, there will probably These are false arguments in favor of Prop. 17. considered were more costly but would have ensured a be another more modest proposal down the line. Both the SF Bay Guardian and Chronicle recommend better all around program. The City Council chose this One reason it could lose is that many owners of a No vote on Prop 17. The Chronicle published several package based on a poll, and placed it on the June ballot commercial property think the tax is too high for their articles detailing a long history of illegal practices by Mer- so that it would not compete with a $180 million School business to afford. Because the commercial rate is based cury Insurance, and describes Prop 17 as a formula “likely Bond in November. All other considerations aside, Mea- on lot size (not building size) it can weigh heavily on a to produce, at best, a marginal benefit to Californians sure C may be our one opportunity to ensure that Berkeley small business with a large lot. A lawsuit is still pending shopping for a new company—and a daunting additional has a Warm Water Pool. Voting against this measure will from the last parcel tax that passed, throwing a cloud over cost for those who are desperate to get coverage.” not save the existing one. And of course we would have this one. One Bay Guardian article on Prop 17 and Mercury preferred direct taxes to bonds. The basic problem is the inequitable tax system for Insurance, titled, “The malevolence of Mercury Insur- Vote Yes on Measure C. which both corporate-funded parties are to blame. A big ance,” includes the views of longtime activist Harvey part of this is because the CA redevelopment law siphons Rosenfield, of Consumer Watchdog, speaking out about off tax increments away from public services such as Prop. 17: Measure E — Yes SCHOOLS. Alameda’s redevelopment debt shows this “‘The Mercury initiative is even more pernicious than (June 22 mail-in election) major underlying inequity. what it was doing before, and here’s why. Under Mercury’s City of Alameda We have some reluctance to recommend a flat resi- initiative, if you’ve never had prior insurance, you can be dential parcel tax because lower-income owners of modest surcharged for the first time. It overturns the Prop. 103 Schools Parcel Tax small homes will pay the same $659 amount as higher- provision and legalizes these surcharges. Then they’ve If you live in the City of Alameda, you should be income owners of large expensive homes. thrown in some other tricks and traps, as you’d expect an receiving no later than early June a separate mail-in bal- However, at this point, in the absence of a better way insurance company to do on a ballot measure.” lot for Measure E, which then must arrive back in the to raise revenue, voting Yes is the “lesser evil” because What are those tricks and traps? How have they been County Registrar of Voters office on or before June 22 to of the needs of the public schools, the teachers and the able to get away with this for so long? Why did Attorney be counted. Therefore, if you haven’t yet received your students. General Jerry Brown, a candidate for governor, give the special Measure E ballot by June 5, you should contact the measure such a favorable and misleading ballot title and County Registrar’s office at 272-6933 in order to obtain summary? Why has the Democratic Party been so unwill- a new June 22 ballot. ing to challenge them?” A comprehensive look at Prop 17 and Mercury Insur- ance can be found articles on the web published by the Bay Guardian on 2/10/10, 3/16/10 and 3/18/10. We recommend a NO vote on Proposition 17. County Offices Superintendent of and thoughtful, touching on issues of inadequate state and tion. Her record on the environment from the California federal funding, the 2/3 vote for a budget in Sacramento, League of Conservation Voters was usually near the top, Schools and the importance of student program and placement and a couple of times 100 percent. Ms. Figueroa also au- opportunities funded or directed by the County Office of thored a bill that allowed at least a two day hospital stay No endorsement Education. He has been Vice-president of the California for mothers with newborns, and a bill giving the right to Federation of Teachers and President of his local American patients to sue their HMO. She also received high marks Sheila Jordan, the incumbent, is running unopposed Federation of Teachers. Though not popular with some on Animal Protection Legislation. in this race (this according to Smart Voter, the League of Berkeley progressives, Joaquin Rivera was a strong and On our questionnaire she stated her opposition to Women Voters’ election website). Though some have is- effective school boardmember in Berkeley, and would spraying of pesticides related to the Light Brown Apple sue with her management style, she has tightened up the bring his local district experience to the County level. He Moth (LBAM), support of the Restorative Justice Plan, County Office of Education, hiring competent administra- has been endorsed by Kriss Worthington, Max Anderson, (though she wants to further study the specific Alameda tors and staff. While understanding budget problems, we and John Selawsky, which should still some of the progres- plan before committing to it), support of Instant Runoff think it was a mistake to close the County’s one alternative sive critics. Voting (IRV) and Bus Rapid Transit. Her website is www. school, which leaves many local districts and students with We recommend Joaquin Rivera in this race. lizfigueroaforsupervisor.com. difficult placement options. Sheila Jordan will certainly be Nadia Lockyer, wife of State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, re-elected, and thus we see no need to formally endorse is currently Executive Director of Alameda Family Jus- her, but likewise see no reason to oppose her candidacy. Supervisor, District 2 tice Center, an appointment made by District Attorney No endorsement candidate Nancy O’Malley, who was instrumental in Board of Education, creating this center which assists survivors of child abuse, There are four candidates running for County Supervi- domestic abuse, and elder abuse. Ms. Lockyer was also District 1 sor in District 2. past president of a school board. Liz Figueroa, Nadia Lockyer, and Kevin Dowling all She has not held prior elective office, thus we are not Joaquin Rivera returned our questionnaire. Mark Green did not, despite able to provide a voting record for her. She responded to Joaquin Rivera and Lois Corrin are running for this our multiple emails and phone calls. The answers to our our questionnaire very comprehensively, and appears to non-incumbent seat (former Boardmember Jackie Fox questionnaire submitted by the three did not differ signifi- favor most Green Party positions, including opposition to Ruby is not running for re-election). We don’t have much cantly, and lacking more in-depth knowledge of some of spraying of pesticides related to the LBAM, support of information about Lois Corrin of Piedmont; the only the candidates, we cannot make an endorsement in this the Restorative Justice Plan, IRV and Rapid Bus Transit. websearch reference we found was as a contact person race. Her website is www.nadiaforsupervisor.com/. for Black History month in the Piedmont schools. On Liz Figueroa served as State Senator and State As- Kevin Dowling is currently on the Hayward City the Green Party questionnaire she lists herself as a “com- sembly member until termed out. She is currently an Council, and has formerly served on the staff of elected munity mediator,” and does cite extensive volunteer and Unemployment Caseworker and Educator. officials Steele and Lit-Bitker. In answering our ques- non-profit efforts. In contrast, Joaquin Rivera has a 12-year Ms. Figueroa is known for having authored the bill tionnaire he expressed concerns about ariel spraying and tenure on the Berkeley School Board to point to as expe- that created the consumer protection “Do Not Call List” rience. His answers on the questionnaire were thorough for California, later mirrored somewhat in Federal Legisla- continued on page 8 8 Election day: June 8, 2010 reen voter guide County Offices continued from page 7 Ms. O’Malley does not take a principled stand against would question new spraying by the state, supports the Assessor the death penalty, and has supported its application in some Restorative Justice Plan and would expand the Youth Don’t vote for Thomsen of her cases. Opposition to the death penalty is included Court, supports IRV which he says should be implemented in the Green Party platform. In addition, Ms. O’Malley immediately, and supports Bus Rapid Transit. He has ad- The Assessor locates all taxable property in the received both emails and phone calls requesting her sub- vocated for plans to extend it past San Leandro to Mission county, identifies ownership, and appraises all property mission of our questionnaire, and did not submit it. Blvd. in Hayward. subject to property taxation. This is a powerful position His website indicates that he has opposed housing that is prone to corruption by powerful business interests development that would harm our hills, open space and seeking to save millions of dollars by getting low assess- Sheriff-Coroner shoreline, supported green building, smart growth and ments. Don’t vote for Ahern sustainability programs, and opposed the building of The unopposed incumbent, Ron Thomsen, has served the Eastshore Energy power plant. His website is www. as Assessor since 2001. Although his campaign website Incumbent Gregory Ahern is running unopposed for dowlingforsupervisor.com. touts an outside audit which concluded that “the Assessor’s another four year term as Sheriff. He joined the department office is performing extraordinarily well by all measures in 1980 and after raising through the ranks with frequent of output,” that audit was completed in 2002 so doesn't promotions, he was elected Sheriff in November 2006. Supervisor, District 3 cover the majority of time that Thomsen has held office. On his website he states that he is committed to building No endorsement The Assessor’s office also received the outstanding rating on the excellent leadership of the former Sheriff, Charles of 99.9 percent in the 2006 State Board of Equalization's Plummer, a commitment we don't find reassuring, as Wilma Chan is the obvious front-runner. She occupied Assessment Practices Survey of the departments assess- the Sheriff's office has a history of police abuse, lack of this seat from 1994-2000 (before being elected to the state ments. We were, however, not able to determine if either professionalism, and difficulty working within its defined legislature). She is endorsed by many Democratic politi- audit actually tested for any possible favoritism in assess- jurisdiction and abilities, as well as an inability to create cians, the Alameda County Central Labor Council, and ments. positive community relationships. the Service Employees International Union (all local af- We are troubled by Thomsen’s close ties to the We find Ahern’s emphasis on preparing for terrorism filiates, that is, the employees who would be most affected Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association. Not only is he a to be very troubling. As have other police departments in by decisions made by the Board of Supervisors - BOS). member of this association, but on the home page of his the U.S., the Alameda County Sheriff's department has Ms Chan’s answers to our questionnaire showed many campaign website he refers readers to the Howard Jarvis taken advantage of various programs in Israel designed areas in which we agree—for example, support for transit, Taxpayer’s Association’s website for more information for U.S. law enforcement agents to learn its police and opposition to massive spraying of pesticides, support for about the property assessment process. Go to www.hjta. military strategies for combating terrorism and to view its restorative justice. She believes that her experience (she org if you’d like to check it out for an up to date calendar latest technology. Ahern himself trained at the Nesh-Ar will not need a learning curve) best suits her to help make of Tea Party events and much more. Training Institute in Jerusalem in 2004. He states that our the difficult budget decisions “without shredding the safety The Assessor’s office was very prompt in getting future success in homeland security “will be measured on net.” back to as with answers to questions about audit dates the understanding of our enemies and interdicting their ef- There is another way to look at this election. The BOS but Mr. Thomsen declined to return our candidate ques- forts to destroy us. The preparation and focus on homeland has been dominated for years by Democrats such as Ms tionnaire responding that “as the current incumbent with security issues is essential and must be comprehensive.” Chan who do a reasonable job of steering the ship of state no opposition he was not seeking endorsements or dona- In 2007 Sheriff Ahern developed and instituted a at the County level. But we are gradually approaching an tions.” We wish someone else were running to question program called “Urban Shield.” This program is a 50-hour iceberg. Recent local budgets have been cut, cut, cut. If his performance. Although he is running unopposed, we continuously sustained field tactical training exercise. We a candidate is available who combines experience with a recommend that you not vote for Ron Thomsen. appreciate that this program is designed, in part, to expand proven ability to make decisions that break out of the box For more information go to: www.assessorthomsen. regional collaboration and emergency planning, but we we should give such a candidate a try. allregistrations.com. are shocked at the extreme military nature of the exercise Bev Johnson believes she is ready for the job. She and the emphasis on counterterrorism. has 12 years experience in local government, of which Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Sheriff the last eight have been as Mayor of the City of Alameda. Auditor-Controller-Clerk- Ahern declined to return our questionnaire or otherwise Her priorities are good—health care, economic develop- Recorder reply to us. Although he is running unopposed we recom- ment, job creation, and reducing our carbon footprint mend that you do not vote for the re-election of Gregory Countywide. Ms Johnson’s list of endorsements is shorter No endorsement Ahern. than Ms Chan’s but it also includes local Democrats Loni For more information go to: www.ahernforsheriff. Hancock and Sandre Swanson. However, it also includes The Auditor-Controller develops and maintains the com. Don Perata. County's accounting, payroll, audit, tax analysis, budgets What may make Ms. Johnson stand out is her recent and grants, and cost plan systems and procedures, col- opposition to the developer’s plan for Alameda Point, lects court-related fines and restitutions, Social Services Treasurer-Tax Collector which helped sink the developer’s measure in the special Agency over-payments, etc. This office also records all No endorsement election in February 2010. She describes herself as a recordable documents and maps, collects and distributes Democrat who votes her conscience (and represents her fees and taxes from recording documents and maintains The incumbent, Donald White, is currently serving constituents) even if that deviates from the partisan posi- vital statistics registers, including birth, death and mar- his sixth four year term in this office. While the office of tion. However, that was a situation in which community riage records. the County Treasurer/Tax Collector is an elective office, activists had gathered so much opposition to so many The current incumbent, Patrick O’Connell, has served the position is primarily administrative in function. aspects of the developer’s plan that Ms Johnson may have as Auditor-Controller for 24 years, since 1986. He hasn't The responsibility of this office is billing, revenue just been bowing to the inevitable defeat of the plan. made much effort to attract attention that we have no- collections and as Alameda County’s chief financial officer Harold Lowe, another Democrat, is running as a con- ticed and again declined to return our questionnaire. We he is directly responsible for the investment and custody cerned outsider. Mr Lowe correctly points out that political therefore are not endorsing him even though he is running of 3.2 billion dollars of County funds. insiders have been elected to this seat for years and have unopposed again this election cycle. As with any unop- Mr. White has a Bachelor of Science in Business left the County with a declining budget. Mr Lowe’s experi- posed incumbent we wish the position was contested to Administration and is a certified public accountant. Prior ence is in a number of businesses, and business, service, give some indication of his job performance. to this appointment in 1985 he worked in the public ac- and professional organizations, including membership in counting for multi-national accountancy firm of Ernst & 100 Black Men of America. Mr Lowe gave serious and District Attorney Young. He is associated with numerous national and local thoughtful answers to the questions we asked. professional and community service organizations. The fourth candidate is Lou Filipovich, a Republican. Don’t vote for O’Malley Despite repeated attempts to contact him by e-mail We do not wish to use these pages to make a candidacy and phone, Mr. White did not reply back to us or fill out appear to be laughable, but if we did, we could quote Nancy O’Malley is running unopposed for District our questionnaire. We would like to see some opposition some of the repetitive phrases Mr. Filipovich inserted as Attorney for Alameda County. At the time of Tom Orloff’s to a politician becoming so entrenched in a position they “answers” to our questionnaire. One example will suffice. resignation from the position she was appointed by the fail to see the need to respond to what is essentially a To the question “What do you believe are the main priori- Board of Supervisors to replace him. Keith Carson and public inquiry. ties to be addressed by the County Board of Supervisors?” Nate Miley abstained in voting for her appointment, as Mr. Filipovich replied “The Cost - Who Pays - For How they did not approve of the quick interim appointment Long,” and to the question “Have you worked actively to of someone planning to run for the position, and wanted support Bus Rapid Transit? Please describe your efforts” more time and public input. Prior to her appointment, in he also replied “The Cost - Who Pays - For How Long.” 2009, Ms. O’Malley served as the Chief Assistant District Please do not vote for Mr Filipovich. Attorney for Alameda County. She has worked in the at- Chan, Johnson, and Lowe have various strengths and torney’s office for the past twenty-five years. In 2005 Ms. weaknesses, but not to a sufficient degree for us to give O’Malley established the HEAT Unit, organized to combat any of them our formal endorsement or opposition. For Human Exploitation and Trafficking. This year she has further info, please see these websites; Wilma Chan at added a HEAT Watch component to involve businesses www.votewilmachan.com, and Bev Johnson at www.bev- and the community in reporting sexual exploitation of forsupervisor.org. We did not locate a campaign website minors, and to provide services for exploited minors. Ms. for Harold Lowe but he can be emailed at Lowe4county@ O’Malley also led in creating the Alameda County Family aol.com. Justice Center which provides comprehensive services for victims of family violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation. Election day: June 8, 2010 9 Green Party of Alameda County Council reen voter guide

County Council Candidates important it is for the Green Party to surge forward, per- the mainstream, which goes back and forth with bad solu- haps the increased troops in Afghanistan and the Bailout tions to problems that they themselves have caused. The Vote for up to nine of the ten for Billionaires will. Green Party has been consistent on the environment and candidates. I look forward to joining the County Council. Please we Greens correctly pair ecological concerns with social vote for me and eight other of your favorite candidates. justice, electoral reform, public welfare and civil rights. County Councilors are elected to make decisions for Our 10 core values have been an excellent guide as we the Green Party of Alameda County (GPAC). It makes Greg Jan have taken position on issues ranging from global climate official endorsements, decides on spending and fundrais- I’ve helped coordinate much of our county Green change, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and health care ing, appoints representatives to state and national Green Party work over the years, including the process for our reform. Of all the current “third parties,” we have made Party conventions, etc. Below are short statements of the Voter Guide endorsements, questionnaires, write-ups, and the most headway in our state and nation and I will take candidates for County Council. The Council does not fundraising. I’ve also helped find candidates, for both our that responsibility of providing a viable alternative to the endorse candidates in this race, but provides this space County Council, and this year, for the majority of our public very seriously. for candidates to inform you of their positions. We en- statewide candidates as well, along with the organizing to I have been working with the Oakland Greens for a courage you to vote in this important race—the winners help most of our County Council and statewide candidates few years and feel honored to be considered for County will determine the direction of the GPAC for the next two qualify to have their names on the ballot. For our County Council. I hope to bring to the job my background as long years. Council election, I'd be happy to see any combination of standing environmentalist, a solidarity activist, a trade County Council meetings are open to the public, and our candidates be elected, however, I especially would union member and local community volunteer. are generally held the second Sunday of the month. All in like those running for the first time to win election: David attendance have full participation, including decision mak- Heller, Kimberly Linden, and Donald Macleay. Patti Marsh ing. The only exception to this is if a vote is required (we After we finish distributing the Voter Guides and the I have been a member of the Green Party since 1992 attempt to reach consensus, and usually do) only elected rest of our June election work (in particular, helping to and have been on the County Council since 2002. I serve Councilors have a vote. Our current meeting location is defeat Proposition 14!), I strongly encourage all of you to as the Council’s secretary, have attended state meetings the Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph, Oakland (one volunteer for one or more of our county tasks, whether it and national conventions and have been active in numer- block north of Alcatraz), 6:45 pm. be voter registration, phoning, our newsletter, fundraising, ous Green campaigns. Individuals interested in following and/or participat- our next voter guide, assisting the County Council with It is especially beneficial to the party when new people ing in Council proceedings may join the Council e-mail coordination work, etc. As an all-volunteer organization become involved on our County Council, so I urge you to list, read archives of discussion, and view documents via we need your assistance, even if it's just once every month vote for the three candidates, all active Greens, who are the web site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/County- or two—whatever you can spare! (Pleae call us at (510) running for the first time: David Heller, Kimberly Linden Council/. and Donald Macleay. I also encourage you to vote for 644-2293). Thank you! Council members are elected at large. This year we Pamela Spevack who would be returning to the council have candidates who live in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Kimberly Linden after a few years absence. Castro Valley, and Oakland. I was born in San Francisco and have lived in the Bay For your remaining votes, choose from the strong slate Area my whole life. of County Council candidates who will all be working Janet Arnold For the last 20 years, I have worked as a gardener. So- hard in the coming years to help the Green Party grow. The problems facing the world’s people and environ- cial and local environmental justice issues are at the core ment are still as serious as ever. I’ve been active in the of my activism and work. I served on the Albany Parks Pamela Spevack movements for peace and social change since the 1960’s, and Recreation Commission for four years as an advocate My first 22 years were spent growing up in New and in the Green Party especially since 2000. There are for community gardens, parks, trees, the precautionary Jersey as part of a politically active family who fought many tools in the activists’ toolbox, and electoral action principle in policy-making, and urban agriculture. for social justice and environmental issues. I learned first independent of the corporate parties is an important one. I have been a consistent voice for preservation of the hand about how a city and county can be corrupt. In the Our candidates give people a way to vote for the changes remaining Gill Tract as a regional urban farm in Albany early 70s in California I became a member of NOW, as we wish to see in the world. I’ve served on your County (1928: 109 acres; 2010: 14.6 acres), rather than abiding an ardent feminist I began marching for justice issues, Council since 2004. I help to produce and distribute the by current redevelopment plans that greenwash the politi- and lobbying in Sacramento. I progressed, honing my Voter Guide, assist our Secretary and our Treasurer, and cal economy of food, hunger, class, and privilege while skills and joining lesbian organizations fighting for social otherwise try to be useful. I’m also active in the Oakland eliminating the remaining local tracts of land which have justice and as well as becoming a stringer for Dyke TV Greens and usually serve as a delegate to the Green Party the potential to feed us. The relocalization of small-scale and working for several non-profits. I transformed into the of California’s meetings, and to the Green Party of the U.S. urban agriculture, one farm at a time, will build economy, Green Party in 1992. As I took up gardening and hiking Vote for any nine of us; we have a full slate of dedicated, community, and quality of life for the future while creat- the environment became more significant, along with the active, cooperative candidates. ing structures for the next generation that focus on true peace movement. My work life has included marketing, sustainability. Stewardship with insight and foresight is sales, and office management, and presently social work Victoria Ashley essential for the next generation. I bring my commitment in low-income senior housing. Thus I have been thrust into I have been on the Alameda Green Party County to the value of this stewardship as a Green party member the health care issues a daily basis and am busy advocating Council since 2004, serve on the Green Party of California and as a potential member of the County Council. for seniors, myself included. State Coordinating Committee, and have been an active The Green party platform continues to speak to my As a former member of the Alameda County Council, Green in the Bay Area since 2000. I have degrees in ar- values, in this work, and inspire idealism for building just and participating as a proxy over the past several years, as chitecture and psychology and am currently working as community together now. Thank you! well as attending the National Convention as a delegate a psychology researcher. Aside from the Green Party, my in Chicago, I feel now I am ready to devote myself to other primary area of activism is exposing the unanswered Donald Macleay this position. I would feel honored to bring my skills to questions of September 11th, 2001, as a volunteer research The public has needed political diversity in our coun- energize, and increase our presence in the community and consultant with the website www.911research.com and a try for a long time. All levels of government suffer from to carry out the Green Party values as a member of this Committee Member with Scholars for 9/11 Truth & Justice the system of two semi-official parties. Most serious ideas Council. (STJ911.org). I am also involved with a solar start-up, Sun are never discussed the way that single payer was never Synchrony, which is developing concentrating photovol- discussed during the recent adolescent partisan fight that Akio Tanaka taic panels for the residential rooftop. was passed off as a debate on universal health care. The I have served on the County Council for the last three Gerrymandered district lines have pushed most voters into years. I have also been on the KPFA Local Station Board Maxine Daniel a “safe seat” where little public discussion takes place and for the last four years. I was drawn to the Green Party and I’ve served on the County Council for the last 3 years less choice is offered at election time. The cost of elections KPFA because they do not take any corporate money. I and have been active in GPAC since 2005 even though has given us a system of legal corruption called campaign am committed to expanding the reach of non-corporate I'm a long term Green (since 1992). finance and lobbying. media, public financing of elections, and changing the As a lesbian and woman of color I was initially drawn The Green Party offers well-considered alternatives to economic infrastructure to make earth sustainable. to the Green Party because of the 10 key values. Values which seemed to blend with my advocacy for victims of domestic violence, against police brutality, for reproduc- tive rights and my work for environmental and social justice. reliable I remain committed to these values and I remain committed to growing the Green Party. I believe now is residential an unprecedented opportunity to grow the ranks of the Green Party and one that we must all engage in if we want to survive as an independent party. real estate Please cast your vote for 9 of our candidates and also reach out to see how you can make a difference. Thank services you for the opportunity to serve. David Heller Kate Tanaka I’ve been a member of the Green Party for 18 years Prudential and active in the Party for the past 10, starting with the Nader 2000 campaign. I was the campaign coordinator 510-914-8355 for the Berkeley IRV Measure I and I am running for the US Congress CA District 9. If this latest corporate give away to the H(W)ealth Green since 1992 Insurance industry by congress isn't enough to show how 10 Election day: June 8, 2010 reen voter guide ALAMEDA COUNTY GREEN NEWS “Overgrow the government” Spring/Summer 2010 Instant Runoff Voting/Ranked Choice Voting Finally THE GREEN PARTY’S Reaches Oakland, San Leandro, and Berkeley TEN KEY VALUES by Dave Heller As you can see, this system has a clear Just imagine what the rhetoric of those Ecological Wisdom Many voters in Alameda County advantage over plurality voting (the person debates would have been if Nader had will be using Instant Runoff Voting (also with the most votes, not necessarily a major- been at one of the podiums! Instead of it Grassroots Democracy known as Ranked Choice Voting) for this ity, wins). People can vote their hopes rather being a boring waste of time, Nader could Social Justice November’s elections. Although IRV/RCV than against their fears! Without the threat have brought up serious issues facing our Nonviolence was approved in Berkeley in 2004, and in of “spoiling” an election, the playing field country. George Bush would have never Decentralization Oakland and San Leandro a few years later, will be leveled out enough that third party been elected under such a scenario; Nader, it has taken until now for the “wheels of politics could get enough of a foothold to based on what happened with Ross Perot Community-Based Economics government” to finally catch up with what actually become competitive. There is a eight years earlier, may have even won the Feminism your local Green Party has been advocating right wing stampede in mainstream politics election! Who knows? And if Al Gore had Respect for Diversity for almost two decades. Since the majority and IRV/RCV can help reverse this trend. won, having been challenged from the left, Global Responsibility of you who are reading this newsletter live The winner-take-all plurality system he might have been pushed toward many in Berkeley, Oakland, or San Leandro, here has created a political system that discour- Green issues. With IRV/RCV the Democrats Sustainability are some details on the voting system which ages third parties; the races tend toward will no longer be able to shame people into we will be using this November. (And if you mudslinging rather than substantive, voting Democratic or take the Green vote live elsewhere, after you read this article, issue-based discourse; and, in cases where for granted. you might want to consider asking your lo- there are December runoffs, voter turnout What is Proportional Representa- cal City Council to adopt it for your town almost always drops as much as 50percent tion and Why is It Important to too). or more. the Green Party? KPFA and the What is IRV/RCV? In an IRV/RCV race, candidates may receive second and third choice votes from IRV is a specific case of RCV. Ranked Green Party Instant Runoff Voting or Ranked Choice Voting is not only used for single Choice Voting is a system of voting that other candidates, so there is a clear incentive We live in an era when corporations not to bash your opponents in the hope of seat districts but also for multi-seat districts. allows voters to cast their ballots by ranking This allows candidates to be elected propor- own the media and also control both the the candidates. The advantage of this vot- getting their second and third rankings. This Democratic and Republican parties, which leads to more civil discourse in campaigns. tionally based on the electorate’s wishes. ing system is that it guarantees a majority This is called Proportional Representation means that the media and the political par- winner in a single round of voting, thus In addition, avoiding December runoffs ties are all corrupted by corporate money. saves hundreds of thousands of dollars in (PR). avoiding a runoff, hence the term “Instant Despite the virtue of any individual mem- election costs for the county and also elimi- For example, if we had 5-seat assembly Runoff Voting.” ber of either of the two major parties, each nates one more round of campaign fund districts instead of winner-take-all single How IRV/RCV Works is still captive to the reality of the money raising, helping to cut the umbilical cord seat districts, we might have a district that When casting a ballot, a voter can rank the that controls him or her. of cash from corporations seeking future has three Democrats and two Republican candidates for a given office 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. representatives. Each candidate only needs While progressive Democrats often For the voter, it’s that simple. (We are lim- favors. In San Francisco, where IRV/RCV has to get 20 percent of the vote to win the seat, seem to genuinely hold progressive ideas ited to three rankings with the current equip- so the bar is effectively lowered. The great they most often wind up being stymied ment but hopefully in the near future, as the been used for several election cycles, some candidates form alliances even though they thing about this is that it opens the door for by the money factor. Dennis Kucinich is technology develops and gets approved by third parties to get elected. So, instead of a good example; he has excellent progres- federal and state officials, we will be able are competing against one another. For instance, Candidate A encourages voters having 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans, sive positions on all issues, but in the end to have unlimited rankings, which may be perhaps we would have 1 Green, 2 Demo- always endorses the Democratic Party necessary for future RCV voting. More on who rank him 1st to then rank Candidate B as their 2nd choice, and Candidate B crats and 2 Republicans. This will create a nominee and party positions (example: his this later.) A voter is not required to rank the foothold for third parties to get into posi- recent capitulation on health care reform). ballot but if his candidate is eliminated, he likewise encourages her 1st choice voters tions of power and prove their viability. The effect of his participation in political loses a say in the outcome of the “Instant to rank Candidate A as their 2nd choice. Additionally, as Greens, many times campaigns is to return the progressives Runoff”. This is the disadvantage of not This helps diversify the candidate pool we have no one to whom we can bring our who had left the Democratic Party back ranking the ballot. and also shows the ultimate winner where ideas or grievances because mainstream into the fold. In the first round of tallying the votes, voters stand based on the their first choice vote. For example, if Candidate B wins her Democrats do not have the political will to How could this sad cycle be broken? all the voters’ first choices are counted. If address our concerns. Or if you happen to one candidate gets 50 percent + 1 of the election and she sees that Candidate A, who We do not have to be forever locked into campaigned on ending the death penalty, be a Green or a Democrat who lives in a choosing between the lesser of two evils, votes, she is declared the winner and there Republican district, you have no one who received more votes than Candidate C, who forever worried about a third party spoiler. is no second round. If however, no candidate represents your views and no one to talk campaigned on filling potholes, she would That is where Greens and KPFA can join receives more than 50 percent, the candidate to. However, with PR, no matter on which know to concentrate more on ending the hands and play a crucial role. Neither the with the least amount of votes is eliminated side of the political spectrum one finds one Death Penalty than filling potholes. Green Party nor KPFA-Pacifica takes any from the race and the second choices of that self, it is likely that someone would lend an corporate money. Together the two can candidate are redistributed to the remaining The Future for IRV/RCV ear. candidates. That process is repeated until The implementation of IRV/RCV on California is currently in the process help transform and change the accepted someone is elected. the local level is good for government. It of redrawing district lines when the new norm. A clear connection between corpo- As a Green, you have probably been guarantees majority winners for local races census numbers arrive. Carefully selected rate money and the Democratic Party must blamed for the election of George W. Bush with maximum voter turnout, while sav- people from the public are working on this be made. because of what happened in Florida in ing counties millions of dollars over a few process, but redistricting still will not com- Until we have democratic reforms in 2000. (There are plenty of arguments dis- short years. Hopefully, as more people get pletely solve the problem of entrenched, this country it is a losing battle to dream puting that, but that’s a completely separate accustomed to the process and the voting corporate puppets getting elected. The of justice. As things stand now, we know article.) The beauty of IRV/RCV is that it equipment and software is improved, it will problem is not so much the gerrymandering that money controls everything and the would nullify such criticisms. Given some expand to a statewide and national level. of districts as the single seat district itself. precious few small choices provided by general assumptions about what happened There were a lot of people who didn’t In conclusion, IRV/RCV is a simple voting the difference between the R’s and D’s in Florida, we know that both George Bush care for Al Gore or John Kerry but voted method that will lead to better, more diverse are nowhere near the genuine choices that and Al Gore had 48 percent of the vote, for them anyway because they were scared government at a cheaper cost, helping to people living in a democracy deserve. In Ralph Nader had 3 percent and Pat Buch- of Bush. Liberating people to vote their abate corporate domination of our elections. fact, they are a distraction. anan had 1percent. hopes will have a dramatic effect on the Hopefully it will also lead to proportional If the Green Party joins hands with The IRV process would have worked campaign field. Ralph Nader came close representation in the near future, which will KPFA-Pacifica we can focus on changing to meeting the requirements to be allowed like this: In the first round, no one received allow greater third party participation in our the California political process. Together, into the Presidential Debates in 2000. Had over 50 percent of the vote, so the candidate political system. we can pro-actively educate the public people been free to say Ralph Nader when with the least votes, in this case Pat Buch- (In 2004 Dave Heller of Berkeley was about IRV, publicly funded elections, and asked in the polls, he could have reached the anan, would have been eliminated and most the Campaign Coordinator for Berkeley’s the urgent need to get corporate money out 15percent the Democrats and Republicans of those votes would have probably gone to IRV Measure I, which won with 72 percent of the picture—out of the media and out required to get into the debates. George Bush; so, in the second round, Bush of the vote.) of our lives. Unless the electoral process has 49 percent, Gore 48 percent and Nader is transformed, we can never address the 3 percent and there is still no 50 percent + Writers, Editors and People with Good Ideas!! host of problems we face: the military- 1 winner. Nader is then eliminated and most The Alameda Green Newsletter needs your skills. If you can devote a few hours industrial complex, universal health care, of those votes would have likely transferred three times a year to the Newsletter Committee, please contact Suzanne Baker at the Middle East conflict. to Gore, making him the winner in the third [email protected] or (510) 654-8635. Unsolicited articles, book reviews, Both the Green Party and KPFA- round with 51 percent! and commentary are welcome and will be considered for publication. The Tactical Advantages of IRV/RCV continued on page 11 Election day: June 8, 2010 11 reen voter guide ALAMEDA COUNTY GREEN NEWS Spring/Summer 2010 Climate Justice Now! Statement on Copenhagen

Call for “system change not up the remaining forests, bush and grass- admission credentials revoked midway led renewable energy climate change” unites global lands of the world through the violation through the second week. At the same • radically reducing wasteful con- movement of indigenous rights and land-grabbing; time, corporations continued lobbying sumption, first and foremost in the North, promote high-risk technologies to re- inside the Bella Center. but also by Southern elites structure the climate; convert real forests Outside the conference,the Danish • huge financial transfers from North Corrupt Copenhagen ‘accord’ exposes into monoculture tree plantations and police extended the repressive framework, to South, based on the repayment of cli- gulf between peoples’ demands and agricultural soils into carbon sinks; and launching a massive clampdown on the mate debts and subject to democratic con- elite interests complete the enclosure and privatisation right to free expression and arresting and trol. The costs of adaptation and mitigation

of the commons. Virtually every proposal beating thousands, including civil society should be paid for by redirecting military The highly anticipated UN Climate discussed in Copenhagen was based on delegates to the climate conference. Our budgets, progressive and innovative taxes, Change Conference in Copenhagen ended a desire to create opportunities for profit movement overcame this repression to and debt cancellation with a fraudulent agreement, engineered rather than to reduce emissions, and even raise our voices in protest over and over • rights-based resource conservation by the United States and dropped into the small amounts of financing promised again. Our demonstrations mobilized that enforces Indigenous land rights and the conference at the last moment. The could end up paying for the transfer of more than 100,000 people in Denmark promotes peoples’ sovereignty over en- “agreement” was not adopted. Instead, it risky technologies. to press for climate justice, while social ergy, forests, land and water was “noted” in an absurd parliamentary The only discussions of real solu- movements around the world mobilized • sustainable family farming and fish- invention designed to accommodate the tions in Copenhagen took place in social hundreds of thousands more in local ing, and peoples’ food sovereignty. United States and permit Ban Ki-moon to movements. Climate Justice Now!, Cli- climate justice demonstrations. In spite We are committed to building a di- utter the ridiculous pronouncement “We mate Justice Action and Klimaforum09 of repression by the Danish government verse movement—locally and globally have a deal.” articulated many creative ideas and at- and exclusion by the United Nations, the —for a better world. The UN conference was unable to tempted to deliver those ideas to the UN movement for system change not climate - Climate Justice Now! deliver solutions to the climate crisis, or Climate Change Conference through the change is now stronger than when we ar- Copenhagen, 19 December 2009 even minimal progress toward them. In- Klimaforum09 People’s Declaration and rived in Denmark. www.climate-justice-now.org stead, the talks were a complete betrayal the Reclaim Power People’s Assembly. While Copenhagen has been a disaster of impoverished nations and island states, Among nations, the ALBA countries, for just and equitable climate solutions, it producing embarrassment for the United KPFA & Green Party many African nations and AOSIS often has been an inspiring watershed moment Nations and the Danish government. In a echoed the messages of the climate justice in the battle for climate justice. The gov- continued from page 10 conference designed to limit greenhouse movement, speaking of the need to repay ernments of the elite have no solutions to Pacifica operate outside the confines (and gas emissions there was very little talk climate debt, create mitigation and adapta- offer, but the climate justice movement has benefits) of corporate money, and so are of emission reductions. Rich, developed tion funds outside of neoliberal institutions provided strong vision and clear alterna- well positioned to build a better world countries continued to delay any talk of such as the World Bank and IMF, and keep tives. Copenhagen will be remembered as that truly supports human need rather than deep and binding cuts, instead shifting global temperature increase below 1.5 an historic event for global social move- corporate greed. In fact, because so little the burden to less developed countries and degrees. ments. It will be remembered, along with media currently exists that is not under showing no willingness to make repara- The UN and the Danish government Seattle and Cancun, as a critical moment corporate control, it is all that much more tions for the damage they have caused. served the interests of the rich, industrial- when the diverse agendas of many social important for us to support non-corporate The Climate Justice Now! coalition, ized countries, excluding our voices and movements coalesced and became stron- media sources like KPFA. alongside other networks, was united here the voices of the least powerful throughout ger, asking in one voice for system change, One of the ways you as a Green can at COP15 in the call for System Change, the world, and attempting to silence our not climate change. be more involved is to become a member Not Climate Change. In contrast, the Co- demands to talk about real solutions. Nev- The Climate Justice Now! coalition of KPFA (the membership starts at $25), penhagen climate conference itself dem- ertheless, our voices grew stronger and calls for social movements around the which allows you to vote for the delegates onstrated that real solutions, as opposed more united day by day during the two- world to mobilize in support of climate to the KPFA Local Station Board, the to false, market-based solutions, will not week conference. As we grew stronger, the justice. governing board of the station. You can be adopted until we overcome the existing mechanisms implemented by the UN and We will take our struggle forward not support candidates who are committed to unjust political and economic system. the Danish authorities for the participation just in climate talks, but on the ground and progressive politics and causes. You can Government and corporate elites of civil society grew more dysfunctional, in the streets, to promote genuine solutions also run for the board yourself. here in Copenhagen made no attempt to repressive and undemocratic, very much that include: Become a member of KPFA by going satisfy the expectations of the world. False like the WTO and Davos. • leaving fossil fuels in the ground and to: www.kpfa.org/support/ solutions and corporations completely Social movement participation was investing instead in appropriate energy- - Akio Tanaka, KPFA LSB Delegate co-opted the United Nations process. The limited throughout the conference, drasti- efficiency and safe, clean and community- Green Party Alameda County Council global elite would like to privatize the cally curtailed in week two, and several atmosphere through carbon markets; carve civil society organizations even had their

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Maintenance and management of networks, workstations, and high speed internet 12 Election day: June 8, 2010 FPPC ID #921297 (510) 644-2293 Berkeley, CA 94704 2022 Blake St. Green Party of Alameda County reen voter guide Green Voter Card Green County Council -- See statements inside. Party County Committee E -- City of Alameda Schools Parcel Tax -- Yes (June 22 mail-in election) C -- Berkeley Municipal Swimming Pools -- Yes, with standard bond reservations Local Measures Insurance’s 17 -- Mercury Ploy to Raise Auto Insurance Rates -- No 16 -- PG&E’s Roadblock to Public Electricity Alternatives -- No, No, No! 15 -- Public Funding of Elections Trial (“Fair Elections”) -- Yes, with reservations 14 -- Elections: Restricts November choices and Election -- No,Alters Primary No, No! 13 -- Seismic Retrofitting, State Propositions Treasurer-Tax Collector -- No Endorsement, please see write-up Sheriff-Coroner -- Don’t vote for Greg Ahern District Attorney -- Don’t vote for Nancy O’Malley Auditor-Controller-Clerk-Recorder -- No Endorsement, please see write-up Assessor -- Don’t vote for Ron Thomsen Supervisor, District 3 -- No Endorsement, please see write-up Supervisor, District 2 -- No Endorsement, please see write-up Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools -- No Endorsement, please see write-up County Offices Judge, Superior Court Seat 9 -- Dual endorsement, vote for either Louis Goodman or Victoria Kolakowski Judicial Office State Superinetendent of Public Instruction -- Larry Aceves Insurance Commissioner -- William Balderston Attorney General -- Peter Allen Treasurer -- Charles “Kit” Crittenden Controller -- Ross Frankel of State -- Secretary Ann Menasche Lieutenant Governor -- Jimi Castillo Governor -- Which Green should oppose Brown & Whitman? Please see our write-up. State Offices U.S. Representative, District 10 -- Jeremy Cloward U.S. Representative, District 9 -- David Heller U.S. Senator -- Duane Roberts Federal Offices Clip and bring with you to the polls (and photocopy for your friends?!). District 1 -- Joaquin Rivera Property Printed on Recycled Paper by Union Labor Tax -- No OAKLAND, CA U. S. POSTAGE PRESORT STD Permit no. 2508 PAID ty, an affiliate of the Green Party of California the ty,Green Party an affiliate of Alameda Coun- the Green Party of A publication of

Fremont • Hayward Livermore • Newark Oakland reen Piedmont • Pleasanton San Leandro • Union City Alameda • Albany • Berkeley Dublin Emeryville voter guide for the thinking voter vote Voter Card ...... Back page Green News ...... 10, 11 Green Party County Council ...... 9 County Offices ...... 7, 8 Local Measures ...... 1, 7 Superior Court Judge ...... 5 State Propositions ...... 1, 6 Federal Offices...... 5 Statewide Offices ...... 1, 3 Index Primary Election June 8, 2010