The Voter. Coming up: The League of Women Voters. April Volume 15, No.4

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1 The Voter The League of Women Voters of Sonoma County Volume 15, No.4 Inside Page 2 President s Message Page 3 Lunch With The League Voter Service Report Page 4 Board Briefs Prop 16 Meeting Page 5 Book Group New Member Profiles Page 6-7 Directory Updates Back Page Calendar Coming up: The VOTER usually features one or two important events for the month on the front page. This April, however, is filled with pre-election forums. Below is a schedule of our forums for the June election followed by a list of events that we are co-sponsoring and the announcement of our annual meeting. Date/Time Place Race Monday, April 12, 7:00 pm Santa Rosa City Council Chambers 100 Santa Rosa Ave. Santa Rosa California Assembly, District 7 Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 pm Monday, April 26, 7:00-8:30 pm Monday, April 26, 7:30 pm Monday, May 3, 6:30-9 pm Petaluma City Council Chambers 11 English Street Petaluma Glaser Center 547 Mendocino Ave Santa Rosa Raven Theater 512 North Healdsburg Glaser Center 547 Mendocino Ave Santa Rosa District 2 County Supervisor District Attorney District 4 County Supervisor Sonoma County Judges In addition to our election forums League is co-sponsor three upcoming events: An advocacy meeting to explain the ins and outs of Proposition 16, Wednesday, March 31, 5-7:30 pm at the Glaser Center. See page 4 for more information. A kick-off rally for the local campaign in support of Proposition 15 (Fair Elections), April 10 from 3 to 5 pm. The location is as yet to be determined. Check the calendar on our League website later. A workshop on waste, climate change and business to be held in the Santa Rosa City Council Chambers on a date yet to be determined. See page 4 for details on the content of the workshop, and check the website for the date. Annual Meeting, May 29, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm

2 Volume 15, No. 4 The Voter The League of Women Voters of Sonoma County 555 Fifth St., Suite 300 O Santa Rosa, CA league@lwvsonoma.org See CONTACT US page to our directors. Directors on the Executive Committee Chlele Gummer, President Alice Richardson, VP Administration Lynda Hungerford,Voter Editor Willard Richards, Secretary Ethel Schy, Membership Directors Elisabeth Hawthorne, Program Co-Chair Susannah Likins, Treasurer Anita Lytle, Voter Service Co-Chair Gloria Norton, At Large Nancy Richards, Program Co-Chair Muriel Smith, Voter Service Co-Chair President s Message Hi Members: We are looking towards the June election in the Candidate Forums and the Pros/Cons Presentations that we sponsor. Below are excerpts [bracketed] from the State League s update regarding some important propositions. [Prop. 11 Threatened Yes! You read that right! Even before the Citizens Redistricting Commission is implemented, forces are moving to get rid of it. The LWVC opposes the socalled FAIR Act initiative that would undo Proposition 11 by eliminating the Citizens Redistricting Commission and giving the authority to draw state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization seats back to the legislature. Although the official proponent of the initiative is UCLA law professor Daniel Lowenstein, the real force behind the measure is Rep. Howard Berman. Donations to qualify the initiative for the ballot have been made by members of Congress from California and former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. Tell your friends and family to refuse to sign petitions for this outrageous attempt to put redistricting back into the hands of politicians who want to continue to draw their own districts. ] [ Yes Fair Elections: Support Proposition 15 The League is co chair of the campaign to pass Proposition 15, the California Fair Elections Act, on the June 2010 ballot. The measure will create a pilot project to make voluntary public financing available to Secretary of State candidates in 2014 and Prop 15 will get politicians out of the fundraising game so they will focus on California s priorities. Elections should be won, not bought by special interests.] [VI. No on Prop. 16 New Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers Proposition 16 would drastically limit your choices of who provides you with electricity and makes it easier for the for-profit utilities in California to raise your electricity rates. Communities that want to expand service by a public utility or set up a new Community Choice Aggregation program (CCA), in which they buy green energy at affordable prices and resell it locally to ratepayers, will find this nearly impossible to do under Prop. 16 s supermajority vote requirement. The LWVC opposes this vote requirement that would allow a minority to prevent decisions on electric supply favored by a majority. PG&E, the largest for-profit utility in the state, is the sole sponsor of Prop. 16 and would benefit from this measure s stifling of competition. The impact would be fewer choices and thus higher rates for consumers, and fewer opportunities for local agencies to offer renewable green power. For more information, visit the opposition campaign s Web site.] These updates of the LWVC come every month. LW- VUS sends out an update every week. Both levels have become more dependent upon internet use to educate their members. LWVUS is on Facebook as well. Chlele Gummer 2

3 The Voter Volume 15, No. 4 Lunch with the League Voter Service On March 3, Jake Mackenzie, who attended the December Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, recounted lessons learned there for League members at our annual Lunch with the League. We emerged understandubg just how important local efforts are to progress. It is here at the local level that we are demonstrating how carbon levels can be reduced, and it here, right now, that real progress is being made. Mission The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. We do not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. We do, however, take action on selected government issues in the public interest. 3 For the Voter Service Committe, the election is at hand and in hand. Our outreach committee under Nancy Richardson is stocking locations throughout the county with voter registration forms so that people can register to vote before the May 24 deadline. In addition, we have organized five local candidate forums for candidates so that all voters will be more informed when they cast their ballots. Because more than half of Sonoma County voters cast their ballots by mail, we schedule our forums as early as possible, giving voters the opportunity to attend them before mailing their ballots. The dates, times and locations are on page 1 and on the forums page of our website. We ask for your help and welcome your attendance at any of these forums. We need timers, greeters, questions runners and others. No task is too small or insignificant. If you can help or have any questions, please contact Anita Lytle or Muriel Smith The League makes presentations, on request, on the pros and cons of ballot measures. If you are interested in learning how to present pros and cons, please join us with Amy Southwick at 11:00 am on Thursday April 8 in the League office, following the 10 am Voter Service meeting. Anita Lytle alytle@sonic.net The VOTER, a publication of The League of Women Voters of Sonoma County is published monthly except during the summer, i.e. ten regular issues per year. The deadline is the 10th of the month preceding the issue month.

4 Volume 15, No. 4 The Voter Board Briefs March 4, 2010 Board Meeting Guest Colleen Schultz, described local activities in support of the California Fair Elections Act, Proposition 15. This proposition is a pilot project for the public financing of election campaigns and would provide public financing for the campaign for California Secretary of State. Ms. Schultz asked for advice on a rally in Santa Rosa on April 10 or 11. The Board agreed to co-sponsor the rally and to provide $50 for expenses. Treasurer Susannah Likins will work with Susan Gorin to audit the books and to prepare a budget for The Board approved a request from Smart Voter for $500 to support their voter information website. Chlele Gummer will be our designated delegate at the May 16 and 17 LWVC State Council. The Board discussed what to recommend to the members at the annual meeting as the item for emphasis for the coming year. Climate change and campaign finance rules for the County elections were considered. Anita Lytle volunteered to host a table at the March 6 Environmental Awards Banquet and to find someone else to help. The Board agreed to spend $32 per night to have a table to register voters at the Santa Rosa Downtown Market on May 19 and August 18. Contact Chlele Gummer if you wish to help with a table. Program co-chair Liz Hawthorne would like to go forward with working with Portia Sinnott of Zero Waste Sonoma County on a forum on the green house gas consequences of waste. The board agreed to co-sponsor the event and to contribute $50 toward expenses. Willard Richards, Secretary Prop 16 Renata Brillinger of the Climate Protection Campaign will describe Sonoma County efforts to green our electric supply and the implications of Proposition 16 on Wednesday, March 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino, Santa Rosa. Sponsored by PG&E, Proposition 16 would amend the constitution to require a two-thirds vote for a city, special district, or community choice aggregation to spend public money to investigate or implement a non-profit power option such as a community choice aggregation. In addition to the Climate Protection Campaign and our local League, the Seventh Principle Working Group of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Santa Rosa is sponsoring the event. The League of Women Voters of California opposes Prop 16. For fun and a sense of community, we would appreciate your bringing something to share finger food or something to drink. Please feel free to invite others to this event. Waste, Climate Change, and Local Businesses Waste reduction is one of the eight key strategies on California s roadmap to reaching our greenhouse gas reduction goals mandated by AB 32. As soon as next year a series of measures will be implemented that will move us toward reduced landfill methane emissions, higher recycling and zero waste including mandatory commercial recycling. Let s use these coming mandates now to get ahead of the curve, to prepare our business community, and move toward a system in which every product is repairable, reusable, compostable or recyclable. To further that goal, Zero Waste Sonoma County, 4

5 The Voter Volume 15, No. 4 the LWVSC, Sonoma County Conservation Council, and the Sierra Club, Sonoma Group, are joining forces to present the workshop The Climate Impacts of Waste and Local Green Business Opportunities. Speakers include Mark Gagliardi, City of Oakland, Zero Waste Program and Chair of the California Resource Recovery Association Recyclers Global Warming Council and Timonie Hood of US EPA Region 9. In addition North Bay Disposal, Global Materials Recovery Services, and the Sonoma County Green Business Program have been asked to send representatives. The workshop will be held in the Santa Rosa City Council Chambers, City Hall, Suite 10, 100 Santa Rosa Avenue at Sonoma Avenue in late April or early May. Please watch the calendar page of the League website for the date. Portia Sinnott Zero Waste Sonoma County Book Group League members and the public are invited to join the book group at 10:30 am, Thursday, April 15 to discuss George Lakoff s The Political Mind: Why You Can t Understand 21 st -Century American Politics with an 18 th -Century Brain. The group meets in the conference room immediately opposite the elevator on the third floor of 555 Fifth Street, Santa Rosa. Lakoff is Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Rockridge Institute. He is author of Don t Think of an Elephant!, Moral Politics, Whose Freedom?, and coauthor of Thinking Points: A Progressive s Handbook, as well as many books and articles on cognitive science and linguistics. In The Political Mind Lakoff argues that voters are often irrational and he offers a method for countering the framing of the arguments that are presented to them. The book group meets on the third Thursday of the month, except for July and December. You can download the 2010 schedule for the book group from the calendar page of the local League website. If you have questions about the group, please call or send me a message. Lynda Hungerford lh@sonic.net New Member Profiles Joni Goshorn writes: I moved to Sonoma County in the fall of 1986 as an exchange student from the University of Montana to Sonoma State University. I began working in accounting while I waited to become a resident of California for more affordable tuition, and somehow it was not until 2004 when I got my Real Estate license then finally received my BA in Environmental Studies and Planning in My brief work as an Environmental Planner for a small local firm made me realize just how important community involvement and activism really are. I am now a Realtor and self employed bookkeeper working from home. My 14 year old daughter and I live in Santa Rosa, and she attends Santa Rosa High School in the Performance Arts program of Art Quest. Although I have always relied on the League of Women Voter s website to assist me with making my decisions on the ballot; I feel that the time has come for me to take a more active role in my community. It is for this reason that I have decided to actively join the League as a member. I also volunteer for the Sonoma County Conservation Council as their bookkeeper, and I am happy to have the opportunity to represent the League at SCCC meetings. I also am on the Executive Com- 5

6 Volume 15, No. 4 The Voter mittee of the Sierra Club, and volunteer with other organizations on occasion as well. I try to balance all the time I have to spend on the computer by getting outside when I can, whether it is just a short bike ride along Santa Rosa Creek, or a hike up in Annadel. I welcome any suggestions from members. Feel free to write to me at jonsikay@yahoo. com. Thank you. Amy Howder-Thompson Amy Howder-Thompson s many interests have resulted in diverse experiences such as work with Juvenile Diversion and Drug Abuse Prevention programs in Santa Cruz County. In Sonoma County she followed her passion for education by working in various departments and programs at Santa Rosa Junior College. Her interest in practical as well as academic learning has prompted her to volunteer at the Girls & Boys Club and the Meth Task Force in Cloverdale. She also volunteers with the Sonoma County Drug Abuse Alternatives Center in their Drug Court and Perinatal programs. Additionally, she has founded the nonprofit Education & Beyond focusing on conflict resolution, restorative practices, and nonviolent communication. Amy joined our League after attending a meeting on climate change. At that meeting she learned about our Juvenile Justice Interest Group, in which she has participated. The parent of a 12 year old, she agreed to be our representative to the Sonoma County Child Care Planning Council. Now she is also serving as the Co-Chair of our Nominating Committee! Amy says, It is a true gift to serve the League, and I look forward to growing with the League as we tackle a diverse range of public policy issues. If you have joined in the last couple of years and have not been profiled, don t be bashful. Instead, contact Ethel Schy, Gale de Long Gale was born and raised in Napa and attended public schools there. She attended University of the Pacific for two years and graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Sociology. She is married with two grown sons and two grandchildren. She is happy that her extended family lives locally. Gale has worked at Macy s and also been a customer service representative for several publishing companies. She has been retired for ten years. Gale is mostly interested in local issues and is a member of Concerned Citizens as well as a long time member of Sonoma County Conservation Action. She observes many City Council meetings, and she has also worked on some local campaigns. She is interested in joining our Book Group and possibly helping with some of the forums and candidates nights our League will be hosting in the upcoming election cycle. She has contributed to LWVUS for many years and now would like to become more knowledgeable about the League on the local level. Directory Updates New Local Members Shirley Sullivan 5374 Gold Drive Santa Rosa timnshirl@aol.com Barbara Kirk 488 Shooting Star Place Santa Rosa, CA barbkirk@earthlink.net Cheryl Maynard P.O. Box 18 Jenner cmaynard@sonic.net

7 Enriqueta Lavarta 109 Fair Avenue Petaluma Yvette Fallandy 2928 Bardy Road Santa Rosa New Members at Large Adele Pickar 80 Aspen Meadow Circle Santa Rosa,CA Julia Donoho 8593 Zinfandel Windsor, CA The Voter Volume 15, No. 4 League of Women Voters of Sonoma Name Address City Zip Telephone Fax Yes, I want to join the League of Women Voters. Enclosed is my check for dues ($60.00 for individual annual membership, $90.00 for household, and $40.00 for limited income). The membership year is July 1 to June 30. Please mail check to LWV Sonoma County, 555 Fifth Street. Suite 300 O, Santa Rosa, CA Thank you. I am interested in the following areas: Program Membership Speakers Bureau Social Policy Natural Resources Voters Service Newsletter Fundraising Cable TV Smart Voter Community Outreach Website

8 The League Of Women Voters OF Sonoma County 555 Fifth Street, Suite 300 O Santa Rosa, CA Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Santa Rosa CA Permit No. 65 Return Service Requested Time Dated Material Calendar Unless otherwise noted, meetings are open to the public. Please see page 1 for candidate forums Date Time Place Description Wednesday, March 31 5 to 7:30 pm Glaser Center Prop 16 meeting Thursday, April 1 10:00 am The Conference Room* Board meeting Thursday, April 8 10:00 am The Conference Room* Voter Service Meeting Saturday, April pm TBA Prop 15 Rally Thursday, April 15 10:30 am to noon The Conference Room* Book Group Thursday, April 15 1:00 to 3:00 pm The Conference Room* Nominating Committee Meeting Thursday, April 15 3:30 to 5:00 pm 151 Second Street, Petaluma Petaluma Unit Meeting. Thursday, April am to noon The Conference Room* Advocacy Meeting Late April or early TBA Santa Rosa City Council Waste, Climate, & Local Business Workshop May Chambers Saturday, May 29 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Canine Companions for Independence Annual Meeting with County Administrator Veronica Ferguson as speaker. *The Conference Room is opposite the elevator on the third floor of 555 Fifth Street, Santa Rosa. Check out the League website, for current dates and time for meetings and for back issues of The VOTER.