Preparing for an election year!

Members attending the PDC Retreat on Saturday 8/15 decided on election work as top priority for the coming year. Seven proposals for activities were considered, evaluated, and accepted.  Next, all the proposals will be analyzed at the next PDC Executive Committee meeting to determine the feasibility of taking on the work involved in accomplishing them, and to develop a plan of action that will  further our progressive agenda and fit within our capacity to be successful.

See the proposals below: Committee on State Ballot Measures, Long Range Election Work, Volunteers to Assist in SCCS Parcel Tax Campaign, and Candidate/Official Commitment to Climate Mobilization.

Two actions not directly addressing election work are …

Goal:  To have candidates and elected officials learn about the Climate Mobilization movement and commit to make it part of their platform in the 2016 election.

Description of Project:  First a presentation will be made to the PDC retreat by Pauline Seales of 350, detailing the Climate Mobilization movement. This movement demands a WWII level mobilization to fight climate change and save civilization. Local elected officials and future candidates will be approached through meetings with staff. City, county, state and national officials will be included.

After the officials/candidates have a few weeks to consider the details, we will set up a media covered "Pledge Event" where candidates can publically take the pledge to engage in climate action on a World War 2 mobiliz…

Annual award given to community leader "dedicated to the development of young leadership for justice and community empowerment", accompanied by $250 scholarship award to be presented by the recipient to a young leader. 

 (In other words two recipients, a mentor and a "mentee": the primary one chosen by us who works with young activists, and the second a young activist chosen by the recipient.  Probably but not exclusively immigrant community activists.)

Political rationale:  Given our own demographic composition -- and the emerging Latino majority in California, and especially the key role of young immigrant community activists -- it's a high priority for the PDC to nurture and strengthen our ties with young activists especially in the immigrant community…

Goal of project:  Affordable Housing Now! (AHN!)  will  motivate government officials in Santa Cruz County to acknowledge the housing crisis and take strong actions to alleviate the problem through multiple approaches to increasing the availability of affordable housing for low and middle-income residents of the County.

How would this PDC "partnership"  be accomplished?   

The PDC would be represented on the AHN!  Task Force (essentially the steering committee) by at least one member who we need to recruit to replace Gail and Nancy who will chair sub-committees of the Task Force.  The Task Force is currently meeting weekly, but will soon reduce the frequency.

The campaign has four subcommittees: education, advocacy, legislation, and housing expe…

1. Goal: Elect progressives to the Santa Cruz City Council and other offices by long-range election work with students, NAACP, other Democratic and community groups and campaigns

2.  Project description:  Elections are PDC's basic work, and other projects should have to stand in line if we don't have elections in hand. Bernie is starting early for 2016, and we can, too, including for the council. There is a lot of work that can be done the year ahead and months ahead. 

One task is to get the students of UCSC and Cabrillo involved in voting. Last year was the worst youth vote percentage turnout since WW ll, and I can't see that our local youth were an exception. Yet we did virtually nothing to go for that "low hanging fruit" and get out the student vo…

Goal:  To pass two essential parcel taxes for SCCS to support small class size, arts, music, outdoor science and Life Lab, counseling, libraries and athletics, on November 17.

Description of Project:  PDC volunteers would participate in the parcel tax campaigns. PDC would get regular updates on the campaign (from Casey or Barry)

PDC would contribute funds for the campaign.

Rationale/Impact:  SCCS is considered a "loser" in the new LCFF State funding formula and would not be able to maintain vital programs for students without the parcel taxes. We are one of a very few school districts that kept credentialed librarians and counselors in our school district. Community support will be really important in getting the word out about this election as it is a special…

Be Part of the Action!

Join forces with your neighbors to advocate preserving and developing affordable housing for moderate to low income residents of Santa Cruz County.

Saturday, August 29

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

St. Philip's Episcopal Church 

(5271 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley)

Learn local City/County plans to address the housing crisis, hear about potential State funding sources, and become involved in the movement for Affordable Housing Now!

Special guests:

Host:  Rev. Mary Blessing, St. Philip's Episcopal Church

Supervisor Bruce McPherson

Julie Conway, Housing Planning Manager, S.C. County

Katherine Donovan, Sr. Planner, S.C. City Planning

Stephanie Aguilar, Scotts Valley City Council

Assemblymember Mark Stone

Also:  reports on innovative programs:

•   &nbs…

The increasing affordable housing crisis diminishes the quality of life in our community and the lives of each of us.  We can make a difference.  These are our goals:

1.      Advocate for most efficient use of urban infill sites as limited community resource

a.   Employee housing on institutional sites

b.   Maximize the benefits of remaining housing sites within the urban areas, including evaluating appropriate densities

2.      Encourage mixed use housing developments, particularly along transit corridors and hubs in urban areas and rural village areas

a.   Underutilized existing commercial properties and parking lots

b.   Encourage mixed use developments

3.      Encourage…

Message from Coucilmember Matthews.   The ADU program was created over 20 years ago to help add small, affordable rental units to the City's housing stock. But now, with the rise of the "sharing economy," owners of many ADUs have decided to rent them for short-term/vacation stays (like airbnb) instead of rental housing, because they can make more money from them that way. Speak up to protect this program!

*Please contact the City Council immediately. Ask them to support the requirement that ADUs be restricted to use as residential rentals, not short-term/vacation stays. Email the council at citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com.

*Please also plan to come to the City Council on Tuesday, August 25 at 3:30 pm, and be prepared to speak. It's essential that the voice of ho…

Our next Executive Committee meeting will be held in the DCC office at the Galleria. The major item on the agenda will be developing an action plan to incorporate the proposals generated and approved at the retreat.

All members invited to attend and help decide how to prioritize our time and energy in preparation for the 2016 election year.

Other items:

• Fundraising Committee Report

• Treasurer's Report

• Membership Report

• September PDC agenda items

6:00pm Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Democratic Headquarters - Suite 165 the Galleria
740 Front Street, ground floor

As kids head back to school, DPR director attempts to downplay risks of fumigant pesticide 1,3-D (Telone)

Sacramento, CA - August 24, 2015

Late Friday, state officials responded - and again signaled delay - on implementing restrictions for the use of the cancer-causing pesticide Telone. This comes on the heals of repeated requests to end the practice of "banking" allowances for hazardous pesticide use from year-to-year. And across the state, children are returning to school, some of them in very close proximity to fields where heavy amounts of the Telone are used. 

"California officials are treating cancer-causing pesticides like cell phone minutes. Despite clear evidence that they exceed state-mandated safety levels, they have allowed growers to bank or roll-over Telone …

Campaign Committee Training and first phone night:

Tuesday, September 8, 5 to 8pm                                                                                                                       Campaign Headquarters - Santa Cruz Democratic Headquarters                                             …