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Guide can be viewed at:http://www.theballot.org/2008/edie

A Super Historic Election, according to Edie Irons

East Bay, CA

November 4, 2008

I've been a friend and member of the League since 2004, and involved with Democratic politics in the East Bay since 2003. I've been the president of the East Bay Young Democrats, a board member of the local National Women's Political Caucus, and a delegate to the California Democratic Party. I'm totally stoked about Obama, and I'm involved in Party politics to try and move the Democrats in a more progressive direction. These are my thoughts on the upcoming election.

Not complete yet! And for more info on props, see the League's guide at /ca instead of /edie.

Proposition 1A - High Speed Rail from SF to LA

Endorsed Vote: Yes

This is a no-brainer. Super expensive, but totally necessary. It'll cut down on driving and flying and gas consumption, and it will be really fast.

Proposition 2 - Humane treatment of farm animals

Endorsed Vote: Yes

This prop will ensure that farm animals in confinement have enough room to turn around and lick their butts. I mean, shouldn't they at least have that one pleasure in their sad, miserable lives? Animals are people too!

Proposition 3 - Children's hospitals

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

I don't really know about this one. It would only help for-profit hospitals, but that includes Oakland Children's. A lot of good folks are against it. I guess I'm voting no, but I'm not sure why.

Proposition 4 - Puts teens at risk, erodes choice

Endorsed Vote: No

This one would require notification of a parent or family member before a minor could have an abortion. For most folks I know, this is obviously a bad idea. But if you wonder about it, or know someone on the fence, the problem with Prop 4 is that it mandates good family communication in law, when not all families in California can actually have that conversation. That puts a lot of young women - especially those from abusive homes, rape victims, and other vulnerable teens - at risk. Most teens DO talk to their parents or family before getting an abortion, but for those who CAN'T, why should they be forced to get a judge's permission (and imagine scared pregnant minors in the situations I just named actually having the wherewithal to go through the legal process) to exercise their rights over their own bodies?

Better to improve sex ed and strengthen families in other ways (like by connecting the minimum wage to the cost of living!) than to legislate how families do or don't communicate.

Proposition 5 - Rehabilitation for nonviolent drug offenders

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

Groups I trust support this one. It reduces consequences for nonviolent drug offenses and increases resources for treatment of those offenders.

Proposition 6 - Criminalizes youth and grows prisons

Endorsed Vote: No

This is a seriously messed up proposition. It takes money away from schools and puts it towards prisons, increases sentences for "gang-related" crimes, and would increase the number of young people of color in the prison system. Fuck that. It's sponsored and funded by some crazy law and order republican, State Senator George Runner.

Proposition 7 - Badly written energy policy

Endorsed Vote: No

This bill would set impossible requirements for utilities to switch to renewable energy methods. All the major environmental groups are against it.

Proposition 8 - Eliminates my right to get married

Endorsed Vote: No

This prop is hateful and discriminatory. It moves California backwards by eliminating basic rights and equality for queer people. Don't just vote against it, donate money and time: www.noon8.org

Proposition 9 - "Victim's rights" in this case means taking away rights for convicts

Endorsed Vote: No

This would allow victims and families to attend parole hearings, lengthen prison terms, and limit the use of parole. It's unjust and expensive and unnecessary.

Proposition 10 - Rich guy wants cars to run on natural gas he owns

Endorsed Vote: No

T Boone Pickens owns the majority of all natural gas in North America, and he's funding this proposition to promote research, development, production, and purchase of natural gas vehicles. Um, that's not renewable energy. Major environmental and labor groups are against it.

Proposition 11 - Redistricting

Endorsed Vote: No

So damn complicated, with enough fishy stuff that I'm voting No, but this isn't a strong endorsement. It creates a supposedly apolitical civilian commission to redraw legislative districts in the state with the goal of making them more competitive. Not sure if it will be successful or if I want that to happen. Also, it doesn't seem like the commission would really be accountable to anybody, and some of them are chosen by a governor appointee.

Proposition 12 - Home loans for veterans

Endorsed Vote: Yes

This is a good idea anyway, lord knows vets have earned some help from us, but it's also just a continuation of an existing program. So voting no would be cutting needed services for veterans at a time when they need it most.

Berkeley Measure FF

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Yes to libraries! This is a bond for capital improvements to all Berkeley's branch libraries, some of which haven't been renovated since they were built in the 1930s. It'll only cost homeowners $27 a year, and it is definitely needed. It needs 2/3 to pass, so tell your friends!

Berkeley Measure GG

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Tax for fire department and emergency services.

Berkeley Measure HH

Endorsed Vote: Yes

This is just a continuation of a tax for basic city and emergency services. We needs it!

Berkeley MEasure II

Endorsed Vote: Yes

This one just gives the city a little more time to redraw city council district lines after a census. There is no opposition.

Berkeley Measure JJ

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Streamlines processes for medical marijuana distributors. Fine by me. This was passed by the voters before but got caught up in court on a recount. It has no opposition.

Berkeley Measure KK

Endorsed Vote: No

This measure would require any transit plan that involved changing the number of lanes of traffic to receive voter approval. It's being floated by opponents of Bus Rapid Transit, and it's very bad public policy. There will be a process for getting public input on BRT, but this might jeopardize the whole project by delaying approval so long that we lose state money available to pay for the project. Bottom line is that BRT is fast and green and cost-effective, and we shouldn't kill that project and hamstring future public transit projects just because some nimbys don't want to lose a lane of traffic for their cars.

Berkeley Measure LL

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Landmark preservation ordinance. I need to study up on this more, but all the electeds I trust say Yes, and the one I don't (Shirley Dean) says No. So I say yes! Let me know if you have a better argument than this.

Oakland Measure N

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

This is supposed to provide more funding for teachers in Oakland through a parcel tax. The Oakland Teachers Association is against it because 15% of the money would go to charter schools (since 15% of kids in OUSD go to charter schools). I'm not a fan of charter schools, but I'm not sure that kids who go there shouldn't get highly paid quality teachers. More on this later.

Oakland Measure OO

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

This one would mandate a certain percentage of money from Oakland's general fund be spent on youth programs, which sounds nice, but it's a perfect example of why budgeting from the ballot box is a bad idea. It would take money away from other vital city services in a time when the city is strapped across the board. These programs are already funded to the tune of $10 million, this would increase the funding to about $26 million by 2011-12. Funding for youth programs is important, but I don't want it to come at the expense of funding for the arts, senior citizens, public safety, parks and rec, etc. The entire city council and the mayor are against this program. The school board president and probably some other school board members are for it.

Oakland Measure NN

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

This one adds more money for police in Oakland. Folks against it point out that the police department is totally dysfunctional and doesn't use resources well, and that it has taken a long-ass time to recruit and train the extra cops mandated by Measure Y. Folks for it argue that even now that we are finally within reach of fulfilling Measure Y's mandate, there still are not enough cops in the city. Everyone agrees that public safety and violent crime is the a huge problem. I'm going with no endorsement, because a lot of people I know and respect are voting No, but Rebecca Kaplan is supporting it. I agree that we need more cops, but I also think the OPD needs to get its shit together. You decide!

Oakland City Council At-Large

This is the city council seat that serves the whole city of Oakland. It's an open seat, currently held by Henry Chang. Time to get an effective progressive voice in there to help break the deadlock on the council and make good things happen for Oakland.

Rebecca Kaplan

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Rebecca is absolutely the choice for this race. She is solidly progressive, known for being able to navigate differences of opinions and broker compromises, and is hard-working and down-to-earth. Exactly what we need on the Oakland City Council, and well-suited to the At-Large seat. She currently serves in an at-large capacity on the AC Transit board, and has been a unifying, positive voice there. She is best suited to serve the whole diverse city of Oakland, and she'll be a breath of fresh air on the council.

Rebecca recently switched from being a Green to being a Democrat, which I think is great. I'm glad she received endorsements from Democratic clubs and the Alameda County Democratic Party, because it sends a message that progressives have a home in the Party. Rebecca, like so many folks with similar values this year, has been inspired to come back and help make the Party what it should be, and I think that bodes well for Democratic politics.

Now, identity politics are not usually my thing. But Rebecca would be the first out lesbian city councilmember in Oakland, which has more queer women per capita than most other places on the planet. She'd also be the youngest sitting councilmember. I support her anyway, but those things are important.

Berkeley Mayor

Tom Bates

Endorsed Vote: Yes

I like Tom Bates because he's super green and I think he's realistic about development issues in Berkeley. He's for denser, transit-oriented development, which his opponent is openly against. Everybody might not want a multi-unit apartment building next to their house, but most people in Berkeley will not have that problem. Where it makes sense, I think we need to do it. Tom Bates agrees, but with plenty of due process to make projects as palatable to as many people as possible and get input from neighborhoods. Also, I've heard from a lot of folks who know Berkeley politics well that when Shirley Dean was mayor before she had a very antagonistic style with the city council and other folks in city hall. He has been endorsed by six of the seven current councilmembers, and the seventh has NOT endorsed Dean.

Berkeley City Council

Darryl Moore

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Darryl is a good councilmember, plenty progressive, and very open and accessible. I haven't heard any compelling arguments against him, and his opponent is a Peace and Freedom Party member who is always running for office but never a serious candidate.

Jesse Arreguin

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Jesse is running in perhaps the most competitive council race, District 4. The seat is vacant since Dona Spring passed away. Jesse has been the president of the Berkeley Rent Board, he sits on the Zoning Adjustment Board, and he is an aide to Kriss Worthington (current councilmember not up for reelection). He's super progressive, in his mid-twenties, and very thoughtful and well-qualified. He'd be the youngest city councilmember ever, and in a city with so many young people, that's extra important.

Susan Wengraf

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Susan is the chief of staff for outgoing city councilmember Betty Olds. She knows the issues inside and out, knows how to get things done and get along with everybody. I've seen both Susan and her opponent speak, and she's the clear choice.

Max Anderson

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Running unopposed.

Laurie Capitelli or Sophie Hahn

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

Reasons to support Laurie Capitelli: Folks I know in District 5 say he's doing a good job, I like his position on smart growth and transit-oriented development, he's got the right endorsements.

Sophie Hahn is a newcomer with a lot of energy running a strong campaign, but it gives me pause that she's endorsed by Shirley Dean. I get the impression she's on the more conservative (i.e. "let's keep everything the way it is") side of development issues.

AC Transit Board

Christian Peeples

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Chris is one of the most knowledgeable public transit experts in the state. He is totally open and accessible and responsive and progressive. His opponent is a single-issue candidate who seems totally unqualified next to him. He has every endorsement under the sun.

Greg Harper

Endorsed Vote: Yes

I haven't heard any reasons not to vote for this incumbent, and I have no idea who his opponent is. OK, so I just read that the other guy is being charged by county prosecutors with lying about living in the district.

Peralta Community College Board Trustee

This is the board that oversees/runs things at Laney, Merritt, Berkeley City College, and the College of Alameda.

Marlon McWilson

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Marlon is a solid guy with an amazing story of overcoming great adversity, going to college, and succeeding in life. He's devoted his working life to education and youth empowerment. He understands education issues and the challenges that community college students face. He's been endorsed by my friends on this board.

Marcie Hodge

Endorsed Vote: No

This is the one time I'm gonna go out on a limb and badmouth a candidate. I have never met Marcie Hodge, but I've never heard a good thing about her either. She misses board meetings, doesn't prepare for them, doesn't do committee work, and doesn't fight for or serve her district well. When asked what she wanted to do on the board she said lower fees, but any community college trustee knows that fees are set at the state level, not in the districts. Everyone I know who's involved with Peralta wants her out.

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