Tag: elections

Candidates for Federal, State and Local Office, 11-5-2024

Federal

President/Vice-President- Kamala Harris/Tim Walz. I would like to continue having elections.

US Senate, Full and Partial Term- Adam Schiff. Steve Garvey is not qualified to be a US Senator.

US House, District 8- John Garamendi. He’s done a good job and works to keep the community informed.

State

State Senator, District 7- Jovanka Beckles. She’s represented Contra Costa well in various roles over the years, and has not taken contributions from FOX News.

Member of the State Assembly, District 14- Buffy Wicks. I dislike her choice to block single-payer healthcare, but I do not feel that Margot Smith knows enough at this point to be an effective Assembly member.

Local

Contra Costa Board of Education, District 1- Anthony Caro. Anthony knows the challenges the district faces through his family and personal experience, and has the skills and connections to work to resolve them.

Council Member, City of Pinole (choose 2)- Christy Lam-Julian and Devin Murphy. Through my time working with Christy on the Pinole Planning Commission, I have seen her dedication to the community and focus on engaging with it. Devin has been an excellent Council member and mayor- fighting for what our city needs, even at the cost of severe criticism, He also has done direct work to improve communication between the city and the community through the Beat of Pinole video series.

Treasurer, City of Pinole- Rafael Menis. I think that our city needs to have its finances be more accessible, so that we can hold the city accountable. I think that my experience working with the city as a planning commissioner, reviewing budgets and warrants, and education make me the best qualified to do this.

East Bay Municipal Utility District Director, Ward 1- Anthony Tave. Anthony has the necessary education as a civil engineer, and has demonstrated his focus on water issues through several projects he has worked on in his role as a city council member, such as recycling the city’s wastewater.

Proposition and Ballot Measure recommendations, 11-5-2024 election

Proposition 2- Yes. We need to fund educational infrastructure, and the benefit is future-oriented enough to justify the increased future-costs of a bond. (text link here)

Proposition 3- Yes. Proposition 8 was bigotry, and it’s long past time for it to be removed. (text link here)

Proposition 4- Yes. Water, wildfire protection and climate adaptation hardening are necessary, and the benefits are future-oriented enough to justify the increased future-costs of a bond. (text link here)

Proposition 5- Yes. We have had a 55% threshold for many bonds and it hasn’t lead to catastrophe, and requiring super-majority approval of 66.7% is itself undemocratic. (text link here)

Proposition 6- Yes. Slavery is bad. (text link here)

Proposition 32- Yes. The minimum wage would arguably still be too low (see the fact that the fast food minimum is $20), but it’s a start. (text link here)

Proposition 33- Yes. Cities should have the municipal power to decide whether to have rent control or not. (text link here)

Proposition 34- NO. It’s a bill of attainder (a legislative act imposing a punishment on one person without due process of law), and those are unconstitutional.(text link here)

Proposition 35- Yes. Making sure that a tax for funding Medi-Cal remains and is used for that purpose is worthwhile. (text link here)

Proposition 36- No. There are portions of this I could support, but the combined impact of all the elements of this proposition would undermine the very treatments it seeks to mandate, as the legislative analysis (here) and the arguments against (here) note. What good is treatment mandated prosecution if you’ve cut all funds for treatment? (text link here)

For Pinole- Measure I- Yes. The city needs the funds, and without them will need to make immediate cuts to police and public works, or slash the city’s reserves. It’s not going to be the last tax measure needed, but it is a necessary one.