Author Archive: DPCCC Secretary

May District 3 Report Out

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From DPCCC’s District 3 Director Carolina Villaseca:

Congressman Jerry McNerney

Co-Sponsored the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Cost Now Act

  • Puts a cap on excessive Medicare costs.
  • Puts a cap on Medicare D costs.
  • Sets Fair prices for generic drugs.

Co-sponsored HR 20730 which amends the Higher Education Act of 1955

  • Ensures higher education for all.

Hosted 2 Town Halls

  • Disparity in Latino Health Care
  • IRS Tax Updates/Help

Asking for help to put pressure on Senators Kirsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.

  • SB1 John Lewis Voting Rights Bills and DC Statehood which cannot go through budget reconciliation.
  • Infrastructure budget (which is in committee right now but should come out in a couple of weeks)
  • The filibuster

County

  • The Board of Health is hosting pop-up walk-in clinics in an effort to get more people vaccinated. 
    • One very successful pop clinic was held in conjunction with Hijas del Campo where over 100 campesinos received vaccines.
  • Seated the Measure X Commission and began having meetings about the disbursal of funds.
  • BoE looking at LCAP goals, going through budget updates and graduations in May/June.

Local

  • Brentwood City Council is setting up a districting commission in anticipation of the census data. 
  • This process is being driven by Council member Jovita Mendoza.
  • Brentwood Union School District and most other TK-8 as well as High School Districts are all looking at how they will find students who have fallen through the cracks and help all students catch up next year.
  • All are expecting to go back full time in person.
  • Antioch is continuing their police reform work.
    • And celebrating Antioch High School Grad Najee Harris on his first-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
  • Oakley is busy looking for a new city manager as Mr. Montgomery went to Indio (their city council is questioning how he got the job) and a new Superintendent for the school as Mr. Hetrick has announced his retirement. 
  • Oakley Residents are putting the pressure on City Council to not approve a 2nd drive thru for a McDonald’s across the street from Laurel Elementary School

Clubs

  • Marsh Creek Democratic Club is planning on: 
    • an education campaign for advertisers who support Mike Burkholder’s website and racist blog, so they understand what the effect the blog is having including generating death threats against city council members. This includes BPD and PPD.
    • Call to action phone campaign to put the pressure on Senators Joe Manchin and Kirsten Sinema to vote with Democrats on the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill and the Infrastructure Bill.

Organizations

I introduced Hijas del Campo to Congressman McNerney. He and his campaign were looking to help out campesinos in Stockton. Hijas have been looking to start a chapter in Stockton to expand the work of vaccinating, bringing food, water, masks, etc. to campesinos. Value proposition!

Our Revolution Contra Costa has merged with Our Revolution East Bay and the new will be Our Revolution East Bay.

They held a virtual meeting/event on May 2 featuring several of the candidates for AD 18 to replace new CA AG Rob Bonta’s vacated seat.

Greenbelt Alliance is looking for input from Oakley residents to put pressure on city council not to approve up zoning (increasing population density) neighborhoods in their general plan. All input should be sent to Paul Seger. 

Committee report from the CADEM Virtual Convention

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The California Democratic Party (CDP, a.k.a. CADEM) held its spring 2021 convention virtually from April 29 to May 2. Here is a report of the recommended resolutions, legislative positions, and rules that came to the general delegate assembly from the Resolutions, Legislation, and Rules Committees.

Please note that although this report mostly reflects what CDP delegates ultimately approved at the conclusion of the convention, delegates did make a few changes. DPCCC will post the final decisions from the Convention when we are able to obtain them from CADEM.

District 4 Report May 2 to May 9

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From DPCCC’s District 4 Director Colleen Awad:

Upcoming Meetings

  • Concord City Council – May 4, 2021 at 6:30pm 
    • The Council is being requested to approve a resolution to replace the Rainbow (Pride) Flag at the Civic Center with a more expansive version, the “Progress Pride Flag,” to be flown throughout June. The resolution will declare June 2021 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Plus (LGBTQI+) month in the City of Concord and direct staff to fly the Progress Pride Flag at the Civic Center throughout June.
  • Walnut Creek City Council – May 4, 2021, at 6 pm
    • The Walnut Creek City Council will be examining the priority of Capital Improvement Projects for the next 10 years. They will also review the CDBG Action plan and the future support to provide to down businesses slated to reopen on June 15th. 
  • Clayton City Council will be meeting on May 4 at 7 pm
    • The City Council will be examining their outdoor cannabis cultivation ordinance.

2021 DPCCC FUNraiser Auction (May 14-23)

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Posted on behalf of Auction Chair Marilynn Schuyler:

Dear DPCCC Friends:

Last year’s auction was a great success, thanks to all of you.  It was so much fun, that we are doing it again!

The 2021 DPCCC FUNraiser Auction will run May 14-23, but before we begin, we need donations (see below) and volunteers to help deliver items at the close of the auction.

We will be accepting auction items through April 30.  

We welcome any donation that will fit in an envelope – gift certificates, posters, etc.  We will also accept books, bottles of wine & spirits, and other items that would be of interest to our community.  Other ideas include:

  • Vacation home rental
  • Homemade meal or dessert delivery
  • Boat ride on the Delta
  • Meal or Coffee with Elected Officials
  • A basket of items donated by a group (i.e. Marsh Creek Dems)
  • Airline or hotel points
  • Political Memorabilia 
  • Certificate for computer assistance, home repair, item assembly, or any other skill you have to offer
  • Anything else that you can be provided in certificate form (i.e. donated restaurant or activity certificate)

Please keep in mind that the opening bid on donated items will be set at half of the value of the item, and bidding often stops below the value of the item.

To donate an item(s), please contact Marilynn Schuyler at 703-675-8782 or Schuyler@SchuylerAAP.com to make arrangements for collection.  Please don’t hesitate to contact Marilynn with any questions regarding potential auction item(s).

Finally if you don’t wish to participate in the auction but would like to make a contribution to the DPCCC 2022 Campaign Unity Fund, the ActBlue link is: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2022campaignunityfund. 
The funds raised will be used to expand our efforts to ensure DEMOCRAT VICTORIES in our 2022 local and county elections!! Consider this as an investment in your Community, State and this Country!!

Marilynn at 703-675-8782 or Schuyler@SchuylerAAP.com
The link to the auction site is:
https://www.32auctions.com/DPCCC2021
(To see last year’s auction, please visit:  https://www.32auctions.com/DPCCC.)

As always, Stay Safe and Wear a Mask in Public!!
Marilynn Schuyler, Auction Chair

Resolution in support of Assembly Bill 20, The Corporate-Free Elections Act

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 15, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, Current California law allows corporations and business entities to make direct campaign contributions to state and local candidates, a practice prohibited for federal candidates and in 22 other states, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions by them in each election cycle throughout the state; and

WHEREAS, In order to curb actual corruption and the appearance of corruption of our government by corporate contributions, it is incumbent upon the Legislature to prohibit direct contributions by corporations and business entities to state and local political candidates; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 20 would further the purposes of the Political Reform Act of 1974 by amending it to bar all corporate special interests from contributing directly to candidates running for state or local elective office; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 20, the Corporate-Free Elections Act, as amended on March 1, 2020, and urges the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County and the Governor of the State of California. 

Submitted by: Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 2

Resolution in support of Assembly Bill No. 1199 (Asm. Mike Gipson AD-64) to increase transparency by requiring all corporate landlords to report on the identities of their true owners held through LLCs and LPs, and to impose an excise tax on large real-estate corporations that rent out 10 or more properties in California to disincentivize corporate consolidation in the rental market and generate revenue for first-time home-buyer education and affordable-housing preservation

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 15, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, Corporate landlords have profited immensely before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including nearly $50 billion from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, federal tax code benefits worth nearly $250 billion through 2027, LLC and REIT status benefits to reduce taxation, and millions of dollars from the federal Paycheck Protection Program; and

WHEREAS, Of the state’s 10 million residential properties, over half a million are owned by corporations, and the most conservative estimate puts nearly 200,000 properties in corporate ownership of LLCs that own more than 10 residential properties, all while corporate landlords are amassing funds to buy distressed assets resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Large corporations own too many single-family homes and rental buildings that rob homebuyers and small investors of the opportunities to build wealth, including 35% of all rental housing in the country being owned by large corporations while homeownership is at its lowest level since the 1960s; now, therefore, be it

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports Assembly Bill No. 1199, which would increase transparency by requiring all corporate landlords to report on the identities of the true owners of properties held through LLCs and LPs; and would tax corporate landlords that own and rent out 10 or more properties in California, with the tax increasing as owner holdings and verified code violations increase; and, be it

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County urges that the California Democratic State Central Committee consider endorsement of this bill.

Submitted by Rebecca Auerbach, Associate Member, District 4

Resolution against the Republican recall of Governor Gavin Newsom

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DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 15, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, the effort to recall Governor Newsom is a partisan power grab spearheaded by Donald Trump’s National Republican Party, the California Republican Party, and top Trump donors advocating to overturn fair elections, having already worked to delegitimize the American electoral process; and frivolously using California taxpayer dollars to fund this partisan ploy to derail the progress Governor Newsom has made to save lives, provide a safety net for struggling Californians as we are making significant strides returning our lives to normal; and

WHEREAS, the pro-recall ranks are filled with a coalition of anti-vaxxers, Q-Anon conspiracy theorists, and militia groups whose aim is to disrupt and distract from California’s progress on COVID-19 recovery, equitable mass vaccinations, and school reopenings while their leaders disseminate anti-vaccination and anti-immigration propaganda on social media sites, actively work against public interest and advocate for the microchipping of immigrants, and

WHEREAS, by uniting, Democrats will prevent Trump’s Republican Party from taking over the California government and will stand united against any candidate who seeks the office and helps Republicans succeed.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County opposes the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Submitted by: Susan Hildreth, Publicly Elected Member, District 2

DPCCC congratulates Attorney General Rob Bonta

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Sent to incoming California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Dear Assemblymember Bonta,

On behalf of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, we offer our heartfelt congratulations on your appointment as the first Filipino American to serve as California’s Attorney General.

Throughout your career in public service, you have not shied away from leading the fight for social and economic justice affecting communities of color. Your efforts to reform the criminal justice system, end cash bail, ban for-profit prisons, protect renters from wrongful evictions and strengthen hate crime protections, will serve as a model for states to follow.

Again, congratulations on your appointment! We are honored to have the privilege to continue working with you as California’s Attorney General.

Sincerely,

Katie Ricklefs, Chair
Democratic Party of Contra Costa County

DPCCC congratulates Senator Alex Padilla

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Sent to Senator Alex Padilla.

Dear Senator Padilla,

On behalf of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, we offer our heartfelt congratulations on your appointment as United States Senator. We are proud to have you at the helm as the first Latino U.S. Senator from California in our state’s 170-year history.

As Secretary of State, your leadership made our elections more accessible and inclusive, allowing California to reach record turnout. You fought to protect the integrity of our voting systems and in so doing, you made sure every vote was counted, upholding a cornerstone of our democracy.

At a time when our nation is recovering from a global pandemic, we look forward to working with you to implement your vision for a just immigration system, combating climate change and restoring voting rights to build a more inclusive, unified and stronger democracy.

Again, congratulations on your appointment! We are honored to have the privilege to continue working with you as our United States Senator serving the people of California.

Sincerely,

Katie Ricklefs, Chair
Democratic Party of Contra Costa County

DPCCC congratulates Sec/HHS Xavier Becerra

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Sent to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

Dear Secretary Becerra,

On behalf of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, we offer our heartfelt congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

We are proud to have another California Democratic leader at the center of the fight against COVID-19. During such a critical time, your proven leadership is exactly what we need to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, expanding equitable access to vaccinations and getting everyone back to work.

As California’s Attorney General you fought for underserved communities, access to healthcare and justice for all; this is what will heal our nation during this critical time in our history. Your success in defending the Affordable Care Act, protecting women’s health and worker’s rights will rebuild a more equitable health care system that meets the needs of all Americans.

Again, congratulations on your appointment! We are honored to have the privilege to continue working with you as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Sincerely,

Katie Ricklefs, Chair
Democratic Party of Contra Costa County