DPCCC held a Fundraiser on April 23, 2022 in the Pleasant Hill Park. A good time was had by all and some of our endorsed candidates in the 2022 Primary Election spoke at the event. Look to our CALENDAR for future events and fundraisers and JOIN US! And, DONATE to DPCCC to help us elect more Democrats!
Pursuant to DPCCC’s Resolution to end existing oil and gas drilling in Contra Costa County and phasing out existing oil and gas extraction infrastructure (Nov 18, 2021), here is an action alert from Sunflower Alliance.
All Hands on Deck! On May 11 the County is hearing public comment on the new oil and gas policy for its General Plan, which will dictate land use policy for the next twenty years. Unfortunately, the new oil and gas policy it’s proposing, just like the old, allows oil and gas extraction on county land.
The only difference is the requirement of 3,200′ setbacks. This is a step in the right direction, as it acknowledges the health dangers of living near drilling sites. But recent scientific studies show that 3,200’ setbacks are not the most health-protective approach. And continuing to permit fossil fuel infrastructure begs the question of climate impacts altogether.
Antioch passed a drilling ban in January, and Brentwood just placed a moratorium on drilling while it works on a permanent ban. Now the County needs to do the same. Toxic pollutants and climate emissions from oil and gas production don’t stop at lines on a map. Contra Costa must do better.
The County really needs to hear from us! Please send in comments or testify at the County Planning Commission hearing on May 11 at 6:30 PM. The Zoom link for the hearing will be posted here on 5/6.
Use this Guide to craft your own in-person and written testimony. You can email your comments to planninghearing@dcd.cccounty.us, and testify at the May 11 hearing.
The County Board of Supervisors meets the day before on May 10. We’ll present the No Drilling petition, speak during public comment on non-agenda items, and hold a press conference outside the County Building at 1025 Escobar in Martinez before the meeting starts. East County residents will be speaking, along with MDs and youth activists. Come join us if you can.
Tues May 10, 9 AM: Board of Supervisors Meeting
Comment either via Zoom or in person. Attend the 8:30 AM press conference or watch the livestream on the Sunflower Alliance facebook page.Wed May 11, 6:30 PM: County Planning Commission Meeting (“Study Session” on the Conservation Element of the new General Plan)
Via Zoom. The County won’t release zoom link until May 6. Check this County page and this Sunflower Alliance post for updated information.A very big thank you for taking action!
DPCCC membership approved this endorsement at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
DPCCC membership approved this endorsement at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1038
DPCCC membership approved this endorsement at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB843
DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
WHEREAS local jurisdictions in Contra Costa continue to engage in the confiscation and/or destruction of the survival-related property (e.g. tents, sleeping bags, tarps) of unhoused persons on land owned or controlled by such jurisdictions in cases where these persons are not offered immediate and actual shelter to replace the improvised shelter taken from them (operations referred to hereafter as “desheltering”); and
WHEREAS the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in September 2021 in Garcia v. Los Angeles, upholding an injunction by the District Court for the Central District of California, that municipalities may not discard homeless individuals’ “Bulky Items” that are stored in public areas; and
WHEREAS desheltering causes intense trauma to those desheltered, up to and including their deaths; and
WHEREAS desheltering is a policy which harasses and marginalizes individuals in need, and the California Democratic Party commits in the “Labor, Justice, and Poverty Elimination” section of its Platform to “oppose policies that harass and marginalize individuals in need”;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County calls on Democrats in elected local offices in Contra Costa with authority over law enforcement agencies to agendize, move, second, and vote for ordinances directing their jurisdictions’ staff to cease and refrain from removing any homeless person’s survival-related property from land owned or controlled by those jurisdictions, except when such a person is actually and specifically offered immediate shelter.
DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
WHEREAS International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, began in the United States and is now recognized around the world as a day to honor and fight for the rights of workers; and
WHEREAS May First was selected as the date to honor workers and continue the campaign for an eight-hour workday that led to a general strike in 1886 and other actions by workers; and
WHEREAS International Workers’ Day continues to be a celebration of the efforts of the working class in the United States and around the world to organize for improved workplace conditions and worker rights; and
WHEREAS during the COVID-19 pandemic, workers have endured adversity and made significant personal sacrifices to fulfill their duties while ensuring the safety of themselves, their families, and the public; and
WHEREAS the gender and racial pay gaps that persist offer a sobering reminder of how far we have yet to go towards achieving equal rights and fair wages for all workers; and
WHEREAS labor unions play a vital role in ensuring a strong middle class by advocating for more equitable wages, humane work conditions, improved benefits, and increased civic engagement by everyday workers; and
WHEREAS Contra Costa County is home to more than 110,000 union members representing more than 85 unions in various trades and industries;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County joins in the worldwide celebrations of workers’ rights activism taking place on May 1, 2022, and acknowledges how workers are the vital heart of every workplace, industry, and community in Contra Costa County; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County calls upon all elected officials to join the effort to ensure the rights of all workers are protected.
Submitted By: Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 5
Approved by the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, April 21, 2022
DPCCC membership approved this endorsement at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1287
DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
WHEREAS, the month of May was chosen as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese citizen, Nakahama Manjiro, to the United States on May 7, 1843, but also the anniversary of the May 10, 1869, completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, built with the back-breaking labor of nearly 20,000 Chinese immigrants; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County’s population is more than 18 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander and includes devoted community members who serve as artists, business owners, educators, health care professionals, lawyers and judges, elected officials, clergy members, first responders, military personnel and essential front-line service workers; and
WHEREAS, in the 1920s and 30s, Filipino immigrants arrived in the United States seeking fortune but facing discrimination as they worked in the vast agricultural fields of California. These manongs and manangs played a significant role in building the farm workers movement, including leading the Delano Grape Strike in 1965; and
WHEREAS, we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that enrich our history, society and culture, we also must be aware that AAPI history has been whitewashed and significantly erased in American curriculum, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Alien Land Acts, the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans, among many other issues. We must also acknowledge a darker aspect of the AAPI experience in America – structural discrimination, prejudice and injustice that most recently manifested itself in racist attacks on Asian Americans related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, an analysis by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, found that overall hate crimes in America’s largest cities decrease by 7 percent in 2020; while hate crimes targeting people of Asian ancestry rose by nearly 150% during the same time period; and
WHEREAS, individual AAPI populations fare very differently when disaggregated. For example, Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians fare significantly worse in life outcomes in comparison to East and South Asians, and that colorism in AAPI populations also impact treatment and access; and;
WHEREAS, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have distinguished themselves as leading researchers in science, medicine, and technology; innovative farmers and ranchers; distinguished lawyers, judges and government leaders; in the arts, literature, and sports; as war heroes who defended our country from fascism; and as essential service workers and peacetime healthcare heroes currently on the front lines of the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, today more than 20 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders live in the United States and through their actions, make America a more vibrant, prosperous, and secure nation.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County celebrates May 2022 as AAPI Heritage Month, and encourages all in our community to learn more about Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, and work to combat racism and xenophobia as we celebrate this month with cultural events and educational activities.
Susan Hildreth, Elected Representative, District 2, with input from AAPI members
Approved by the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, April 21, 2022
DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the April 21, 2022 regular meeting.
WHEREAS, from our Nation’s earliest days, Jewish Americans have been an essential part of the American story, greatly contributing to the religious, cultural, political, economic, and intellectual advancement of all people even while in the face of discrimination and adversity, working to realize the American dream; and
WHEREAS, as we celebrate the rich heritage of the Jewish American community, in Contra Costa County, California and the nation, we recognize that American Jews have worked tirelessly to strengthen the promise of religious freedom and civil rights in the United States by joining together with all faiths to reject ignorance and intolerance, teach empathy and compassion, and root out hatred wherever it exists, and through our understanding and study of the Holocaust, we know the human devastation that can come from systemic prejudice, and are compelled to “never forget”; and
WHEREAS, May has been recognized as Jewish American Heritage Month by Presidential Proclamation stating that The Jewish American experience is a story of faith, fortitude, and progress, and
WHEREAS, in spite of the vibrant culture and contributions, we are reminded that the Jewish people have and continue to experience prejudice and discrimination in Contra Costa County, within the State of California, across the United States, and internationally, and continue to confront hostility and bigotry; and
WHEREAS, we share the obligation and responsibility to condemn and combat anti-Semitism and hatred wherever it exists and honor Jewish Americans — past and present — who have inextricably woven their experience and their accomplishments into the fabric of our national identity.
NOW THEREFORE, the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County recognizes May 2022 as Jewish American Heritage Month. We celebrate the hard-fought progress won through the struggle and sacrifice of Jewish Americans, and we rededicate ourselves to building a world where diversity is cherished and faith is protected.
Renee Zeimer, Elected representative, District 2
Approved by the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, April 21, 2022