May District 3 Report Out

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.