VOTER-August-2008

League of Women Voters^®
of Oakland

Renew Your Membership. Membership Updates. Redistricting - Proposition 11. LWVO Kick Off Meeting. President's Message. Board Notes. LWVUS Convention. Planning Meetings. Equality Day Parade. Election Voter Service. Storybank. Pollworkers Needed. Death Penalty. Email Addresses Wanted. LWV California.

Time to Renew Your Membership

There are about 120 of you who need to look in your "To Do" pile and find the late-June letter from LWVO inviting you to renew your membership! Remember, you are the wind that keeps our sails full and our ship on course.
Thanks to the close to 200 who have responded already. We are grateful.
To the rest of you - we don't want to lose you. Check the date at the top of your mailing label. If the date is earlier than 4/15/2009, this message applies to you! Renew now.
New dues rates, approved by the membership at our June Annual Meeting:
Regular member: $65.00
Additional household member: $32.50
Student: $25.00

Membership Updates

We have added new members and welcomed back previous members. In addition, there are many changes to addresses and such. They are all listed in the paper VOTER.

Redistricting - Voters FIRST Is Proposition 11!

California Voters FIRST, the League's major redistricting reform proposal, has qualified for the November ballot and is now Proposition 11. We are gearing up for a major campaign to convince voters to pass the measure. The League needs members working in their communities to make it happen. We need members and supporters to speak, blog, write letters to the editor, and do everything they can to be ambassadors for redistricting reform.
To learn more about Voters FIRST read online at http://www.yesprop11.org. If you'd like to help with the campaign, call Helen Hutchison at 510.654.2216.
Yes on Prop. 11 - Volunteer and Speakers Trainings
Passing Prop. 11 - the redistricting proposition we worked to get on the ballot - will help break the political gridlock in Sacramento ? making politicians more accountable to you for solving the problems facing our state. Come join us and learn more about how to get involved in the campaign. There will be training sessions in Oakland and San Francisco. Sign up now!
About the Volunteer Training:
o Sessions will last aprox. 90 minutes
o Lunch provided at all noon trainings
o Topics Include:
o Public Speaking
o Facts about Prop 11
o Answering tough questions
o How to Get Involved

RSVP Required:
Contact Allison for RSVP and Questions
VIA Phone: 916-648-1239
VIA E-mail: Allison@meridianhq.com
Oakland
Where: Dimond Branch Library
3565 Fruitvale Ave
Oakland, 94602
Date: Thursday, Aug 14
Time: 12:00 pm
San Francisco
Where: Dewey Square
300 Montgomery Street, Suite 638
San Francisco, 94104
Date: Wed, August 13
Time: 12:00 pm

LWVO Kick Off Meeting

Global Climate Change Panel Discussion
Thursday, September 11
7 - 9 PM
Piedmont Gardens Sky Room
110 41st Street
Oakland

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE -

By Helen Hutchison
We have big plans for the coming year and lots that we'd like to do. If we are going to do everything on our agenda we need all of our members plus some. That means that everyone should have membership brochures with them and should be recruiting new members all the time.
Think about why you joined the League. Was it because of a particular study? Was it because of a particular issue? In my case I am a member of League because I believe deeply that participation at all levels is critical to the health of our democracy. In addition I care deeply about the multiple issues that the League is involved in and the League is the only multi-issue organization around. Think about why you joined, why you stay, and tell people.
Do you want to be involved but don't have time to do much? One thing you can do is help recruit more members for us! Volunteer to carry League membership brochures and tell other people you know about our organization. Let them know that you're a member and encourage them to join us, too! Call the office (510 834-7640) and we'll send you a folder with some of the new, colorful membership brochures.
For those who do have time to do more, we have opportunities galore. Look through this issue of the VOTER and you'll find articles about Voter Service and Action for this November's election. It's going to be a full and exciting election season. As I write, twelve measures have qualified for the state ballot - and there may be more! In addition there are regional and local measures that we need to explain to voters. We're going to need a lot of people for our speakers' bureau! More than ever we'll need to distribute the Easy Voter Guides all over Oakland. There are candidate forums and debates to organize, moderate and assist with.
The California League is gearing up for a major statewide fight on redistricting. The redistricting measure, for which we gathered signatures last spring, is Proposition 11 on November's ballot. It is a going to be a major fight and we need people to help.
I hope to see you all at the Kick Off Meeting in September. It promises to be both thought provoking and inspiring.

LWV Oakland Board Notes

At its July meeting, the LWVO Board:
▪ formed the 2008-09 Executive Committee (Helen Hutchison, Katherine Gavzy, Nikki Harris, Judi Bank and Suzanne Loosen)
▪ appointed Sandra Coleman and Mary Weinstein as Board members of the Nominating Committee
▪ reviewed and readopted the Board policies, including the non-partisan policy
▪ heard about the possible measures on the November ballot in Oakland

The next scheduled meeting of the Board is Monday, September 8, at 6:30 pm in the 6th floor conference room at Piedmont Gardens, 110 41st St.

LWVUS Convention Report

The LWVUS Convention, held in Portland, Oregon in mid-June, was attended by LWV Oakland members Judi Bank, Bonnie Hamlin, Nikki Harris, Helen Hutchison, Suzanne Loosen and Marion Taylor.
Prior to the convention, there was spirited discussion in several on-line discussion groups about everything from League by-laws to studies and voting (this is a broad subject, I know - and the discussion was just as broad!).
At the convention:
▪ We amended the Principles of League by adding, "The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that all powers of the U.S. government should be exercised within the constitutional framework of a balance among the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial."
▪ We adopted "a Multi-Level Education and Advocacy Campaign to promote solutions to global climate change" as part of our program for the coming 2 years.
▪ We adopted a study on "The advisability of using the National Popular Vote compact among the states as a method for electing the President." for the coming 2 years. It will be a very fast track study because the New York State League has already done the study materials, and the study is very focused. We will have consensus meetings in Oakland on this study in February 2009.
▪ We heard a wide variety of very good speakers: Barbara Roberts, former Governor of Oregon, who spoke on Women as Political Leaders; John Kitzhaber, also a former Governor of Oregon, who spoke on Health Care for the 21st Century; an excellent panel on climate change and Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis from Colorado who spoke on judicial reform efforts nationwide.
If you'd like to hear more about the convention, feel free to call or email any of the convention delegates. They'd all be happy to talk with you.

Planning Meetings

This summer, instead of the traditional Board retreat to do planning for the coming year, we are holding a series of planning meetings and encouraging all League members to attend. The first three meetings - on Development (fundraising), Membership/Outreach and General Meeting Planning - have already been held.
Here are some highlights from those meetings:
Development
We agreed to continue hosting the luncheon but that we should do some serious work to draw a big crowd.
We agreed to give people, including members, multiple opportunities to give to the League whenever possible and to think creatively about fundraising.
We will work on outside funding for the Oakland Easy Voter Guide.
Membership/Outreach
We agreed to use the new LWVUS membership brochures rather than printing more of the Oakland brochures.
The Membership Committee will sponsor a breakfast or lunch for new members every other month to help encourage new members to learn about the League and to become active.
General Meeting Planning
Here are the meetings scheduled for the fall - watch the VOTER for the dates:
September - Panel discussion on climate change
October - The measures on the November ballot
November - Reforms at Oakland City Hall
December - Holiday Party

Equality Day Parade

Join League members, as well as others, in celebrating the anniversary of women's suffrage.

The 3rd annual Equality Day parade and rally will be held in Sacramento on Saturday, August 23. This year's theme is "Celebrating the Right to Vote" and is a special tribute to the League of Women Voters. Janis Hirohama, LWVC President, will be among the marchers in the parade.
The parade starts at 10 am at Southside Park, 7th and T Streets; the rally starts at 11 am on the north side of the Capitol building.
There is a train that leaves the Jack London Square train station at 7:20 am and arrives in Sacramento at 9:20 am for those who would like to ride together.
Questions? Contact Carol Norberg, cdnorberg@comcast.net, 510.251.0559.

Election Coming - Voter Service Activities

There are many opportunities to help with activities for the November election.
To help with:
Voter Registration
contact Allene Warren msvlkid@sbcglobal.net or 510.562.3945
The Speakers Bureau
contact Judy Merrill
judy@apstate.us or 510.654.9600
Distribution of Easy Voter Guides
contact Miriam Laska
mirlaska@yahoo.com or 510.658.2737
Candidate Forums or General Voter Service Information
contact Nikki Harris
NikkiHar@aol.com or 510.704.8286

Storybank

Were you part of the fight for the ERA? Do you have some stories from that time? We'd like to include some of those in our Storybank.
Think about what you'd like your sons, daughters, granddaughters and grandsons to know and write a few of those stories. We'd like to hear the stories also!
For more information, or to submit your story, contact
Lorraine Force, ranief@aol.com,
510.848.7859.

November Election - Pollworkers Needed

Pollworkers are needed for the November election. Are you willing to work, but don't want to do the full day? Call the League office (510.834.7640) and we'll help you find someone else who wants to work a half day shift. The shifts are either 6 am to 1:30 or 2 pm, or 1:30 to about 9:30 pm.

Activist Training Against the Death Penalty

The Alameda County Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (ACCADP) held its first ever Activists Training on Saturday, June 7 and the event was an immense success.
Over 55 activists participated in the training, which was led by coalition members. Participants included League members from Alameda, Fremont, and Oakland.
Training participants ranged from old hands to the newly initiated. Everyone came away better-equipped to advocate for alternatives to the death penalty. One participant remarked, "I was planning to leave at lunch, but you could not have dragged me out of there!"
The full day of activities began with an introduction to the facts about use of the death penalty in Alameda County and an overview of the Coalition's strategy for ending the death penalty in the county. This was followed by communications workshops, where activists practiced responding to tough questions and making effective arguments. Afternoon break-out sessions focused on lobbying, passing organizational resolutions, blogging and writing letters to the editor. Well-attended lunchtime presentations were given by Judy Kerr from California Crime Victims for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and Aaron Owens, who was wrongfully convicted of two 1st degree murders in Alameda County in 1973.
The turnout at the training was testament to the growing momentum of the movement to end the death penalty in California. Almost all training participants pledged to maintain this momentum by signing up for the Coalition's lobbying team, letter-writing team or speaker's bureau.
ACCADP brings together anti-death penalty activists from several organizations, including the ACLU, Amnesty International, Bay Association of the United Church of Christ, CA People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Focus, Kehilla Community Synagogue, League of Women Voters of Alameda County, Progressive Jewish Alliance and Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. ACCADP was officially formed in February of 2008, with the goal of ending the death penalty in Alameda County.
For additional information, or to get involved in the fight to end the death penalty, please contact Marion Taylor, Liaison from the League of Women Voters of Alameda County to the coalition, 510.532.5797, mariontaylor@mac.com

Email Addresses Wanted

The League sends reminder emails to members before upcoming activities. If you would like to receive such messages and have not given us your email address, please send an email to the League office: info@lwvoakland.org.
If you would like to receive email newsletters from LWVUS, please tell us that as well. Let us know if you would rather not receive those newsletters and we will not share your email address with LWVUS.
Questions? Leave a message at the Office 510.834.7640

LWV California Leadership Council Report

The California League's Leadership Council--Our Bridge to the Future--took place in Sacramento on May 17-18. Three Oakland Leaguers were there, Bonnie Hamlin, Nikki Harris, and Marion Taylor.We heard outstanding and inspiring messages from our state president Janis Hirohama and our national president Mary Wilson and had a chance to get to know the members of the state board of directors and the LWVC staff. We approved a state League budget for the next year which includes an increase in the per member payment of $1.00. The increase in dues is the first one since 2004-05 and is needed to keep up with the cost of doing business, not for any expansion of programs or staff. The major expanding programs of the state League, specifically the Easy Voter Guide and Smart Voter, are funded through grants, not member dues. The state League plans to expand its successful program of fundraising through individual donations.
The state League gave an award to Elizabeth Hill, the Legislative Analyst who is leaving office after 32 years. We heard an analysis of the current budget situation from Jean Ross, Executive Director of the California Budget Project. Both Elizabeth Hill and Jean Ross immediately returned to their offices for continuing weekend work analyzing the Governor's revised budget proposals.
Peter Scheer, Executive Director of the California First Amendment Coalition talked about the need for public access to labor union negotiations with cities and counties. Both unions and government agencies need confidential meetings to prepare for negotiations, but the negotiations themselves can be open to the public if a city or county enacts a local Sunshine Act provision to allow this exception to the Brown Act. Sheer warned that closed door negotiations might lead other cities to go bankrupt as just happened in Vallejo.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the Leadership Council was learning that the League is active in well-organized coalitions working on issues of major importance to us. On Redistricting the California Voters First coalition expects its initiative to be on the November ballot. Check the League website, http://ca.lwv.org/ to see a photograph of Janis Hirohama with Governor Schwarzenegger announcing submission signatures for the initiative. All of you will be asked to work on the campaign in the fall. In the state budget a broad coalition has formed to oppose the proposed cuts. Our view is that the budget cannot be balanced on cuts alone; we must increase revenue as well. Education and health care proponents will not compete for smaller cuts; they will work together with us and many others to promote a responsible budget. On single-payer health care the coalition OneCareNow with which we have been working will continue its grassroots education campaign. We expect the legislature to approve SB 840 and that it will be vetoed by the Governor. It will be introduced again next year. A goal is to persuade a few key legislators to change their views so that there is a 2/3 majority to pass the funding mechanism required to make it work. This could take two years or ten years; we will just keep working until it happens.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: November 3, 2008 16:26 PST.