VOTER-May-2011
May Program Meeting.
Annual Meeting.
The California Budget.
Co-President's Message.
New Member Open House.
Redistricting.
Action Committee.
LWV US Action.
Richard Winnie.
Muriel Nelson.
Health Care Reform.
Advertise in the VOTER.
Invite a Friend to Join Us!.
Membership News.
Call to 2011 Annual Meeting.
Proposed Budget.
May Program Meeting
Taxes - The Price of a Civilized Society
Tuesday, May 17, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Oakland City Hall, John Hege Hearing Room
(inside and to the left of the 14th Street entrance)
One Frank Ogawa Plaza
Henry E. Brady
Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley
will discuss the role of taxes in society
As budget battles rage in Washington, Sacramento,
and Oakland, discussions are being renewed about
what kind of society we are and want to be, and what
the elements are of a civilized society in the twenty-first
century. New attention is being paid to the words
of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes inscribed over the
entrance to the Internal Revenue Service building:
"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."
Henry E. Brady, Dean of the Goldman School of
Public Policy at UC Berkeley, will discuss the role of
taxes in society. Dean Brady is an award-winning author
and a leading scholar of public opinion, political
movements, and public policy. He has also worked
for the Office of Management and Budget in Washington,
D.C.
Light refreshments will be served.
All are welcome; bring a friend.
2011 Annual Dinner and Meeting
Wednesday, June 1, 5:45 PM
Richard C. Trudeau Training Center
11500 Skyline Blvd. (between Joaquin Miller and Redwood Roads)
$15 Dinner, meeting and program
$5 Coffee, meeting and program
Reservations are required
RSVP by Friday, May 27, by mailing your check to the League office,
1305 Franklin St., Suite 311, Oakland CA 94612, or by calling the office at (510) 834-7640
Join other League Members for dinner, adopt next year's program and budget, and elect 2011-2012 Officers
and Board of Directors. Then participate in a stimulating program:
The California Budget Challenge
For more information about the California Budget Challenge, see below.
For more information about the business meeting click here
The California Budget Challenge
A Presentation and Interactive Discussion
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 * 5:45 - 8:45 PM
Richard D. Trudeau Training Center
11500 Skyline Boulevard
(Between Joaquin Miller and Redwood Roads)
Take the California Budget Challenge! Our featured speaker will be Sarah Henry, Program Officer
with Next 10. She will lead us in an interactive simulation known as the California Budget Challenge
that provides information and choices to help us decide how we would balance the state budget.
The California Budget Challenge is a nonpartisan simulation of tough choices that state lawmakers are
currently facing in trying to balance the state's $90 billion General Fund budget. With the interactive
simulation we will get to decide how much we would spend on various programs and where the money
should come from.
Next 10 is an independent nonpartisan organization that encourages Californians to think about the next ten
years and beyond. Next 10 develops tools to help residents become more educated and engaged about the
critical issues facing California and one of those tools is the California Budget Challenge. Join your fellow
League members and interested guests for this informative simulation following dinner and the business portion
of our Annual Meeting.
CO-PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Katherine Gavzy
It is good to be reminded that the range of League influence and work is
wider than Oakland. We are, of course, proud that LWVO is one of the
largest and most active Leagues in California, and I look forward to presenting
our "Three Brags" at the State Convention in May: the remarkable
Oakland Easy Voter Guide, our ten influential Mayoral Candidate Forums,
and the sold-out success of the 2010 All-City Luncheon. Still, there is so
much happening beyond Oakland that all Leaguers can learn about and get
involved with.
Alameda County will be redistricting the supervisorial lines this spring,
holding public hearings on the process in May and June. We will announce
the dates and venues to our members as they become known. We heartily
encourage you to attend these hearings; a strong League presence should
help ensure an open, fair, and representative process.
The Bay Area League is deeply committed to regional management of our
natural resources. The Bay region itself is a leader in regional and collaborative
programs for land use, transportation, air quality management. Look
for the article in this VOTER on the "Plan Bay Area." If you are concerned
about the environment and believe, with the League, that regional solutions
are the best answer, then I encourage you to read the LWV Bay Area's
award-winning newsletter, the Bay Area Monitor:
http://www.bayareamonitor.org/.
Statewide, the Citizens Redistricting Commission has begun its work. See
the announcement in this VOTER. LWVC reminds us that the decisions
about where the lines are drawn will affect our communities profoundly in
the next 10 years. We want the eyes and ears of Leaguers to "shine a light"
on the redistricting process. Come to the public hearing at Oakland City
Hall on May 21, 2 to 5 PM, and wear your League button. The League,
along with Common Cause and others, made this happen by working for
passage of the ballot proposition. Now is the time to make sure that it works.
New Member Open House
Are You a New League Member
(or feel like you are)?
Please Come to an Open House
Learn More about the Oakland League and Meet Other Members
Wednesday, May 18 - 7 pm - 9 pm
At the Home of Louise Rothman-Riemer
5560 Harbord Dr. (just north of Moraga Ave.)
RSVP: 384-7640 or 547-1267
Citizens Redistricting Commission
The schedule of public hearings for the Citizens Redistricting
Commission has been released. Meetings
in the Bay Area include:
Saturday, May 21, 2:00 to 5:00 pm - Oakland; City
Council Chambers, City Hall.
Tuesday, May 24, location and time to be determined
- a hearing for organized groups to present proposed
maps.
For details and to confirm the place and time for each
meeting, look at the commission's website:
http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/
How Can You Get Involved?
▪ Attend a public hearing and talk about your community, or submit a letter to the commission
online at http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/
▪ Visit one of six regional redistricting assistance
centers to learn how to describe and draw maps of
your communities and how to speak to the commission.
▪ Find a wealth of information at the Statewide Database, the redistricting database for the state of
California http://swdb.berkeley.edu/index.html
▪ Connect with the League of Women Voters of
California for information and help in finding resources
http://www.cavotes.org/issues/redistricting-implementation
▪ Follow the work of the commission live or by delayed
broadcast at http://www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov/
Action Committee News
Plan Bay Area
An integrated land use and transportation plan for
the whole Bay Area is being produced with four
agencies "collaborating at an unprecedented level."
These agencies--Association of Bay Area Governments
(ABAG), the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission (MTC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management
District (BAAQMD), and the Bay Conservation
and Development Commission (BCDC)--are
working with their "equal partners" in the nine counties
and 101 cities and towns in the region.
This is an opportunity for every local League to get
involved, help educate the public, and monitor the
planning process. Workshops in each county will
take place in April and May. The Alameda County
workshop will be Thursday, May 19, 2011, 5:30-
8:30 p.m., David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way,
Berkeley. Space at these workshops is limited. For
more information or to register early go to
http://www.onebayarea.org/plan_bay_area/
National LWV Action
Current Legislation
The national LWV has joined with many other organizations
throughout the country to send letters to
Congress, the President and the Vice President during
the recent and continuing budget battles. As an
example, here is their letter about policy riders
"The undersigned organizations, on behalf of our millions
of members and supporters, write today to express
our strong opposition to inclusion of any policy
riders in legislation that will fund government operations
for Fiscal Year 2011.
There have not been any hearings related to these extraordinarily
far-reaching proposals. This back-door
means of legislating does not allow for adequate debate
about the merits of such sweeping policy
changes, which deserve full deliberation by both
chambers in the course of the normal legislative process.
The House of Representatives' Continuing Resolution
(H.R. 1), which was voted on in February included
vast cuts and erected obstructions to critical public health, worker safety, consumer, civil rights, and environmental
programs. We urge you to adopt a strict
policy of rejecting all such provisions in subsequent
2011 spending bills, rather than negotiating one harmful
rider against another.
We also have deep concerns about the level of the
funding cuts, which we view as irresponsible and
harmful. However, these damaging policy riders have
no place in this budget legislation."
Richard Winnie
Richard Winnie Believed in Mentors
Richard Winnie, Alameda County Counsel, has died.
He was among the first male members of the League
of Women Voters of Oakland when he joined in 1982.
Richard Winnie believed in mentors and mentoring,
and that role was reflected in his work with the
League. The first study he chaired for the League was
Affordable Housing 1991 - the committee toured
Oakland and learned more than the eye could see -
housing that worked and was affordable and attractive.
The LWVO took a position as a result of the year long
study that was very progressive in the early 1990s.
At an LWVO annual meeting the next year, Richard
Winnie suggested doing a study about the Oakland
waterfront - and the response was - what waterfront?
A committee was formed in 1992 with Richard serving
as Chair and the work began. The title of the published
work was "The Waterfront - It touches the
World. How does it touch Oakland?" The League
study received the Clearwater Award (given to volunteer
projects) from the International Waterfront Center,
based in Washington DC in 1994. We now look
back on this study (it can be found at
http://www.waterfrontaction.org ) and realize that it was the responsible
for initiating the Estuary Policy Plan - a two year
project with city and Port working together with 30
community members to refine our edge. Richard
taught us well. An outgrowth of the waterfront work
was the formation of Waterfront Action, a non-profit
group of which Richard served as president of the
Board.
More recently, when the Oakland and Piedmont
Leagues hosted a delegation from the Republic of Kalmykia
in 2009, Richard played a key role in helping
design a program for them. In addition, he hosted the
group at his office for a full morning of orientation to
US government and the economy. At the end of the
visit, the delegates all agreed that the meeting with
him was invaluable. Richard continued to stay in
touch with them after their return home, offering ideas
and advice for their work.
Richard believed in the League of Women Voters. He
demonstrated that belief by giving his time and knowledge
to the leaguers who had the opportunity to work
with him on projects. He will be sorely missed by all
of us.
-- Sandy Threlfall and Helen Hutchison
Muriel Nelson
Those of us who knew, loved and worked with community
activist Muriel Nelson send our warm sympathy
to her family and friends. Shortly after joining
LWVO in 1972-73, Muriel became Dues Secretary
and soon Secretary of the Board. Before long she was
chairing the Observer Corps, was 1st Vice President,
and in the 1980's chaired the Committee on Responsive
Government. Always even-tempered and extremely
supportive of LWVO projects, Muriel cared
deeply about justice and world peace. She started
many of us in making pieces for the Peace Ribbon
which eventually was so enormous it was displayed in
circles around the Pentagon, across the Potomac and
around the US Capitol on a sunny day in Washington
D.C. (For more information on the Peace Ribbon, call
member Barbara Ruffner at 845-1617). In more recent
years Muriel was a chief organizer of LWVO's Great
Decisions discussion group. She died in March at age
94, and we will miss her.
--Mary Strauss
Federal Health Care Reform: What Does It Mean?
Everyone is unhappy about health care, particularly
health care costs, but not everyone realizes that a national
health care reform bill is law, or what is in it.
Research shows that many Americans don't even
know that a reform bill has passed. Start by informing
yourself about what is--and is not--in the bill, and
then make it a point to talk to your friends and
neighbors.
Some of what is included in the landmark Affordable
Care Act:
· a guarantee that insurance companies can no
longer discriminate based on pre-existing conditions
· an end to lifetime caps
· a requirement that insurance companies can no
longer can drop people when they get sick.
In addition, the bill:
· gives tax credits to small businesses for providing
coverage for employees
· requires insurers to cover preventive care at no
cost.
There is misinformation being circulated about the
bill's effects on Medicare. Don't let the naysayers
scare seniors!
· Medicare is actually being improved and strengthened.
· The Affordable Care Act attacks waste and fraud.
· The bill adds benefits for those on Medicare:
helps seniors stay in their homes
bans discrimination based on pre-existing conditions
provides preventive care with no co-pays.
Yes, there are taxes--but only for those with incomes
over $200,000-$250,000. These taxes will provide for
the largest investment in the health care workforce
ever made. There is a huge need for primary health
care providers, and the Affordable Care Act will help
fill the gap by investing in education and training, and
providing incentives for these desperately needed
caregivers.
Finally, for those who advocate repealing the act: this
is an even more costly choice than enacting it! Repealing
the act would cost an estimated $455 billion.
What about California?
California is on the forefront of federal health care reform.
This fall, the governor signed two bills creating
the California Health Benefit Exchange. There are a
number of challenges on the road to an operational
exchange by 2014; the League will be active both in
advocacy and community education. If you are interested
in working on this issue, contact Helen Hutchison,
hhutchison@lwvc.org.
Sign up for action alerts on the LWVC Web site. Go
to http://www.lwvc.org and click on "Sign up for E-News" at the
upper left. On the sign-up page, choose "Action
Alerts."
Do you want to know more? Here are sites where you
can find good information:
http://www.healthcare.gov/law/introduction/index.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare-overview
http://www.chcf.org/health-policy-office
Advertise in the VOTER
Want to reach a group of intelligent, concerned,
active citizens with a message about your business?
You can do it by advertising in the LWVO VOTER! (paper edition)
For details, contact Sandy Venning, VOTER editor,
at voter@lwvoakland.org
SHARE THIS WITH A FRIEND. INVITE THEM TO JOIN US!
Membership in the League of Women Voters of Oakland is a bargain and a statement. A bargain because you
will have access to valuable information and insights via the VOTER newsletters and LWV Web sites, through
membership not only in LWVO but also in LWV Bay Area, LWV California and LWVUS, and via a variety of
events and dialogues with key leaders throughout the year.
Your statement as a League member will be that you are committed to providing non-biased, well-researched
information to voters, and that the issues your League follows are those that affect every area in Oakland:
schools, public safety, local government, parks, our economy, and more.
Join the League, one of the nation's most trusted, nonpartisan grassroots organizations where "hands-on work
to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement."
Click here to see and print our form
Membership News
Welcome New Members
Jill Broadhurst
Michelle DeRobertis
Welcome Back
Patricia Arabia
Sara Jewell
Changes to the Roster
Arlene Daniels (changed address)
Polly Amrein (changed address)
Mary Jane Dean (changed address)
Harry Woolpert (new email address)
Details are in the paper VOTER.
We are saddened to report the deaths of several longtime League members: Marie Credit, Mildred Marcus,
Muriel Nelson and Richard Winnie. Our sympathies go to their family and friends.
Call to 2011 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011, 5:45 PM
Dinner/Annual Meeting/Program
All LWVO Members are called to attend the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Membership of the League of Women Voters of Oakland
Read the 'Call' here
To save paper, please print and bring bring this "Call" with you to the Annual Meeting
Proposed Budget for 2011-2012
Click to read the proposed budget for 2011-2012
To save paper, please print and bring bring this "Budget" with you to the Annual Meeting
Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our
webmaster.
Last revised: April 25, 2012 15:13 PDT.
© Copyright
League of Women Voters of Oakland, California. All rights reserved.
| ![[LWV]](images/lwv76.gif)
