VOTER-September 2008

September Meetings.  Voter Service Opportunities.  President's Message.  Proposition 11.  Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan.  Studying The Impact On Health.  Vote With the League.  Baffled By The Ballot?.  Renew Your Membership.  Climate Change.  LWVO meets the Ukrainians.

September Meetings -- Mark Your Calendar

Fall Kick Off Meeting

Climate Change: Think Globally - Act Locally

Thursday, September 11 ● 7 PM
Piedmont Gardens, 110 41st Street

A panel discussion about practical steps we can take on a regional and local level to help counter global climate change.

Hot Topics (a.k.a. Stir the Pot)- The November Ballot Measures

Monday, September 15 ● 6:30 PM
Dimond Library, 3565 Fruitvale Ave.

Come learn about the League's position on the various ballot measures and how you can get involved in the campaign for redistricting reform.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION MEANS VOTER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

The time to get involved is now! The League's hands-on work safeguards democracy by contributing to better informed electorates. That matters nationally. That matters locally. We are gearing up to put on Candidate Forums and to distribute Easy Voter Guides. We need you to staff our Speakers Bureau for Pro and Con presentations and to register voters.

CANDIDATE FORUMS

We will be holding two forums for the City Council. At-large and Superior Court Seat 9 on Saturday morning, Sept. 20th and on Friday evening, Oct. 3rd. On Thursday evening, Oct. 2nd we will hold forums for a number of local races: AC Transit, BART, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, and Peralta CC Trustee.

We are looking for moderators, time keepers, question sorters, and general helpers for these forums. This is your chance to see the candidates up close and become the most knowledgeable person on your block. New and experienced members are welcome. There will be a moderator training on Wednesday, Sept. 10th. If you are interested in the training or helping at the forums, please call Nikki Harris at 704.8286 or email nikkihar@aol.com.

DISTRIBUTE EASY VOTER GUIDES (EVGS)

This is a great way to get involved through an activity where you get to meet our other League members. We have a really good system and everyone enjoys the work. On Tuesday, October 7th we will need people to sort and organize the EVGs for distribution. They will work about two hours in the morning, starting at 10 AM. At noon other volunteers working in teams of two will distribute the EVGs to agencies in Oakland. One person will drive while the other will navigate and distribute the bags. New and experienced members are welcome. Please contact Miriam Laska at 658.2727 or mirlaska@yahoo.com.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

The speakers bureau is revving up for another big election season of pro and con presentations. This election there will be over 16 ballot measures. We make presentations all over Oakland to many different groups at varied times + weekdays, weekday evenings, and mornings and afternoons on Saturday and Sunday. You are all most welcome to join us. If you are interested, and can offer at least two presentations, join us at training either Thurs. Sept. 18, 7-9 PM, or Sat. Sept. 20, 10 AM-noon. Please call Judy Merrill for further details.

Also, if you know of a group which you think would appreciate having us come, please let Judy know via her email (judy@apstate.us) or phone (654.9600) and she'll take it from there.

REGISTER VOTERS

Since the June Primary most of our registration efforts have been at the request of other civic-minded organizations.

The Piedmont League has offered to partner with us on any registration drives leading up to the General Election. These additional volunteers could make the difference whether or not the "permanent locations" strategy is successful. Anyone who is interested who has not already been called to register voters or who has suggestions for possible locations to register voters at regularly scheduled dates and times from September 20th thru October 20th, please contact Allene Warren at msvlkid@sbcglobal.net or 562.3945.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE -

By Helen Hutchison

Redistricting - Proposition 11. I've just returned from a speakers' training session for Proposition 11. I am steeped in The Message: "It is time for change. We need to stop the gridlock in Sacramento and hold the politicians accountable." There's more to the Prop 11 message but I have another message now.

In order to pass this measure on November 4, we all need to be steeped in The Message. We don't all need to be making formal speeches but we do need to be talking to and communicating with all of our friends and acquaintances in California.

So here's what you can do:
▪ First, educate yourself:
The best source is the Yes on 11 website (http://yesprop11.org). Click on "Get the Facts" to learn the basics and then get going. You don't need to know all the details!
▪ Do your own grassroots lobbying

• Talk with friends and neighbors;
  
• If you are on any email lists watch for opportunities to post information about Proposition 11, and equally important, watch for misinformation and quickly post corrections;
  
• Get campaign materials and walk your neighborhood -- consider putting your name and address on the literature you hand out so that people will know that their neighbor is endorsing this measure.

Proposition 11 "The Message"

Why do we need Proposition 11?

Under the current system, legislators draw their own district lines to guarantee their re-election. This is a major conflict of interest. Currently in California legislative races there is a 99% re-election rate despite low voter approval. Legislators are not accountable to voters and don't have to earn our votes. All of this leads to partisan gridlock and keeps our lawmakers from addressing pressing issues; nothing gets done. There is no progress on problems like the state budget, health care and education funding

Proposition 11 will change the broken system.

Proposition 11 changes how legislative districts are drawn. Voters will finally have a voice. Politicians will be accountable when they are no longer guaranteed re-election. It will be easier to throw them out of office if they're not doing their jobs.

How does Proposition 11 work?

It creates a 14-member independent citizen commission to draw the legislative districts using strict, non-partisan, open and transparent rules. The process requires that existing city and county boundaries and communities be respected. Individuals with conflicts of interest may not serve on the commission. The commission will be made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and four members not associated with either party.

For more information about how Proposition 11 will work, who supports it, and how to get involved go to: http://www.yesprop11.org.

Finalization in Sight for Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan

On March 18, 2008, the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners committed to reducing air pollutants from the Port's activities by 85 percent by 2020. The Port in June released the draft of its Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan (MAQIP), which lays out the strategies and projects that will help the Port achieve its air quality goal.

The MAQIP's focus is to reduce the adverse public health impacts of Port activities on Port workers and the residents of nearby communities, as well as to improve the ambient air quality in neighboring West Oakland and in the Bay Area (see box below). The MAQIP covers the Port's maritime division, or seaport, which includes seven major marine terminals, with 20 deepwater berths and 37 cranes for transferring container cargo to and from ships. The Port leases the terminals to shipping lines and stevedoring companies, which move the containers to and from the terminals by truck and rail. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard is on Port property; the Union Pacific rail yard is adjacent to the Port, on private property.

With many diverse entities -- shipping lines, harbor craft, cargo-handling terminal operators, trucking companies, independent truckers, and railroads -- involved in the Port's operations, plus residents and others concerned about health issues in West Oakland, the Port faced a tough challenge to develop a comprehensive pollution control plan. Engaging all these groups early in the planning would be essential to its success in attaining the Port's ambitious 85 percent emissions reduction goal.

To address this challenge and gain input, the Port appointed a 35-member task force representing the concerned entities. The task force was co-chaired by a representative each from the Port, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, and GSC Logistics, Inc.

After an extensive search, the task force identified 355 potential initiatives that could reduce emissions. The task force also developed criteria for evaluating the initiatives, and using these criteria determined that 128 were applicable to the purposes of the draft MAQIP and therefore suitable for inclusion. Of these initiatives, 35 duplicate existing regulatory or Memorandum of Understanding requirements are listed separately in the draft MAQIP. The initiatives are listed by source (trucks, ocean-going vessels, and so forth) and are classified as primary (if applicable to Port activities) and secondary (for those requiring further study or consideration). Some of the initiatives have not yet been evaluated for economic, legal, or technical feasibility.

Most of the pollution reduction needed to accomplish the Port's goal will be achieved through compliance with regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), or the Air District. The balance of the Port Commissions goal will be achieved through voluntary actions, incentive programs, inclusion in lease agreements, and tariffs. As envisioned in the MAQIP, the Port will develop monitoring and reporting procedures to assure timely and expedient progress toward its goals.

Upgrading diesel equipment is costly, and much of the expense will be borne by the tenants of the Port and the truckers that serve them. For example, the cost of retrofitting a heavy-duty diesel truck ranges from $8,000 to $25,000. However, grants are available that may defray some of the costs:

Proposition 1B (the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Act of 2005) allowed the state Legislature to allocate $1 billion to CARB to reduce air polluting emissions and health risks from freight movement along the state's priority trade corridors. CARB adopted program guidelines to award this year's installment of $250 million to eligible projects that provide "early and extra" emissions reductions. Only projects for emissions reductions "not otherwise required by law or regulation" can be funded under the program. The Bay Area was earlier awarded $3.4 million by CARB to retrofit trucks operating at the Port and to install shore-side power at two berths at the Port so that ships do not have to run their auxiliary engines for power while moored there. Another $5 million was awarded to the Air District by CARB, to which the Air District and the Port have each additionally pledged $5 million to retrofit 1,000 drayage trucks at the Port with soot filters.

The Carl Moyer Memorial Standards Attainment Program provides funds for the incremental costs of replacing old engines with new, cleaner ones, adding emissions control equipment, and replacing old vehicles with ones that are cleaner than required by law. The owner must pay part of the cost. Eligible projects include on-road, off-road, marine, locomotive, and certain stationary and portable engines. CARB administers the Carl Moyer Program at the state level, and distributes funds to local air districts. The California Legislature has stipulated through AB 923 that 50 percent of the funds available in the Carl Moyer Program must be spent in areas disproportionately impacted by air pollution such as West Oakland.

In addition to Carl Moyer funds, the Air District has also levied an additional $2 surcharge on vehicle registration to offset the effects of vehicle emissions in the Bay Area air basin. This Mobile Source Incentive Fund (MSIF) is subject to the same guidelines as the Carl Moyer program and provides an additional mechanism for equipment owners to replace or add emissions controls to older more polluting engines.

The Transportation Fund for Clean Air receives about $22 million a year from a $4 surcharge on the registration fees of Bay Area motor vehicles. The Air District distributes grants to the most cost-effective projects to reduce motor vehicle emissions.

The West Coast Collaborative is a program within the U.S. EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign to coordinate diesel emissions reductions funding of $200 million annually for five years nation-wide, under the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. The task force is scheduled to present the proposed final MAQIP to the Port's Board of Commissioners on September 26, for potential adoption on November 4.

reprinted from the Bay Area Monitor

If you found this article interesting you might want to subscribe to the Bay Area Monitor regularly. To do this, contact the LWV Oakland office, info@lwvoakland.org or 834-7640 and let them know that you'd like to be on the list for the Bay Area Monitor.

Studying The Impact On Health

To aid in the preparation of the draft MAQIP, CARB released a study conducted in response to the concerns of West Oakland residents entitled "Diesel Particulate Matter Exposure Assessment Study for the West Oakland Community: Preliminary Summary of Results." The study found the levels of diesel PM in the ambient air in West Oakland to be almost three times the average Bay Area levels and, consequently, the potential cancer risk from exposure to diesel PM in West Oakland was almost three times the average risk from diesel PM in the Bay Area. Diesel PM accounts for about 80 percent of the cancer risk from ambient toxic air contaminants in the Bay Area. Both this CARB study and the draft MAQIP use the Port's 2005 emissions inventory as a baseline.

Vote With the League

The League Of Women Voters Recommends For The November 4, 2008 General Election

STATEWIDE:
PROP 1: High-Speed Rail Bonds - Decision Pending
PROP 3: Children's Hospital Bond Act - SUPPORT
PROP 4: Waiting Period and Parental Notification before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy - OPPOSE
PROP 5: Nonviolent Drug Offenses. Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation - SUPPORT
PROP 6: Police and Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Penalties and Laws (Runner Initiative) - OPPOSE
PROP 7: Renewable Energy Generation - OPPOSE
PROP 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry - OPPOSE
PROP 9: Criminal Justice System. Victims' Rights. Parole - OPPOSE
PROP 10: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy. Bonds - OPPOSE
PROP 11: Redistricting Reform: California Voters FIRST Act - STRONG SUPPORT
Because League positions do not cover the issues in Proposition 2, Standards for Confining Farm Animals, and Proposition 12, Veterans' Bond Act of 2008, the LWVC is taking no stand on these measures.

REGIONAL:
East Bay Regional Park District Open Space Bond Measure Extension - SUPPORT
AC Transit Parcel Tax increase - SUPPORT

CITY OF OAKLAND:
Kids First 2 - OPPOSE
Police Service Expansion Parcel Tax, Spousal Retirement Benefits: the League positions do not cover the issues in these measures, so LWVO is taking no stand on these measures.

OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT:
Outstanding Teachers For All Oakland Students Act (Parcel tax for teacher pay increase) - decision pending
For more information about the positions on the statewide measures refer to the LWVC website: http://ca.lwv.org.

Baffled By The Ballot?

Who are those Candidates?

LWV Oakland and Allen Temple Baptist Church are cosponsoring a forum for the run-off candidates for the At-Large City Council Seat on Saturday, September 20 starting at 10 AM. The debate will be held at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd. in Oakland. Invite your friends and neighbors to join you for an exciting and educational kick-off to election season.

We will be holding a second forum for the City Council At-Large Seat and for Superior Court Seat 9 at 5:30 PM Friday evening, Oct. 3 at City Hall Hearing Room 1. On Thursday evening, Oct. 2 we will hold forums for a number of local races: AC Transit, BART, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, and Peralta CC Trustee. These forums will start at 5 PM and will also be at City Hall Hearing Room1. Please come to the forums and hear what the candidates have to say.

How many Ballot Measures?

The LWV Oakland and the National Women's Political Caucus are cosponsoring another Baffled by the Ballot evening on Monday October 6. As of mid-August there were twelve state, two regional, and three or four local measures with the total likely to go up. Please save the date. More details will be in the October Voter.

TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

If you haven't renewed your membership you can still do it by submitting your dues for the coming year. We really need your energy and support and 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 using the online form

New dues rates, approved by the membership at our June Annual Meeting:
Regular member: $65.00
Additional household member: $32.50
Student: $25.00

CLIMATE CHANGE AND PEACE

The United Nations International Day of Peace will be celebrated with a special event at UC Berkeley's International House on Sunday 21 September 2008 from 3 to 6 p.m. "Climate Change and Peace: Why the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Won the Nobel Peace Prize" is presented by the United Nations Association-USA East Bay (UNA-USA EB), the League of Women Voters Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville (LWVBAE) and UC Berkeley International House. The League of Women Voters of Oakland is a cosponsor.

Addressing these critical environmental and social challenges of climate change and peace will be a panel of renowned scientists and IPCC lead author Daniel Kammen, UC Berkeley Professor of Energy and Society. Dr. Kammen will give an overview of what the IPCC is now doing, where its future focus is likely to be, and what it previously has done that merited the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. A small panel of other eminent researchers and scholars in this field will present further on the issues related to climate change and peace. All the speakers will then respond to questions they receive from the audience.

Public awareness of the critical environmental challenges facing people in every part of the globe has never been so acute, nor has recognition of the necessity of changing habits and patterns of living ever been so widespread. While we work in various different organizations toward achieving goals for a better, more just and environmentally-safe world, we come together along with other Bay area NGOs in this conference to enrich and strengthen those organizations' efforts, to the betterment of us all.

All are welcome. Please go to http://unausaeastbay.org for further updates, or phone 510-849-1752.

LWVO meets the Ukrainians

In July we were asked to meet with a delegation of ten Ukrainian elected officials to talk about democracy and how the electoral process works. The delegation had been invited by the Center for Safe Energy and was sponsored by the Open World program, a project of USAID to promote international relations on a citizen diplomacy level.

The meeting was at the Swan's Co-Housing community room and followed the delegation's meeting with Barbara Lee's office. In spite of its being right after lunch, they were a delightfully interested and alert group of visitors. I gave them a brief overview of the co-housing concept; Helen Hutchison talked about the League, its goals and aspirations; and Nikki Harris talked about the candidate forums. The presentations were informal and were sprinkled with questions and comments by the visitors.

In addition to Helen, Nikki and myself, Suzanne Loosen, Susie Butler-Berkley and Judy Merrill all added to the wealth of information that we were able to impart and to the general enthusiasm for the League. It was a very well-received discussion that could have gone on for much longer than the hour an a half that was allotted. As always it was a real pleasure to be involved in citizen diplomacy.

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

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