California Democratic Party (CDP) Vice Chairman Eric Bauman will be guest speaker at the next brunch meeting of the Democratic Women’s Council of the Conejo Valley on Saturday, January 15, at Boccaccio’s Restaurant in Westlake Village. The champagne brunch meeting is scheduled from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Boccaccio’s Restaurant is located at 32123 Lindero Canyon Road, #104 (the Landing Shopping Center), Westlake Village.

Elected CDP Vice Chair in 2009, Bauman also is currently serving an unprecedented fifth term as Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party (LACPD), the largest local Democratic Party in the nation. In 2008, Bauman delivered on his pledge to raise and spend more that $1 million through LACDP to help elect Democrats, promote Democratic ballot positions and grow the party throughout LA County and the state.

Professionally, Bauman is the Senior Advisor to California Assembly Speaker John A. Perez and the Director of the Speaker’s Office of Member Services. Prior to joining the Speaker’s office, Bauman held various senior-level positions throughout California government, including as Special Assistant to Gov. Gray Davis and Director of the Governor’s Los Angeles Regional Office. A Registered Nurse with graduate education in Health Care Administration, he spent many years in intensive care, trauma nursing and hospital administration.

In addition to Bauman, the program will feature updates from area non-profit organizations: Afghan Girls School, Conejo Valley Cares, Evan Ashcraft Foundation, Greater Contribution, MANNA Conejo Valley Food Bank and Wells Bring Hope.

DWCCV brunch admission is $20. Make reservations by calling, (805) 495-1515. Information also is available at http://dwccv.org.

Please attend the meeting below for your Assembly District to support and vote for your delegates. You must be a Democrat registered in the Assembly District and pay a $5 donation in order to vote. You do not need to stay for the entire meeting to vote. There will be a 2-hour registration period beginning at the time listed below and you may vote at any time during that period and leave if you wish. During the meeting that follows, the candidates will speak and there will be voting at the end of the speeches for those who choose to stay.

AD 35

Date: Saturday, January 8
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: IBEW Local 951
Address: 3994 E. Main St., Ventura, CA 93003 (next to Target)
Onsite Phone: (805) 331-0230

Convener: Tim Allison
(805) 331-0230
mail4tim@cox.net

AD 37

Date: Sunday, January 9
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Ventura County Democratic Party Headquarters
Address: 1760 Ventura Bvd., Camarillo, CA 93012
Cross-street: 101 and Carmen Drive
Onsite Phone: (805) 331-0230

Convener: Tim Allison
(805) 331-0230
mail4tim@cox.net

AD 38

Date: Saturday, January 8
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Spurling Hall
Address: 24901 Orchard Village Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Onsite Phone: (661) 259-7307

Convener: Michael Kulka
(661) 373-5397
michael@michaelkulka.com

AD 41

Date: Sunday, January 9
Time: 10 a.m. Note time has been changed from 11 a.m.

Location: Topanga Canyon Community Center
Address: 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290
Onsite Phone: (310) 291-1300

Convener: Dorothy Reik
(818) 226-6100
dorothyreik@pdsmm.org

Overview of process: Reorganization of the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) begins at the end of 2010 and goes through February 7, 2011. Members of the DSCC (also known as “Delegates”) come from the following sources:

• Elected through County Committees
• Appointed by Democratic Elected Officials or Nominees
• Elected through Assembly District

The Assembly District Delegates (ADDs) and Assembly District Executive Board representatives (“EBd Reps”) are elected at Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs) held in each of the 80 Assembly Districts. The California Democratic Party is convening ADEMs on January 8 and 9, 2011, where 12 people (6 men and 6 women) from each Assembly District will be elected to represent their district for both the 2011 and 2012 State Conventions.

If you live in the 41st Assembly District please attend the Assembly District Election Meeting (ADEM) below.  First time candidate RL Miller from Oak Park is a Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley E Board Member and needs your support and votes!  She is the only candidate running for the 41st AD who is a Ventura County resident.

Date: Sunday, January 9
Time: 11:00am is the start of registration. After 2 hours, registration will close and the meeting will begin. You do not have to stay for the meeting to vote.  You may just show up, vote and leave if you wish.
Location: Topanga Canyon Community Center
Address: 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290
Onsite Phone: (310) 291-1300

Convener: Dorothy Reik
(818) 226-6100
dorothyreik@pdsmm.org

Overview of process: Reorganization of the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) begins at the end of 2010 and goes through February 7, 2011. Members of the DSCC (also known as “Delegates”) come from the following sources:

• Elected through County Committees
• Appointed by Democratic Elected Officials / Nominees
• Elected through Assembly District

The Assembly District Delegates (ADDs) and Assembly District Executive Board representatives (“EBd Reps”) are elected at Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs) held in each of the 80 Assembly Districts. The California Democratic Party is convening ADEMs on January 8 and 9, 2011, where 12 people (6 men / 6 women) from each Assembly District will be elected to represent their district for both the 2011 and 2012 State Conventions.

Resolution passed 12/14/2010:

Ventura County Democrats (aka Ventura County Democratic Central Committee) want to lend their voice in support of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton’s position against President Obama’s Congressional deal to extend the Bush tax cuts for the next two years to the richest Americans:

Whereas Bush-era tax breaks that President Barack Obama proposes to remain for the next two years will compound fiscal damage to California in a time of severe budget and revenue crises where California consumers will not and cannot spend because they have no trust in the economy to recover and the result will be to perpetuate double-digit unemployment for many years to come.

Whereas the federal government’s necessity to borrow from other nations, like China, to pay the immediate shortfall in revenues that gives generous tax breaks to the richest Americans in a time of fiscal crises will only exacerbate the national deficit saddling our children with this unjust burden.

Whereas there has been no verifiable demonstration that tax cuts to the very rich in the past ten years have resulted in the creation of more jobs with sustainable wages for Americans, rather conversely corporate and private investment capital has moved to follow cheap labor markets oversees or, as in the case of the banking industry, has created barriers to middle-class borrowers and home owners while hoarding a windfall of federal bailout dollars.

Therefore Be It Resolved that Ventura County Democrats call upon our United States Senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and Congressional Representatives Lois Capps, 23rd District and Elton Gallegly 24th District to vote against any legislation that reaches the floor of the Senate or the House of Representatives and publically state their opposition to the two-year continuation of the Bush-era tax cuts as proposed by President Obama and consider legislation allowing relief for middle-class Americans while asking the rich to contribute their fair share to the country in a time of need.

You see them cluttering your mailbox every election cycle. If you’re like many California voters, you may even have been fooled by them: deceptive slate mailer advertisements that are meant to trick voters and hide the big money, special interests who pay for them.

Using patriotic pictures of eagles and made-up names like the “Voting Information Guide for Democrats,” they fool many unsuspecting voters into thinking they are actually reporting official Democratic Party endorsements, when in fact space on these mailers is often sold to the highest bidder — in some cases giant oil, insurance, and utility companies! These purported Democratic mailers often take take positions that are the exact opposite of the Democratic Party’s values.

MANY GOOD INITIATIVES AND CANDIDATES, INCLUDING PROPOSITION 15, THE CALIFORNIA FAIR ELECTIONS ACT, HAVE LOST IN PART DUE TO DECEPTIVE SLATES.

We urge you to send a letter now asking for serious reform of deceptive slate mailers!

California’s Fair Political Practices Commission now has a Political Reform Act Task Force that is collecting public comments on reforms of the rules governing slate mailers. The Ventura County Democratic Party has joined groups like California Clean Money Campaign and California Common Cause to ask for SERIOUS slate mailer disclosure reform to put an end to these deceptive practices.

The proposals would institute truth in slate advertising by requiring non-official Democratic Party slate mailers to:

• Clearly say they are “NOT the Official Slate of a Democratic Party Organization” wherever they use the word “Democrat” or “Democratic” Party.
• Identify right under the title when they are “Paid Political Advertising.”
• Make absolutely clear that the listings are “Paid” endorsements everywhere paid endorsements are shown and indicate who is actually paying for them.

THE FPPC NEEDS TO HEAR FROM ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LIKE YOU!

Send a letter asking for serious reform of deceptive slate mailers now!

Our easy letter-writing tool will provide you a draft letter that includes the Ventura County Democratic Party’s recommendations. (See the rest of our recommendations when you send the email!)

SOCIAL NETWORKING AT 6:15PM – MEETING AT 6:45PM

Our Wednesday General Meeting at the Thousand Oaks Main Library is our traditional potluck holiday party and officer election. Please plan on coming and using your vote to make your voice heard in the club.

Potluck dishes should be based on the following last name initials:   A-E appetizers; F-J salads; K-O main courses; P-T desserts; and U-Z drinks or whatever you feel like bringing.

Guests and general public are welcome.

We look forward to seeing you!!

On Monday night (11-22-10), the Ventura City Council will consider a plan to withdraw from the Ventura County Library System (VCLS) and contract Ventura’s library services to a private firm. This plan could have significant repercussions on the availability of library resources to our citizens.

We urge all those who are concerned about the future of libraries in the county to attend this important meeting, which will begin at 6 p.m. at Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli St. A step in this direction must be weighed carefully and we believe there is currently not enough information to make a thoughtful decision.

We urge the Ventura City Council to hold off on putting out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for library services until a strategic plan is completed. There are many unknowns at this time which could greatly affect the decision-making process:

A retreat from the County Library System could also affect the inter-library loan program and cause the loss of significant county funds now used to subsidize the operation of Ventura’s library system.

Please let the Ventura City Council know your thoughts by attending in person or sending an email to:

bfulton@ci.ventura.ca.us
mtracy@ci.ventura.ca.us
nandrews@ci.ventura.ca.us
bbrennan@ci.ventura.ca.us
jmonahan@ci.ventura.ca.us
cmorehouse@ci.ventura.ca.us
cweir@ci.ventura.ca.us

Useful links for more information:

Go here for the Ventura County Star article.
Go here for the City of Ventura staff report.

Comments Due by November 22

The Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley resolved earlier this year to support the full and complete cleanup of the Santa Susan Field Lab.  Countywide help is  needed now on this critical environmental and public health issue.

The most contaminated place in Ventura County is the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, where reactors and rockets were tested.  One atomic reactor suffered a partial meltdown there in 1959; at least three other reactors had other accidents; there were thousands of rocket tests.  Radioactive and chemical contamination resulted.

For decades, the fight to get the site cleaned up has raged.  Finally, we have a breakthrough:  the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and NASA, which operated key parts of the site, have agreed to a cleanup to background levels of contaminants.  In short, if they detect contamination from their activities, they will clean it up.  This is what the community has sought for so long.

An initial comment period resulted in over 1700 comments in favor of the agreement-in-principle—absolutely remarkable.  If you commented then, thanks!  But DOE has now asked for a second, final round of comments, on the final, legally binding Agreement.  It is frustrating to have to comment a second time, but we are near the finish line. [You can find the Agreement and related documents at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SiteCleanup/Santa_Susana_Field_Lab/SSFL-Cleanup.cfm and get more information about the SSFL issue  http://www.rocketdynecleanupcoalition.org.]

ACTION NEEDED:  Whether you commented before or not, PLEASE send in a comment NOW urging that the final Agreements be immediately signed.  (Comments are due no later than November 22.)

Click here to send an email comment: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5393/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4690

Below are official election results for our endorsed Democratic candidates from the 2010 General Election. Statewide and local ballot measure results are also listed.

STATEWIDE OFFICES / U.S. SENATE

Jerry Brown
Governor
WON

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senate
WON

Gavin Newsom
Lt. Governor
WON

Debra Bowen
Secretary of State
WON

John Chiang
Controller
WON

Bill Lockyer
Treasurer
WON

Kamala Harris
Attorney General
WON

Dave Jones
Insurance Commissioner
WON

Tom Torlakson
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
WON

Chris Parker
Board of Equalization District 2
LOST

CONGRESS

CD 24 Tim Allison
LOST

CD 23 Lois Capps
WON

ASSEMBLY

AD 35 Das Williams
WON

AD 37 Ferial Masry
LOST

AD 38 Diana Shaw
LOST

AD 41 Julia Brownley
WON

BALLOT PROPOSITIONS

Proposition 19: LOST

Allows people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use. Permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21 years old or older. Prohibits people from possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public, smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to anyone under 21 years old. Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired.

Proposition 20: WON

Removes elected representatives from process of establishing congressional districts and transfers that authority to recently authorized 14-member redistricting commission comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and respresentatives of neither party. Funded almost entirely by a Republican billionaire.

Proposition 21: LOST

Establishes $18 annual vehicle license surcharge to help fund state parks and wildlife programs. Grants surcharged vehicles free admission to all state parks. Will set aside protected fund for State Parks, thus protecting the local economies that depend on them.

Proposition 22: WON

Prohibits the state from borrowing or taking funds used for transportation, redevelopment, or local government projects and services. Could impact state funding of schools and public safety.

Proposition 23: LOST

Suspends implementation of air pollution control law (AB 32) requiring major sources of emissions to report and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, until unemployment drops to 5.5 percent or less for full year. Funded by Texas oil companies and other oil interests who are known polluters. Will discourage state’s new green economy.

Proposition 24: LOST

Repeals recent legislation that would allow businesses to lower their tax liability. Ends $1.3 billion tax giveaway to corporations.  Will help stop school and healthcare cuts.

Proposition 25: WON

Changes legislative vote requirement to pass budget and budget-related legislation from two-thirds to a simple majority. Retains two-thirds vote requirement for taxes. Makes the state budget a majority vote like 47 other states, which will help end budget gridlock. Penalizes legislators for late budgets by docking pay.

Proposition 26: WON

Requires that certain state and local fees be approved by two-thirds vote. These fees include those that address adverse impacts on society or the environment caused by the fee-payer’s business. Would protect polluters from paying for the damage they cause.

Proposition 27: LOST

Eliminates 14-member redistricting commission. Consolidates authority for establishing state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization districts with elected representatives who draw congressional districts. Repeals Schwarzenegger’s flawed redistricting scheme.

Measure H (Ventura): LOST
Parcel tax measure that will raise approximately $4.5 million per year to provide funding to maintain academic programs and retain highly qualified teachers throughout the Ventura Unified School District. All funds spent locally without state meddling. Sunsets in four years, senior exemption, strict oversight.

VENTURA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS

Rachel Ulrich, Ventura County Board Of Education, District 1 – WON
Tom Mullens, Ventura County Board Of Education, District 2 – LOST

Pete Peterson, Conejo Valley Unified School District – LOST
Tim Stephens, Conejo Valley Unified School District – WON

Nathan Sweet, Moorpark Unified School District – WON

Mary Pallant, Oak Park Unified School District – WON
Marie Panec, Oak Park Unified School District – WON

Rikki Horne, Ojai Unified School District – WON
Kathi Smith, Ojai Unified School District – WON

Ana Del Rio-Barba, Oxnard Elementary School District – WON
Deborah D. DeVries, Oxnard Elementary School District – LOST
Socorro López Hanson, Oxnard Union High School District – WON

Bob Rust, Pleasant Valley School District – WON

Mike Barber, Rio School District – WON
Ramon “Ray” Rodriguez, Rio School District – WON
Eleanor Torres, Rio School District – WON

Jeanne Davis, Simi Valley Unified School District – WON
Arleigh Kidd, Simi Valley Unified School District – WON

CITY COUNCIL RACES

Puneet Sharma, Camarillo City Council – LOST
Roy Villa, Camarillo City Council – LOST

Carmen Ramirez, Oxnard City Council – WON

Ellis L. Green, Port Hueneme City Council – WON

Mitchell Green, Simi Valley City Council – LOST

Deborah B. Birenbaum, Thousand Oaks City Council – LOST
Brandon Millan, Thousand Oaks City Council – LOST

OTHER VENTURA COUNTY RACES

Jason Hodge, Oxnard Harbor District – WON
Florencia Ramirez, Oxnard Harbor District – LOST
Mary Anne Rooney, Oxnard Harbor District – WON

John Kaspar, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District – LOST

Steven Iceland, Triunfo Sanitation District – WON

If you ask nearly anyone about what attracts them to the Golden State, on the top of most lists is our State Park System.

Without adequate funding these natural gems are in real trouble, and so are the local economies which depend on them for visitor dollars. Here in Ventura County, many of our coastal parks were recently on a closure or reduced services list.

Proposition 21 will give California vehicles free admission to the state parks in exchange for a new $18 vehicle license fee, which will be specifically dedicated to state parks and wildlife conservation. The surcharge will apply to most California vehicles, including motorcycles and recreational vehicles, and will be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles as part of the annual vehicle license fee. It will not apply to larger commercial vehicles (those subject to the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act), mobile homes or permanent trailers.

Please vote Yes on Proposition 21.

Go here to vote for this video made by local filmmakers Brian Mack and Doug Lamore.