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Davisite Banner. Left side the bicycle obelisk at 3rd and University. Right side the trellis at the entrance to the Arboretum.

Author: Roberta Millstein

  • City Council Candidates Changing Positions on Measure R

    CivEnergyForumThe Davis College Democrats (DCD) have excoriated Linda Deos for her apparent change of position on Measure R* from "I am definitely for repealing" to "I support Measure R." Now, with the publication of the candidates' responses to CivEnergy's question about Measure R, we can see where the other four candidates besides Deos who were at the DCD forum now stand on Measure R.

    Mary Jo Bryan to the DCD: "Repealing of course. I have never voted for it."

    Mary Jo Bryan to CivEnergy: "I am neutral at this point."

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  • A New Strategic Plan for the Open Space Program: City Process Done Right

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    Source: Davis Wiki

    At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 20, a very important but easily missed item was presented and approved by the Council: The 2030 Strategic Plan for the City of Davis Open Space Program. I highlight it here not only because I think the issues are near and dear to many Davisites' hearts, but also because I think it serves as an excellent example of community-staff-commission-Council coordination that I would like to see more of (and I say this as someone who has criticized City processes in the past, e.g., here).

    The process toward a new strategic plan for the Open Space program began approximately halfway into the 30 year lifespan of Measure O, a tax that the voters of Davis agreed to impose upon themselves in order to provide for, among other things, "Acquisition in fee or easement of open space lands within the Davis planning area…the improvement, operation, maintenance and/or monitoring of open space lands currently owned by the City in fee easement [or] acquired by the City in the future, including but not limited to the restoration, enhancement and preservation of habitat areas, maintenance of open space lands, and monitoring of habitat and agricultural conservation easements."

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  • Live blogging from the CivEnergy City Council Forum

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    Here is a brief summary of each candidate's positions on the questions asked. These are my paraphrases, not quotes – I did the best I could, typing on a cranky iPad!

    I left off opening statements in what follows; the four questions that I blog about below are:

    1. Unique food identity for Davis?
    2. Instance of one City decision making process and your evaluation of it.
    3. One issue in your platform, why important, how you will address
    4. Closing remarks 

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  • Is the Vanguard systematically deleting links to the Davisite — and only the Davisite?

    Why
    It seems that the Vanguard is systematically deleting links to the Davisite — and only the Davisite.  The following screenshots show three examples of this, with the original versions, as posted by the author with links to the Davisite, and then later versions without links to the Davisite, apparently removed by the blog owner or one of the blog moderators.  Yet links to other sites like Facebook remain.

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  • Five Council Candidates State Positions on Measure J/R

     

    West from Rd 30B - Sac skyline

    View from Mace curve – one of the areas subject to Measure J/R

    Last night (2/28/2018), the Davis College Democrats held a forum for candidates for Davis City Council. Well, not all candidates — you had to be a declared Democrat to participate, even though the City Council is supposed to be non-partisan. Forum participants also had to answer a series of loaded questions. Here's one:

    Our city is running out of room to accommodate future growth, with a severe housing and financial crisis. Measure R has placed a stranglehold on any annexation efforts to deal with this problem by requiring a ballot measure for any significant development. In 2020 Measure R will go on the ballot for reauthorization. If elected how will you augment Measure R to stave off another city housing or financial crisis?

    Davisites might be surprised to learn how the five candidates (out of nine running) in attendance answered.

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  • Measure J, Measure R… and now Measure J again? A guide for the perplexed

    West from Rd 30B - Sac skyline

    View from Mace curve – one of the areas subject to Measure J/R

    I think most Davisites know that measure letters get reused, so that a Measure A of today might be different from a Measure A of yesterday. But in this June's election, things get very confusing – the successful Measure J of 2000 is what permits Davisites to vote "no" (or "yes) on the Measure J of today. Hunh?

    Here's an attempt to clarify the situation.

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  • On the Cannery, Housing, and Davis’s Small-Town Feel

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    Source: Davis LocalWiki

    At its February 20 meeting, the City Council was supposed to review a proposal to bring a large, corporate gym to the Cannery, a change to the original proposal that the developer is asking for. The Council decided at the request of the developer to delay the item until March 13, but a number of people gave public comment anyway.

    I found many of these comments to be heartfelt, insightful, and persuasive, but one resonated with me in particular because it was so similar to my own experience, and also because I think it has very far-reaching implications:

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  • Proposed revisions to the Cannery project will NOT be heard by the City Council tonight

    From: "City of Davis eNotification" <webmaster@cityofdavis.org>

    City Council Agenda Update – February 20, 2018

    Date: February 20, 2018 2:18 p.m.

    PLEASE NOTE:
    Agenda Item 5 – Public Hearing on The Cannery Marketplace Project Revisions will not be heard at tonight's City Council meeting. The item will be opened and continued to the City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Discussion of the item will take place at the March 13 meeting.

    We apologize for any inconvenience.

  • On Civil Discourse

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    With discussions over the June elections heating up, it is perhaps not surprising that discussions about what does and does not constitute civil discourse are also heating up in Davis.

    Luckily for us, these rules have long been established, so we need only take this opportunity to remind ourselves of what they are. The devil is in the details, but the basic idea is this: do not commit the ad hominem fallacy. That is, do not attack the person. Criticizing their arguments or actions, however, is legitimate.

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  • The Yolo County District Attorney race is contested for the first time in years – and voters should pay attention

    Last month, Dean Johansson declared his candidacy for Yolo County district attorney (story here).  This is the first time since 2006 that the election has been contested.  But are Yolo County voters paying attention?

    Seems as if they should, if this a recent Facebook post from the campaign is even remotely accurate. 

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