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Category: Politics

  • Arguments for and against increasing transactions & use tax from 1% to 2% (Measure Q)

    By Roberta Millstein

    This November, Davisites will vote on Measure Q:

    To support essential City services, such as public safety and emergency response; crime prevention; pothole repair; parks, road, sidewalk, and bike path maintenance; and addressing homelessness, affordable housing, and climate change, shall the City of Davis's Ordinance be adopted establishing an additional 1¢ sales tax providing approximately $11,000,000 annually for general government use until repealed by the voters, subject to annual audits, public disclosure of all spending and with all funds staying local?

    This would increase Davis's current retail transactions and use tax from 1% to 2%.  To pass, a majority (50% + 1) of the votes cast by City of Davis voters must approve the measure.  As implied by the text above, the tax has no automatic sunset date; it will be in effect until repealed by voters. 

    Further details are available at the County's website: https://ace.yolocounty.gov/417/Measure-Q—City-of-Davis

    Here is the argument in favor that will appear on the ballot:

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  • Four California Bills to Punish Free Speech and Academic Freedom at Schools and Campuses Are About to Become Law

    Being heard in California State Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees Today

    Silenced

    By Scott Steward

    Three of the four bills are unbalanced and likely to increase the punitive environment (and the cost) of our California universities, state universities, and community colleges and send a "shut up or else" message to about 2.5 million mostly young adults, their instructors and administrators.

    Unfortunately, Dodd already voted to pass the two Senate bills to the Assembly, which is very sad for our college campuses.  Aguiar Curry already voted to pass the assembly bills, which is sad for our high schools.  I'll assume that Democratic majorities are all in on these bills. The bills are now being heard by the appropriations committees of the opposite houses today. Floor votes for the AB bills are likely in the Senate and floor votes are likely for the SB bills are likely in the Assembly soon. 

    That said – I would propose you let Dodd and Aguiar-Curry to recommend

    For Aguiar-Curry:

    NO on senate bills SB 1277 Pupil instruction: genocide education: the Holocaust.

    NO on senate bills SB 1287 Equity in Higher Education Act: prohibition on violence, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination.

    For Dodd:

    NO on assembly bill AB 2918 Pupil instruction: ethnic studies.

    And a "not encouraged by" AB 2925.  AB2925 Equity bill was more balanced, but there is concern over the vague nature of who would be implementing anti-discrimination training and what guardrails would be put in place to make sure that anti-discrimination training was developed inclusively – specifically that training included Palestinian voices along with other voices.

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  • Fight for Our Future: A Yolo-Wide Election Kickoff

    Sunday, August 25, 4-5 p.m., Veterans Memorial Center in Davis

    Vota
    Volunteers canvassing in the Central Valley earlier in 2024 will be returning as election nears

     (From press release) Local progressive activists are saying, “We’re not going back!” 

    Winning the White House, restoring a House majority, and holding the Senate and key State House races will be front and center Sunday, Aug. 25 at 4  p.m. when Sister District Yolo and Indivisible Yolo, along with Democratic Party partners, host a Yolo-wide election rally. 

    Speakers include Michael Tubbs, former mayor of Stockton and candidate for California Lieutenant Governor, and Rep. Jasmine Clark, a top target for the GOP in the critical swing state of Georgia.

    Co-sponsoring groups include the Yolo County Democratic Party, West Sac Democratic Club, and Davis College Democrats.

    “It’s time for Yolo County to step up our voter outreach to elect President Kamala Harris and give her a Congress she can work with. We are delighted to have Michael Tubbs as our featured keynote speaker not just because of his outstanding work on behalf of populations often left behind, but also his Central Valley roots,” said Steve Murphy of Indivisible Yolo. “Come learn how you can take action, no matter how much time or resources you have.”

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  • Reminder: still time for citizens to give input on environmental review of “Shriner’s” project

    Location of proposed Shriners project

    Comments are due by Monday, August 12.  Details are on this earlier post:

    https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2024/07/14/notice-of-preparation-nop-for-so-called-shriners-property-project/

    You can send your input, comments or responses (including the name for a contact person in your agency) to:

    Attn: Dara Dungworth, Principal Planner
    City of Davis Department of Community Development and Sustainability
    23 Russell Boulevard
    Davis, CA 95616
    ddungworth@cityofdavis.org

  • Will City & County Prioritize Yet More money for I-80?

    Missing funds may continue to compromise transit

    Image001 1699

    Map of what’s planned: : Phase I of Yolo80 widening will only be west of the 50/80 split in West Sacramento- We are missing $265 Mil

    By Alan Hirsch 

    This is a report on the untalked about short falls in funding on I-80Yolo projects (plural), changes to the freeway from Dixon across the Sacramento River bridges for both US 50 and I-80. We are told the freeway here is in crisis (Like the climate crisis?)

    Other have noted the short thinking of funding highway widening continue to “crowd out” funding of substantial transit improvements and that keeps us from addressing climate change and providing travel choices to driving.

    For example, on I80 Yolo the total bill is a jaw dropping $745 million- 40 times the Yolobus budget.

    Caltrans and freeway proponent all through the decision-making process on I80 have not make clear its full cost and long term impacts. They have instead  levered an initial $86 Million federal grant – which we are told we dare not give back – to lock us into spending hundreds of million more. A sum that effectively  crowd out investment in transit.

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  • New Commissions are Opportunity for more public participation and Innovation

    By Alan Hirsch, Davis Lorax

    The controversial city council plan for commission consolidation and refocus is going into effect this summer. This is a rare opportunity for reform I hope is not missed. 

    Let us begin by restating the overarching goals council set forward in this reform: 

    Davis Council Resolution 24-079 May 2024

    Guiding Principle for New Commission Structure

    . City Commissions should act at all times with the understanding that guiding principles are at the core of their work.

    1. Promote and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion
    2. Prioritize environmental and social justice
    3. Make space for community engagement
    4. Balance environmental and fiscal sustainability
    5. Strive for innovation and human progress

    The first meeting of the new Climate and Environmental Justice Commission on 7/22 Monday is precedent setting as it can begin to put implementation meat on the bone of these principles by:

    1. Better Prioritize Environmental  Justice than in the past  (principal B)
    2. Change meeting practices to allow more public participation. (principle A & C)  
    3. Speed surfacing of new ideas and follow through on their implementation.  (principle E

    As a first step in embracing council principles for this reorganization,  I suggest the  commission’s pass a resolution to  establish these ground rules for operation

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  • Farmer’s Kitchen Cafe Energy Prices Force it Out of D Street Location

    Farmers-kitchen-cafeby Scott Steward

    My brother came over from the Bay Area, where they have a lot of great dessert shops, and we sat down on my mom's west Davis back patio for a picnic lunch.

    I had stopped at previously at the Farmer’s Kitchen Cafe and picked up a beautiful (gluten-free) crust strawberry and raspberry pie, which we had with a small amount of ice cream, following our humus and vegetable platter with potato and green salads.

    But the pie! "Best pie I've had," my brother exclaimed, and his wife agreed and the seven of us present were able to eat half of the large 12" diameter desert. 

    This is the kind of consistently tasty and inspired eating you get from the Farmer's Family Cafe. Roseanne and her family have served sit-down no hurry service, and have provided a subscription menu, for years from the D Street location, but no more as of this July.

    In the last eight months, Roseanne has had to pay PG&E $36,000 in energy bills. Energy bills have always been high for the businesses renting in the conspicuously inefficient 11,400 sq ft D Street building (est. built in the 60s), but the last 8 months are different. $36,000, and Roseanne—who is not one to want to move—is moving to a new location to be announced once all is settled.

    Two systemic problems forced Roseanne's hand, and she is just one of the majority of businesses that have seen profits reduced by high utility bills. Not since Enron in 2000 have utilities increased so much in such a short period of time. The owners of these old buildings keep on collecting rent checks and do nothing about what it costs tenant businesses to keep buildings cool and food hot.

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  • Fighting Antisemitism: Lessons from history

    Hagen Cover

    William W. Hagen is an emeritus professor of History at UC Davis, specializing in German and east European history. His archival research has often taken him to Berlin and Warsaw, as well as to Vienna, Jerusalem, and New York. He recently recorded a podcast on HIS book, Anti-Jewish Violence in Poland, 1914-1920 (Cambridge University Press, 2018); https://newbooksnetwork.com/anti-jewish-violence-in-poland-1914-1920

    https://hagen.faculty.ucdavis.edu/

    By William W. Hagen

    Antisemitism has sung many tunes in willingly open or gullible ears. But its keynotes are fear and resentment. Historically, it often arose from the mysterious thought that the children of Israel were, collectively, a negative and even dangerous presence. Such fear had primordial roots, but took long-lasting anti-Jewish shape in early Christian attitudes, transmuting later into modern prejudices.

    It now slumbers in Western culture, waking now and then to foment small or big trouble. The resentment arises in hostile minds from bafflement that a numerically weak and historically persecuted people should, as a group, flourish materially and culturally – and, seemingly, possess power inimical to the aggrieved antisemite.

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  • Notice of Preparation (NOP) for so-called “Shriners Property Project”

    Location of proposed project

    Window opens for citizen input on the scope of the environmental analysis

    By Roberta Millstein

    Another step has been taken for a proposed housing project to the east of Wildhorse, near the Mace Curve, using the misleading name “Shriners Property Project” (misleading because the project has no current connection to the Shriners).  The site is approximately 232 acres and is currently being farmed.  The developers are proposing a 1,200-unit residential community.

    Because the land is zoned for agriculture and is outside of the current City limits, it will eventually be subject to a Measure J/R/D vote of Davis’s citizens.  But first, it must undergo environmental review to produce an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and before that happens, the scope of the review must be decided on. That’s the stage we’re at now – the comment period for citizens and groups to give input on the scope and content of the environmental information to be obtained opened on July 12 and will continue through August 12.  

    Further details of the project and the scope of review can be found here:

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  • Ten Ways to Get the Yolo CAAP Back on Track

    By Juliette Beck, Yolo climate justice advocate

    Yolo County recently reduced their draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) – potentially the most important document to guide Yolo County residents, businesses, farmers and decision-makers in our collective response to climate breakdown. 

    As a member of the Yolo Climate Emergency Coalition that set this planning process in motion, I commend the hard work and thoughtfulness of hundreds of people that contributed their energy, time, thoughts, ideas and hopes. Our goal was – and still  is – to mobilize a Just Transition to an ecological, equitable, resilient county. 

    The draft plan offers a number of important and valuable actions, but the county’s consultants – Dudek – fail to chart the just transition strategies needed to avert catastrophic climate change and the accelerating impacts.

    Add your response to the draft CAAP by July 10 through the comment portal at yolocaap.org. Here are some recommended changes:

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