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Category: Politics

  • Vote Kelsey Fortune to End Davis Council Districts

    I am voting for Kelsey Fortune. That is, I would if Davis didn’t have district elections.

    If you’re a student you should vote for Kelsey Fortune. Make a special effort to vote, because as a student you’ll be represented by someone who was recently at UCD and understands your interests.

    Screen Shot 2022-10-24 at 7.02.38 PM

    If you are a renter you should vote for Kelsey Fortune. She is renter herself, and renters, though 55% of Davis, are rarely represented on the City Council. Renters and young adults — you should be represented!

    If you like representatives who are not swayed by special interest money, vote Fortune. Unlike her opponents, she took no money from the firefighters union, nor did they offer. Did they know she would not buy them a new firetruck for Christmas?

    Screen Shot 2022-10-24 at 7.02.23 PM

    If you like independent thinkers, vote Fortune. Many people like a predictable pro-growth or anti-growth vote . Fortune considers each project on its own merit. That is my kind of candidate.

    If you like someone who isn’t part of the ‘Davis machine’ vote Fortune. One of her opponents had their photo taken with two current and one former Council member, smiling ear to ear. Is that photo supposed to impress me? Rather, that image spooks me. I don’t want more of the same — I want a fresh thinker.

    Ask yourself: why has the Davis City Council denied Fortune a seat on any City commission, commissions representing the very subjects Fortune is educated in with advance degrees? [Economics & Transportation] Maybe the other Council members are afraid of her savvy. Maybe they should be. Screen Shot 2022-10-24 at 7.03.03 PM

    Most importantly, Fortune is the only candidate openly calling for discussions on a process to end district elections. If there is one subject every person in Davis agrees on, it is putting an end to Davis Council districts.

    If you live in District 1, please vote for Kelsey Fortune — so that in the future, all Davis voters can vote for Kelsey Fortune!

    Alan C. Miller

  • Letter: Adam Morrill will change things for the better

    I am writing in support of Adam Morrill for City Council for many reasons. Adam has been a resident of East Davis for over 25 years and has stepped up to run for Council because he can offer new and innovative solutions to many City problems. Unlike his opponent, Adam opposed the disastrous DISC project, and the unreasonable and costly CAAP residential electrification mandate proposal. This CAAP condition wasn’t even supported by the Natural Resources Commission, yet Gloria didn’t object to it and voted to include it.

    Adam is honest, has integrity, and will advocate for better land use planning, including requiring any infill proposals to be compatible and consistent with surrounding neighborhoods. He will advocate for more UCD on-campus UCD housing needed. Most importantly, Adam has pledged to take the time to review the City Council packets before voting on them, and responding to, and advocating for our community input. I, like many other Davis citizens, am frustrated that requests to Gloria to discuss issues have been consistently ignored, as well as our public input.

    Further, Gloria’s voting track record has been terrible on many issues. Despite significant citizen opposition, she voted for: 1) putting the badly planned DISC project on the ballot twice, (then rejected by voters twice); 2) the 7-story University Mall project with its significant impacts on surrounding neighborhoods; 3) simply moving the problematic Arroyo Park ZIP-line an insignificant distance from its current location, which doesn’t remedy the impacts to the neighborhood; 4) the recent Pacifico proposal despite neighborhood concerns that the crime and other problems related to the project over past years haven’t been addressed; and 5) the ill-conceived CAAP residential electrification mandate.

    We need a Councilmember who will take the time to listen to public input and discuss issues, and who will respond to our concerns, instead of repeatedly voting against public input as Gloria has over the last four years.  Please join me in voting for Adam Morrill for City Council.  We need a change for the better, particularly for us here in East Davis, which gets ignored and short-changed far too often.

    Eileen M. Samitz

  • Rent Increases, Price Gauging, Collusion — Republican Stew

    2022-10-20 Porter Inflation

    U.S. Representative Katie Porter

    By Scott Steward

    Rents have gone up so fast it has surprised even colluding real estate software marketer RealPage. Again blocked by Republicans, the “A Place to Prosper Act”, renters rights and rent increase control, never reached debate. Rent is not increasing because it costs more to keep up properties. Rents are higher because it’s what enough people can be forced to pay. Owners are charging computer generated higher rents, knowing that it will cause higher vacancies, because they can—increasing homelessness. It’s that bad.

    Not one Republican voted for the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act. And if Republicans are the majority—you will never hear of the bill to make sure you are charged a fair price at the pump. Much more the opposite, put Republicans in power and you will fuel Putin’s Russian war, make Saudi’s rich and put American energy independence into the trash can.

    Corporate profits are at records. This is true not because these corporations are adding value, it is true because they are charging high prices. Pharmaceutical companies, cable companies, oil companies—an average of 53% increase in profits over the last 6 months. How? By raising prices well over their costs—just plain old “because they can.” Biden is not the owner of Moderna, Xfinity or Exxon—most of inflation is being caused by corporate greed.

    In the meantime Trump appointed judges ruled to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a similar ruse was used to undercut the EPA, (saying agencies have to have more explicit power from Congress.) Hogwash! Guess what else is funded outside of regular appropriations—Medicare and Social Security. These Judges want to serve up these 50+ year old protections, including women’s reproductive rights, to the carving knives of MAGA Republican controlled majorities in the House and Senate.

    Blame inflation on someone, that’s what Republicans are betting on even as their party will make the problem worse with giveaways to the rich and the same trickle down policies that gave 80% of us a zero increase in household income over the last 40 years. That’s their big idea.

    Democrats can be forced to make laws that put Americans first. That’s why we have made some gains to see that regular Americans get fair compensation and opportunity—that is what is best for the economy—for Democrats, Republicans, Independents and everyone.

  • Miller Protests the Davis Vanguard — for Sucking

    ACM

    Alan C. Miller’s One-Man Protest of the Davis Vanguard, for Sucking. – Photo Credit: Alan C. Miller (also available as a poster or as a t-shirt!)

    An Al’s Corner Special Report. Dateline Sacramento. Alan C. Miller Reporting on Alan C. Miller.

    The Davis Vanguard (DV) held an event last Thursday night in Sacramento. The event honored some people for doing stuff. Entry into the event was $100 to $5000.   Why?   Do those contributing not realize that giving money to something perpetuates its existence?

    As of last Thursday morning, there were 167 $100 tickets ‘available’. But one shouldn’t draw any conclusions as people often wait until the last minute on events. As one person did. As of 6:00pm last Thursday there were 166 $100 dollar tickets available. Not sure how many $5000 tickets were still available.

    The entrance had no obvious signs of the event, though some A-frames advertised a food establishment within the becolumned ex-bank. I arrived at 5:45pm and found a spot near the A-frames across from the door where I could be seen but be out of the way of anyone who showed up. I held up my 11×17 protest sign which read, “The Davis Vanguard Sucks Donkey Balls” on one side and “$100 – $5000 WHY?” on the other.

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  • Newly Released City Documents Reveal More Problems with Carson’s City Emails

    Carson - emailCouncilman Carson Violated Two City Policies Using City Resources for Campaign Emails

    By David L. Johnson and Colin Walsh

    New documents obtained through a Public Records Act request reveal that City of Davis Councilman Dan Carson violated two City of Davis policies when he sent numerous campaign emails from his publicly-funded city email account concerning Measure H, a ballot measure to approve the DiSC development project.

    New documents from the city also reveal that all emails Carson sent in 2022 regarding measure H appear to have been deleted from his city account.

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  • Letter: Vote for Kelsey

    If you are concerned about the planet’s climate crisis, please vote for Kelsey Fortune. A major contribution to global warming comes from our car traffic, which would have been made a lot worse by the approval of DISC, which several candidates now running for City Council approved.  Davis really needs wiser planning for innovative transportation and infill planning solutions.

    Kelsey Fortune’s training and acumen as a transportation economist, her understanding of how to prioritize infill development including the implementation of the downtown plan, her commitment to a long overdue update of the General Plan, and her proven commitment to prioritizing a just and equitable response to the climate crisis makes her the most qualified candidate for City Council in West Davis. 

    Kelsey Fortune is the only District 1 city council candidate that opposed the DISC project/Measure H, defeated by nearly a 2-1 citizen vote, and she did so for all the right reasons. The DISC project was not a forward looking, future-proof development. Some have argued that it would have rescued Davis from the city’s financial troubles by bringing in new taxes. Davis’s fiscal problems have grown over the years by a Ponzi scheme approach to the finances, with new projects always promising to pay for the unanticipated expenses of previous ones. DISC was based on a model of economic development that drains resources out of city centers and impoverishes – not enriches – city coffers.

    So, for the sake of our city and our children, who will be living in the environment we create and leave for them, please Vote for Kelsey.  

    Don C. Price

  • Endorsements, Anti-Endorsements, and Davis City Council Elections

     

    LWV Davis Area 2022 Council Candidate Forum Screenshot

    Recording screenshot of the Davis City Council candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters Davis Area on Sept. 29, 2022

    By Connor Gorman

    There's a possibility within electoral politics that doesn't occur often, if at all, at the moment, but which I've considered for awhile, and that's the notion of an anti-endorsement. There's two scenarios where this seems like a potentially preferable option to endorsements. The first of these is a race in which an individual or group likes multiple candidates, where they could anti- endorse any candidates(s) who they don't like as much as the others (though it's true that this would essentially be the same as endorsing the multiple candidates who they do like). The other scenario here is a race in which an individual or group doesn't particularly support any of the candidates, but does have substantially more problems and disagreements with one of them, where they could then decide to anti-endorse that candidate rather than endorsing any of that candidate’s opponents. This would amount to somewhat of a "lesser-evil" argument, but would acknowledge that it's a "lesser-evil" situation rather than pretending (through an endorsement) that they actively support a candidate who they simply consider the "lesser-evil" (this type of anti-endorsement could have been especially helpful during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections). Now, there's certainly some downsides to the idea of anti-endorsements, but it seems like something worth considering, at least under certain circumstances. So in the spirit of piloting it, let me publicly apply it to the upcoming Davis City Council elections.

    In District 1, I would apply the first scenario described above because I believe there are two good candidates, Bapu Vaitla and Kelsey Fortune, who would make good Davis City Council members. Unsurprisingly, there’s still things that I disagree with them on, but I think they'd both bring an important perspective to the Council and govern in a way that generally, within the confines of our current systems, benefits Davis and its current and future residents. This, together with other issues, such as some of Dan's recent political actions, is why I'm anti- endorsing Dan and encourage those in District 1 to vote for either Kelsey or Bapu. This race is also yet another example of why Davis City Council elections, and all elections, should be ranked-choice, or at least include a runoff system like the one used for Yolo County Supervisor elections.

    In District 4, I would apply the second scenario described above because, while I'm not a huge fan of Gloria Partida’s political views and actions (she's far more right-wing, pro-policing, pro- capitalist, etc. than I'd like), her experiences have clearly given her a better understanding of the needs and challenges that many low-income and marginalized Davisites regularly deal with compared to her out of touch opponent. Therefore, I'm anti-endorsing Adam and encourage those in District 4 to vote for Gloria. Also, as a general matter that’s independent of the specifics around any particular cases, it's important to remember that laws, along with what’s criminalized vs. what isn’t, are often (not always, but often) designed by and for the ruling class at the expense of the people, especially marginalized and oppressed communities. Furthermore, violating unjust laws is perfectly ethical (and some might argue a duty).

  • Letter: Vote for Adam Morrill

    A few Monday’s ago I attended the debate between folks running for city council and was very impressed with Adam Morrill. We spoke at intermission. He is intelligent, open, and eager to take on the problems at hand. He engages well with people and is a good communicator. I like his position on the issues and see that as a long-term resident of East Davis, he understands the problems facing District 1 and citywide. He opposed Measure H which Davis voters rejected.

    I believe we need new City leadership and vision for a better future for Davis. We need a council member like Adam who will connect with the community and discuss issues that concern them. I am in strong support of Adam Morrill and encourage Davis voters to elect him.

    Ann Privateer

  • Who to vote for in District 4?

    By Scott Steward

    All the Davis City Council candidates, and incumbents, face a civil servant and first responder debt load, A housing crises, that is shared with the state, but is controlled by checked out residential and business space rent collectors (a windfall owners tax to pay for redevelopment would be welcome).  And not a whisper from the City objecting to the NO-HOUSING option for Brixmor University Mall re-development.  From 2,000 units to 700 units to zero Brixmor housing units – what kind of tragedy are we taking part? 

    What can City Council Members accomplish?  Seemingly not a lot if they want to be re-elected and begin to enter the paternity of electeds.  For that reason, because of their youth, strength of character and willingness to dislodge the status quo, I would like to have either Bapu Vaitla or Kelsey Fortune as my City Council Member for District 4.  What?  Can't happen.  Vaitla and Fortune are the two best candidates running out of the five.

    Fortune is a economics PhD <http://www.fortunefordavis.com/> candidate who dives deep into sustainability and community resilience and Bapu Vaitla's work <https://www.bapu4davis.org/about> at UCD is complementary to Fortune's as a professor of Economics.  He also works with women and girls health policy and is a member of the Davis Social Services Commission (one of 16 Davis volunteer citizen Commissions.)

    Both are running against each other in District 1 where, unfortunately, Dan Carson is also running (Dan's record of damaging City governance is well documented <https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2022/09/25/davis-deserves-better-than-carson/>.) I hope District 1 voters nod politely when he asks and then vote for Bapu or Kelsey.

    Gloria Partida and Adam Morrill are well meaning, and will serve District 4 to the best of their ability, but I can't say one would be markedly better than the other.   Partida has not attempted to tell the unions and first responders no more raises. She did not use her authority as Mayor to separate the council from measure H or increase City decision making transparency and she followed the lead of Dan Carson much to readily.  That said I am hopeful that Gloria will find more of her voice without Caron's presence.    Gloria has been part of most every social justice event that I have attended and has addressed the youth climate movement, though we hope she becomes more comfortable pressing for more rigorous progress on both these fronts.

    With Morrill, he is new and suggests he will reform the City's habit of hiring expensive consultants (to tell us all about what we won't ultimately do – again.)  I am troubled by what feels like Morrill's antagonistic stance to Davis' build-it-green legacy.  Davis is still the town that brought us the earliest implementation of title 24 (building energy efficiency ordinances) and Morrill said some pretty silly (being kind) things about the wrong-headedness of energy rebates (rebates that built the trillion dollar solar industry and Tesla).

    Morrill, Partida, Fortune and Vaitla, two of these will need to combine with Frerichs, Arnold and Chapman and together they would need to be fierce in their unity if they are to go against the might of first responder and city professional unions to reshape fair agreements.  I think it might take more than just this council's fierce agreement, it might take a coalition of city councils to reset the bargaining that delivers $500K to a five department fire chief <https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2022/10/09/effects-of-excessive-increases-in-city-of-davis-employee-compensation-from-2011-to-2021-on-the-citys-1/>.  I'm glad there are unions and good pay, but it takes away from any momentum, to create fiscal sustainability, and it takes away from public engagement when the leaders just shrug and say "that's the way it is." 

    Cost control is one half of managing budgets, but we know our city needs more businesses.  Retail and services are great but we could use private agriculture, IT, and manufacturing as well. Tim Keller's article  What Economic Development Looks Like in Davis (and What It Doesn’t <https://www.davisvanguard.org/2022/10/guest-commentary-what-economic-development-looks-like-in-davis-and-what-it-doesnt/>) provides good ideas of where we need to go.  So who among our City Council candidates are  equipped to make the 5th street corridor an in-fill innovation park and stop shopping old notions of business development?  That and who has the skill and desire to see that developer agreements stick?  Finally, we don't want Woodland and Davis to merge into some kind of dystopian freestanding single family home suburb of the Bay Area – so housing needs to be built up – attractively, affordably and in a way that preserves farmland.  

    I believe we have more to hear from both Gloria and Adam before District 4 can decide.

  • Indivisible Yolo and Sister District Yolo need your help

    Keep Abortion Legal(From press release) We are in the last few weeks of campaigning. Indivisible Yolo and Sister District Yolo need our casual members to step up and join our phone bank, texting and canvassing teams. You have your choice of where to contribute, but don’t get caught looking over your shoulder on November 8th wishing you had done more. Do more now. Join me and Peggy in Reno this weekend. Here are the dates to help Nevada and California representatives who support women’s reproductive rights

    Phone Bank for NV, CA, and AZ
    Training sessions/meetups:
    Thurs, Oct 13, 6:30-8:30 pm
    Sun, Oct 16, 2-4 pm
    Mon, Oct 17, 3-5 pm
    https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/484921/

    Texting Meetup
    Thurs, Oct 13, 12-1 pm
    https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/486276/

    Canvassing in Reno, NV
    Sat, Oct 15 and/or Sun, Oct 16
    https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/487197/

    Canvassing in Tulare, CA
    Sat, Oct 29
    https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/487197/

    Canvassing in Stockton, CA
    Sun, Oct 30
    https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/487197/