Our League Takes Action

League of Women Voters^®
of San Jose/Santa Clara

Monthly Action Report

A monthly report on the Action being taken by the LWVSJ/SC

Action Report March

ACTION Report 3/07 Martha Beattie, Action Director

Healthcare for All + Now! (http://www.ONECareNOW.org). The San Jose group being formed is now broadened to county-wide, called Santa Clara County Single Payer Health Care Coalition. Permanent committees for education, media, legislative, outreach, and events are being formed. Many members of the group, and representatives from their organizations e.g. CNA, SEIU, drove to Sacramento for Sen. Kuehl's announcement of the new SB 840. I have volunteered to join a delegation to visit Zoe Lofgren urging her to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 676, which is proposing a single-payor health care system that is essentially a broadening of Medicare to cover all U.S. residents (Honda already is a co-sponsor). Christy Kinney is helping to promote the Santa Clara event on July 8th.

Health Care Forum. The Southwest SCV League, our League, the Santa Clara County Medical Association, AAUW, and SJMN co-sponsored a Health Forum on March 15th at Good Samaritan Hospital. Over 100 attended. Good presentations were made by all, but the only state effort that was discussed by the speakers was the Governor's effort to bring together a number of organizations twice a week to hammer out a consensus revision to his proposal. Many were disappointed that SB840 was not discussed by the speakers, but there were many questions directed toward it.

Agricultural Mitigation. LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) has developed agricultural mitigation advisory policies so that land is identified and held for agriculture. Discussion is now centered around timing and fulfillment of mitigation, and the plans for mitigation speicifications. At their April 4th meeting there will be further chance for public comment and consideration of adoption of final policies. For updates and information see http://www.santaclara.lafco.ca.gov/.

Public Financing of Campaigns. The San Jose Elections Commission presented its report to the City Council. Their recommendation that examination of how to control independent expenditures by interest groups take place before any further work on public financing was accepted.

Legislative Interviews. LWVC has assigned us to interview Elaine Alquist and Joe Coto. Brenda McHenry interviewed Joe Coto and I was the note-taker. My report to the state is attached. Virginia Holtz and I went along with the Southwest SCV League to interview Jim Beall. We are awaiting word on scheduling for Alquist; Brenda will accompany me.

Sunshine Week. A letter to the editor to the SJMN was published on March 11th. See our website for a copy of the letter submitted.

Action Committees. A request for committee members in the areas of natural resources, social policy, and government was circulated at Lunch with League. While only one person signed up for social policy and government, there were enough for natural resources that a committee will be formed. .

Action Report October

LWVSJ/SC TAKES ACTION Martha Beattie, Action Chair
We would like to form an Action Committee of those League members who are interested in working on one or more areas in which we take action. If you are interested in one of the topics below, or in other topics on which we have national, state, or local positions, please contact me action@lwvsjsc.org. In response to action alerts from LWVC, our League took the following action:

SCA 3 (Lowenthal and Ashburn): Redistricting reform. FAXed letters to Assembly Speaker and Minority Floor Leader to urge them to give it a committee hearing and full Assembly vote, to five Assembly Members urging a yes vote, and to four Senators, who passed the bill, urging quick turnaround to the Governor's desk if it got back to the Senate from the Assembly. The bill was stalled in the Assembly.

SB840 (Kuehl): Health Insurance Reliability Act Universal Health Insurance and Comprehensive Coverage. FAXed letters to Assembly Member Cohn, the only member in our area not co-authoring, urging a yes vote, and to Joe Coto, a major co-author, thanking him for co-authoring. Sent letter to Governor Schwarzenegger, urging him to re-consider his decision to veto.

At the local level, we are involved in the following activities:

Healthcare for All " Now. This is also supported by LWVC. Save the date! There will be a parade and rally October 26 in San Jose, and LWVSJ/SC has signed on as an endorser of this campaign. See flyer on page 10 for more information. Sandy Mory has been attending meetings of this group to help in the planning. See ONECareNOW.org for further information.

Land Conservation Initiative (Measure A). County Council endorsed this initiative and we will take action in support of it. See the article on page 6 for more information as well as: http://www.openspace2006.org/initiative.htm.

Parkland Dedication and Park Impact Ordinance (PDO/PIO) changes. Changes to adjust fees that developers pay to reflect current land values, and to create more flexibility in the ordinances so that developers can receive credit for private amenities such as pools (as part of the private recreational credits), and to allow the City more flexibility, for example, to spend money on trails, not just parks. I attended the Park and Recreation Commission meeting on September 6 to learn more about these changes. For information, go to: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/ParkPlanning.asp.

Coyote Valley. While not supporting the development of Coyote Valley, LWV is interested in the triggers for jobs and housing, the need for a reverse commute, and we have joined the Friends of the Coyote Valley Greenbelt (FROG). I attended the August 14 meeting of the Coyote Valley Task Force at which the Planning Areas Detail Appendix (300+ pages!) and the concept of Form-based Zoning Code was discussed. See http://www.sanjoseca.gov/coyotevalley/Planning_Area_Details.htm.

Agricultural Mitigation. LWV has written about this with respect to the Coyote Valley project, but it is broader than that. We also urged LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) to develop agricultural mitigation policies so that land is identified and held for agriculture. Draft agricultural mitigation policies have now been developed. While they did not follow our earlier request that the Public Hearing be held in the evening, they do have one scheduled for October 11 at 1:15, which may be delayed. We will present the League's position at this public hearing.

Public Financing of Elections, San Jose Elections Commission. A report-back to City Council has been requested for the beginning of December. I attended the Commission meeting on August 16 when this was discussed, and another meeting on August 30 to discuss their plans and provide our suggestions to them.

Water Resources Issues Group. This is a quarterly informational meeting for community leaders presented by the Santa Clara Valley Water District. I attended the meeting August 28. Discussed was AB2435 which allows the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to treat the District like other special districts; global effects/global climate changes and how they are addressing them; update on San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study; and the status of the District Ozone project

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: September 2, 2008 14:25 PDT.