Tuesday, November 4, 2014

The November 4, 2014 election

A friend asked me the other day for voting recommendations.  It has taken me a while to put this list together, but here's what I'm taking into the polling booth, where I am now headed...


November 4 election – list of candidates and issues

candidate/proposition
I intend to vote for
why?
Governor
Jerry Brown
because it’s Jerry Brown
Lt. Governor
Gavin Newsom
because it’s Gavin Newsom
Sec’y of State
Alex Padilla
because they are democrats and if I voted Republican my arm would fall off
Controller
Betty T. Yee
Treasurer
John Chiang
Atty. General
Kamala Harris
Insurance Commissioner
Dave Jones
California Supreme Court
Goodwin Liu/Kathryn Mickle Werdegar/Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar
Liu, because he really pisses off conservatives; Werdegar and Cuéllar because they're smart and capable and there is no reason not to renew their appointments
State Board of Equal., Dist. 2
Fiona Ma
democrat
Representative, Dist. 13
Barbara Lee
only Congressperson to vote against Iraq war - democrat


15th Assembly District
Elizabeth Echols (hard to choose between her and Tony Thurmond
County Superintendant of Schools
Monroe
Berkeley Democratic Club endorsement
School Board
Julie Sinai, Karen Hemphill, Josh Daniels (all three)
CA Democratic Party, Berkeley Federation of Teachers rec.
Auditor/Controller/Clerk/Recorder
Manning/Knox
up for grabs
District Attorney
Nancy E. O’Malley
running unopposed
Sheriff/Coroner
Gregory Ahern
Treasurer/Tax Collector
Donald R. White
State Superintendant of Public Instruction
Tom Torlakson
endorsed by Robert Reich and EQCA (100% equality rating)
County Supervisor, Dist. 3
Wilma Chan
running unopposed
Assessor
Ron Thomsen
STATE PROPOSITIONS
1 – water projects
yes
Berkeley Democratic Club Recommendation; Jerry Brown's project
2 – rainy day fund
yes
saving for a rainy day strikes me as a good idea - this year we had a $26 billion dollar budget deficit and the impact on schools was devastating
45 – insurance company rates
no
Nancy Pelosi endorsement
46 – increase cap on medical malpractice
no
Planned Parenthood opposes
47 – reduce penalties for nonviolent crimes
yes
Berkeley Democratic Club Recommendation
48 – uphold tribal agreements
yes



ALAMEDA COUNTY MEASURE
BB – sales tax for transit
yes
BDC, Sierra Club, Barbara Lee endorsement
BERKELEY CITY MEASURES
D – soda tax
yes
BDC, League of Women Voters endorsement
F – park maintenance
yes
BDC
O – conform recall provisions to state law
yes
BDC
P – oppose corporate personhood
yes
BDC
R – amend downtown zoning
no
BDC  - and it was approved by a wide margin only four years ago
S – keep council districts fair
yes
BDC




No comments: