The Skinny on March Voter Recs

The backlash by landlords and developers has unleashed recalls

Quick List

Documenting the landlord/developer backlash against progressive policy makers. Be careful of the real estate doom loop.

Pleade read previous post for more candidate details.

US Senate Race-Barbara Lee

Vote twice for Lee- yes, first vote-remainder of unfinished Feinstein term, 2nd is for new term starting in 2025. Only one candidate has the foreign policy chops to turn away from an expanding Middle East war & policies that violate international law.

Congress 12th District- Lateefah Simon

I really don't know much about Ms Simon but everyone who does know her, trusts her & there is no one else in this race repping Barbara Lee's legacy.

State Senate 7-

Wait-before I discuss these candidates-I have to warn you, this race and even other races and recall efforts are part of a retro movement this year, more than any year before, of corporate landlords and their developer and tech friends to stymie, turn back and prevent renter protections, affordable housing and growing worker movements. The ballot is riddled with these back sliders. Some are easy to spot, for instance, when you see the Apartment Owners Association, you’ll know.

The pandemic may have affected this sector of the economy more than others. After progressive electeds used rent moratoria to prevent wholesale evictions during the shutdown and unions popped up as a result of worker shrinkage, big landlords and their friends in unregulated sectors like Uber FREAKED OUT!

These wealthy few want all these folks gone and they're funding campaigns for candidates like Jesse Arreguin and a Piedmont landlord in the D5 Supes race. While Sup Miley has union support, he is anti-tenant and so gets corporate landlords' support big time.

State Senate 7-1)Dan Kalb, 2) Kathryn Lybarger, 3) Sandre Swanson

Dan is a protenant environmentalist and knows how to pragmatically craft legislation and is not afraid to take on tough topics. Kathryn is a pro worker union leader who is in favor of affordable housing & the needs of working families. 3) Sandre is a former assembly member who has, this time around, made crime his focus. But he knows the district and has always done the right thing.

Jesse Arreguin, mayor of Berkeley, is represented by the Apartment Owners Association, Uber and whoever is currently funding him. I can't figure out what actual policies he supports other than a strict lack of transparency for the City of Berkeley-in its saddest hour due to his “leadership.”

Assembly Districts 14 and 18

Both reps Buffy Wicks and Mia Bonta respectively have been doing a good job. Mia is by far the most responsive to her constituents. She has no opposition but Buffy is opposed by Berkeley media activist Margot Smith who supports the building of affordable housing. Unfortunately she has little name recognition outside of Berkeley but a vote for her may get Buffy's attention.

Alameda County Sup District 4-Jennifer Esteen

Her election is overdue as someone who understands the problems of struggling families in the unincorporated areas of the county where she lives. She'll pass the legislation languishing on the board that Miley is currently dragging his feet on.

Alameda County District 5-Nikki Bas

There are a lot of folks running for this unexpected opening. Many have excellent qualifications but none approaches the depth and breadth of Council President Bas’ experience .

Not only does she have the chops to craft legislation and close budget holes while maintaining services, she has a vision that includes environmental, worker and small business advancement. She reps big city needs unlike an Emeryvile candidate and will bring home the funding that Oakland and Berkeley should be getting from state programs.

Once again, a well funded corporate landlord has decided to take this on-pretending he cares about crime in Oakland when he lives in wealthy Piedmont.

These folks are also funding the recall against Pamela Price and an end to Ranked Choice Voting, hoping to return us to the days when wealthy white Republican men ran our cities. Their efforts must be rejected. Since RCV was voted in, we have elected 3 women mayors and increased the representation of POC by 38% according to Fair Vote. If we want our elections run better, we need a new full time registrar, not a reduction in democracy.

Other Races

Oakland City Auditor-Michael Houston-he knows how to do the job, unopposed.

Alameda County Superior Court Judges-Mark Fickes and Terry Wiley (Wiley running unopposed, was a lackluster candidate for DA so ok)

Measures

State Prop 1

See my last column for why I'm skeptical of this bond measure that is likely to result in more unintended consequences than solutions.

Hey Guv, go for an oil depletion tax and really fund programs for the severely mentally ill! Where do the operating funds come from after you build the hospitals? anybody??

County Measures

A-yes technical change to shorten time needed to schedule civil service exams-likely needed in a time of worker shortage

B-yes-synchronize county recall attempts with how the state runs them-no brainer

D-yes-Oakland measure made necessary by Jarvis-Gann gimmick- allows the city to use the monies already collected by previously passed property taxes, the local equivalent of the debt ceiling mess that the US govt often finds itself in.

Oops and now the bedeviling Central Committee member elections.

I got tired of our party's long, rule heavy meetings, etc but some folks still have the energy for this stuff and at least we have a party with rules to abide by…phew.

In AD14 vote for the Climate Labor slate where you see Wendy Bloom listed but some folks from the other slate are friends and hard working Democrats too. Vote for individuals that you know.

In AD 18th, two slates are good but NOT the Empower Oakland slate (misnomer the 18th includes more than Oakland). The Empower slate would empower landlords and charter school supporters, standing for recalling everyone they couldn't beatin a fair election. Call it the Retro slate.

So that's it and yeah vote for old Joe though it hurts or ignore this part of the primary. We'll talk some more before November.

Sign that ballot envelope and pop it in a designated ballot box or the mail- no postage needed.

Do not fall for the real estate folks who brought us the mess we are in. We've got lots to look forward to and still live in one of the best places on earth!