PHDC Newsletter
Upcoming events and April meeting: All politics are local, everything local is political
Issue: #28March 18, 2011
Greetings!

Even though planning for the April 5th meeting is still underway, I wanted to make sure you knew about some other intriguing things coming up before then.

                                                                                    Joni Eisen, President
                                                                                    Potrero Hill Democratic Club  
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In This Issue
APRIL 5th MEETING
UPCOMING EVENTS
FAIR ELECTIONS NEWS
MARCH MEETING FOLLOWUP
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APRIL 5th MEETING: SEVERAL TOPICS POSSIBLE  

Agenda not yet written in stone...

...but here are some of the options the Executive Committee (meeting this Monday night - email me if you want to attend) is considering: changing the defense-heavy federal budget priorities; the attack on the middle class and the fight for a fair economy in the states; high-speed rail overview here in California.

Confirmed: Supervisor Cohen will join us, with an update on her legislation and what is going on the district. She is happy to do this on a quarterly basis (another member-generated popular idea). For the rest of the April agenda, stay tuned, check our web site periodically. I think it's gonna be another good one!

WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, 6:45pm sign in & socialize, 7:00pm start
WHERE: Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, 953 De Haro St

UPCOMING EVENTS NOT TO MISS

 
March 20, 11am - 4pm. Sunday Streets kickoff for 2011 will stretch along the Embarcadero from Fisherman's Wharf to Mission Bay. If you would like to sign up for an hour or two of voter reg and outreach at the Club's table near the Ramp (we can use another volunteer between 2:30 and 4), please email Monisha.

March 21, 1pm - 5pm (or earlier). Alemany Farm tour and workday, 700 Alemany Blvd. Get your hands dirty getting familiar with this successful nearby urban farm. If you need a ride, carpools are forming, meeting at 12:45. Email Emily if you want to go.

March 26, noon - 3pm. Community Appreciation event hosted by Supervisor Cohen at Starr King Elementary School,1215 Carolina St. Bring your familiy, and meet your neighbors.  Refreshments, family entertainment, community groups. For more info, email or call Eddie at 415-692-3556. 

March 27, 11am - noon. Starr King Open Space Wildflower Walk. Some 150 different plants grow in Starr King Openspace, about 30 of which were used as foodstuffs by Native Americans and early settlers. The walks are held in March, April and May every year, to commemorate over 25 years of ecological restoration, and to observe the wildflowers: delicately beautiful yet hardy enough to survive in our serpentine grassland soil. Meet at 23rd & Carolina. Afterwards, make it Sustainability Day on the Hill by going over to:

March 27, 12:30 - 2:30pm. Calling All Sustainiacs to gather at a house & garden on the southeast slope of the Hill (address given upon rsvp). There already exist various groups, on the Hill and environs, dedicated to sustainable living, growing food organically, preserving open spaces and educating others about earth-friendly practices. Te purpose of this gathering is to bring them together to create a central space to share ideas, develop communication channels, avoid duplication and encourage people to get further involved in activities and initiatives already underway. If you or your group would like to check it out, email or call Emily at 415-806-1429.

 

FAIR ELECTIONS NEWS  

Measure H in LA - can it happen here? - and the California DISCLOSE Act 

I am happy to report that on March 8, Measure H passed in Los Angeles with over 74% of the vote. It bans bidders on city contracts and their executive-level employees from donating to candidates for city office. Measure H also shores up the city's public financing system, lifting the cap on the city's matching fund, which is now set at $12 million. This allows expansion of public financing to a true Clean Money/Fair Elections system in the future. San Francisco Ethics Commission, please take note! SF Ethics is holding an Interested Persons Meeting at City Hall, Room 421, Thursday, March 24 from 12:30 to 2pm, "To Discuss Possible Changes to the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance." They'll post the amendments in question later.

AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act (Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections), has been introduced by Julia Brownley (D- LA area) and is poised to make its way through the CA Legislature. The bill would require clear disclosure of who is behind political TV, radio, print, and slate mailer ads on the ads themselves, stopping corporations and special interests from hiding who is really paying for the ads. Clean Money supporters are gearing up to help it pass. Our Club has always supported clean and fair elections; you'll be hearing more about this campaign.

 

MARCH MEETING FOLLOWUP

Panel on the Redevelopment issue: "bum choices"   


The discussion on Governor Brown's plan to ax community redevelopment agencies, with Arc Ecology Executive Director Saul Bloom, housing activist Calvin Welch, SF Redevelopment Agency Deputy Executive Director Olson Lee, and California Professional Firefighters Communications Director Carroll Wills, was quite lively and informative, ultimately resulting in more questions than answers. The excellent moderator was SF Chronicle political reporter Marisa Lagos. For a comprehensive article on the event, check out Sarah Phelan's piece in the Bay Guardian.

Members voted nearly unanimously to sign on to the Political Advertising Disclosure Resolution, to be submitted to the CA Democratic Party at its state convention April 29 - May 1.