VOTER - League of Women Voters San Jose/Santa Clara

Deck Tat's Hall with Holiday Cheer!

Tat Blesch is hosting this year's Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 4 from 5 - 8 pm.

The Holiday Party is a purely social event, a time to connect with other members and celebrate all of the successes of the year.

The occasion is a potluck - bring your favorite finger food to share.

Tat is very close to Highway 85 and there is ample parking for party-goers.

Our Holiday Party is always a wonderful time to meet new members, wind down from the long and stressful election season, and enjoy some holiday cheer.

An RSVP would be helpful so Tat can plan. Contact Tat to RSVP, for directions, or if you'd like to help with the holiday decorations. When RSVP'ing, let her know what dish you plan to bring.

President's Message

Happy Holidays to one and all.

It has been a busy and productive year for our League. So many of our members worked long hours on our election activities and I thank you all. Special mention must be made of two new members who took on big jobs. Shelly Saini, a recent college graduate, was our Voter Service Chair - while studying long hours for her LSAT's! She awed us all with her ability to keep multiple plates spinning. And Stacy Shepherd, a recent transplant to the Bay Area, took on the vital role of SmartVoter chair. With her committee of Janet Hagquist and Sue Bianchi, they ensured all local races were online and current. Thanks as well to Carol and Jim Lathrop, who headed up the Speakers Bureau and Sandy Mory who managed our Candidate Forums.

We have so much to celebrate - an active election year, our CreaTV venture, new members - and I hope to see many of you at Tat Blesch's next Tuesday for our Holiday Party. This is always a fun event and a wonderful opportunity to catch up with fellow members.

Check out the article below on our Town Hall Meeting on December 6 as well as the article on the action we're taking on the Habitat Conservation Plan. Both activities are examples of our League serving our community.

The coming calendar year - 2013! - promises to be an exciting year as well, with consensus on the Initiative and Referendum Study, our LWVC convention right here in our own backyard, more great speakers at our monthly Lunch with League ... but more on that in January.

For now, enjoy the holidays!

Gloria

League Sponsored Town Hall Meeting on Proposed Water Rate Increase

Earlier this year, the San Jose Water Company proposed a 44 percent rate increase to be phased in over three years. This proposed increase is now before the California Public Utilities Commission for review. The League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara along with the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, and San Jose City Councilmember Don Rocha are co-sponsoring a town hall meeting to discuss the proposed increase. The meeting will include a presentation explaining the rate increase, the San Jose Water Company's long range plans and proposed infrastructure upgrades, a summary of the California Public Utility Commission review of the proposed rate increase and information on how your feedback can influence the CPU on their decision on the rate increase. The evening will also include public comment.

Attend this meeting and make your voice heard.

When: Thursday, December 6 at 7 p.m.

Where: San Jose City Hall, Council Chambers, 200 East Santa Clara Street

For More Information: Contact Patricia Reardon.

Dear Santa ...

From Sally Pyle, member of the State Convention Executive Committee

Dear Santa,

Our League is hosting the State Convention May 16-19, 2013. I have a wish list for you. Please, Santa, this is important!

Extra cash so on Thursday the 16th I can go to either the Smart Voter workshop and dinner, or to the Advocacy workshop.
More money to pay for my registration and some items in the Market Place.
New Shoes to wear to the SJ/SC dinner event on Friday night - cute but comfortable.
A Google map to Hayes Mansion. It's in a residential area, I know that much, with beautiful rooms and lots of parking.
A new Ipad, did you know they have free wireless at the Mansion?
Walking togs - I want to explore the entire 16 acres!

In the past I have asked for world peace and I know you are still working on that. I thank you for all you do for us.

Your biggest fan,

Local, the Leaguer

8 People, 20+ Presentations, 100+ Hours - It's Our Speakers Bureau !!

Thunderous applause is due our Speakers Bureau team, comprised of Martha Beattie, Ann Clarke, Dick Cress, Jim and Carol Lathrop, Shelly Saini, Emma Salo, and Rosaleen Zisch. They appeared at 20 live pro and con ballot measure presentations and three TV tapings during September, October, and even one in November. Over 100 woman and man hours were exerted in San Jose, Gilroy, Milpitas, Santa Clara, and Saratoga. Rosaleen spent additional time at workshops presenting voter education information.

Were we appreciated? From the South Side Senior Center: "We thank you so very much for giving us good information and coming to our class." And, "thank you so much for helping us to be better citizens." From the Willow Glen United Methodist Women: "Thank you for your clear and informative presentation to members of the Willow Glen United Methodist Church on the November 6 ballot issues. It was very helpful to a great many of us."

And to our audiences we replied, "thanks for listening!"

Carol Lathrop
Speakers Bureau Chair

Candidate Forums

What a busy year we have had in Voter Service. Many thanks to Shelley Saini for her leadership and support as Voter Service Chair. Thank you to Gloria Chun Hoo, Brenda McHenry and Rosalyn Zisch who served as moderators. Thank you to Shelly Saini, Marie Arnold, Sharon Sweeney, Cecilie Schulze, Janet Hagquist, Paula Radzinski, Dick Cress, Mai Loi and the students from Presentation High School who served as timers, question sorters and greeters.

We were involved in Forums in Santa Clara, Gilroy, Milpitas, and San Jose and for CreaTV. Many of the forums involved several different races with time allotted to each race including 2 in Gilroy, 3 in Milpitas and 3 for CreaTV.

The variety of experiences was great this year and we learned many things as a team. We learned to adapt to a variety of circumstances. The importance of the League of Women Voters' involvement in forums was reinforced over and over again.

Now is the time to reflect on what we have learned and prepare for future Candidate Forums in a new way that meets the needs of our Technological Society.

Sandy Mory

Candidate Forums

Initiative/Referendum Study

The Initiative and Referendum Study committee continues analyzing the existing California Initiative process and potential changes to prepare for the February 26
update consensus meeting. To give yourself a framework for considering potential changes in the system go to the LWVC website. This site has links to the consensus questions, study guide, and meaty background information for you to ponder.

Under the I and R study section find the simplified timeline. This provides a structure for understanding the current process.

The next two meeting are scheduled for December 11 and January 8. The meetings are at 10:00 a.m. at Virginia Holtz's home.

Contact co-chair Mary Collins for more information.

Action - Habitat Conservation Plan

Judy Chamberlin and I sent action letters (through Gloria in the League's name) in support of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to the Mayors and members of the City Councils of San Jose, Gilroy, and Morgan Hill, and to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. We met with Andrew Crabtree of the Planning Department to gather more information about San Jose's concerns with the HCP and met with San Jose Councilmember Donald Rocha to discuss his concerns and inform him of the League's support of the HCP.

The cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Clara Valley Water District have adopted the plan. The City of San Jose is scheduled to have a final vote on the plan on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, followed by the Valley Transportation Authority's vote on Dec. 13, 2012. League members need to watch the City agenda the week before the city council meeting to determine if the vote will take place or be postponed.

League members may check the SCV Habitat Plan website or check out the scvhabitatplan on Facebook for the most recent updates.

Trudy La France
Action Co-Chair

LWV Presents: Insights and Perspectives

December programs: Rosaleen Zisch interviewing Terry Christensen on the Initiative process and Carol Lathrop interviewing Carole Leigh Hutton on United Way.

To view our program on the Water Town Hall meeting, go here.

Check us out.

Stay Connected to LWVC

Members of LWV-SJ/SC are automatically members of LWV California (and LWVUS). LWVC has numerous ways to stay connected and informed, including listservs on topics such as budget reform and energy, as well as newsletters, and calls to action. If you'd like to be more connected with our State League, go to the Communications Website.

Water - California's Gold

Mark Your Calendar:

Bay Area League Day 2013

February 2, 2013, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,

First Unitarian Church,

685 14th Street, Oakland

For more information, or to register, go to the LWV Bay Area Publications website.

Membership

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:

Richard McMurtry (Rejoined)
Marcia West

Thank you to the following members for their donations to the League:

Mary Morris, Judy Stabile, Carol Watts, Susanne Wilson

Our Federal Health Care Law Exchange-Called "Covered California"

Compiled by Barbara Lea, Southwest Santa Clara Valley League

What's happening to the Affordable Care Act now that President Obama has been re-elected? Some of the states (California is one of them) have set up exchanges on the Internet so that people can shop for insurance.

The Exchange in California is called "Covered California." Insurance coverage will begin in 2014, with the period before then being the sign-up time. Between 3 and 5 million people are expected to enroll within two years. Approximately 3.25 million uninsured who qualify for Medi-Cal or other subsidized health plans will be eligible under Covered California. Another target is the 1.45 million Californians who are currently insured by individual health insurance and will qualify under this plan.

Provisions Taking Effect in 2013

Employee notice of State Exchanges provided by employer
$2,500 cap on FSA contributions
Creation of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) programs which will create nonprofit health insurance companies that will operate in the states
New HIPAA electronic standards
Increase in medical deduction threshold

Provisions Taking Effect in 2014

Individual mandate that all U.S. citizens and legal aliens get health insurance
Operation of health benefit exchanges where there will be cost sharing subsidies for people between the 133% and 400% of the federal poverty level
Health benefit exchanges will be required to offer 4 tiers of coverage plans (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum) and a catastrophic plan
Required guaranteed issue and renewability and allow rating variation based on age, geographic location, family composition and tobacco use
Elimination of annual dollar maximums on essential health benefits
Elimination of waiting periods exceeding 90 days
Elimination of pre-existing condition restrictions for all enrollees
Automatic Enrollment of employees where the employer has over 200 employees
No more underwriting based on health-status factors (medical underwriting)
Transparency in coverage reporting
Fair health insurance premiums
Play-or-pay tax
Coverage for clinical trials
Comprehensive health insurance coverage

Source: California Health Benefit Advisers website where more information about provisions already implemented and the individual mandate can be found.

Calendar

Information on many of these events is available in this newsletter. See our online calendar for more information.

Dec. 4 Holiday Party
Dec. 6 Water Rates Town Hall Meeting
Jan. 8 Board Meeting - Contact Cecilie Schulze
Jan. 17 Lunch with League
Jan. 24 CreaTV Filming
TBA Program Planning
Feb. 2 Bay Area League Day
Feb. 5 Board Meeting - Contact Judy Chamberlin
Feb. 21 Lunch with League
Feb. 27 Initiative/Referendum Consensus Meeting
Feb. 28 CreaTV Filming

Events may be added before the next Voter. Visit our website for current listings.

Address / Email Change

To keep our records current please send any changes to your address, email address, or phone number, to our Dues Secretary, Sandy Remmers. The only updates she receives are on the renewal form which is only sent once a year.

The Voter

The LWV-SJ/SC Voter is distributed monthly. Article deadline is the 20th of the month. If you have questions or comments, contact Cecilie Schulze, the Voter Editor.

Join Our League

Visit our website to join our League.

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Democracy is not a spectator sport! Educate! Advocate!

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