Community News

MY WORD ARTICLE--Daily Review March 21, 2006
Last week was Sunshine Week throughout the United States. No, the purpose was not to herald the beginning of Spring, or lament the grey clouds and damp weather. It was to focus attention on the importance of open decision-making and access to information within our respective levels of government. The League of Women Voters acts as a force for positive change in our communities; and we believe that making elected officials and the general public aware of open government laws is one of our primary functions. On that basis, last week, the seven Alameda County Leagues of Women Voters sponsored a community forum on the importance of Sunshine Week activities, focusing on the California Public Records Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act. The purpose was to encourage more public awareness about open government. State Attorney General Bill Lockyer was the keynote speaker. He was supported by three separate panels, which dealt with an in-depth look at the Ralph M. Brown Act (public access to meetings) and the California Public Records Act or CPRA (access to public records). The panels examined the laws from the perspective of citizens, public officials, and the media. The panelists and participants discussed elements of the two laws and some of the most consistently contested issues between citizens and government. Of particular note was the discussion about competing interests and priorities between those requesting or seeking information and those within government who have to produce it. The comments focused on timing and how it appears different to both sides; costs, and the demand on limited resources within governments already stretched tight. Panelists highlighted some of the more egregious violations of the legislative intent such as governments charging unrealistic amounts for copies or electronic files, or taking extreme lengths of time to respond; and commercial firms using the intent of these laws to get marketing data and information on citizens. The panelists talked about how to strike the right balance between these interests + particularly how to allow the time to deliberate and get full public input while still acting according to the law to produce the requested information. Berkeley and Oakland panelists informed the audience of the numerous extra steps each city takes to assure everyone is served and responded to, including having multiple bi-lingual staff available to assist with these numerous requests. Attorney General Bill Lockyer, noted in his speech that even the best of intentions and processes sometimes fail to produce the desired outcome, which he illustrated with a small vignette: A temporary security guard was at the desk of one the Attorney General's Office when someone requested information. Much to Mr. Lockyer's dismay, the temporary guard told them that the Attorney General's Office doesn't give out any information to anyone! Over 100 elected officials, League members, community advocates, and press representatives attended the event. Panelists included: Berkeley City Attorney, Manuela Albuquerque and City Clerk, Sara Cox; Oakland Director of Public Ethics Commission, Dan Purnell, and Mark Morodomi, Deputy City Attorney; Thomas Peele, investigative reporter from the Contra Costa Times; Karl Olson, news media attorney; Sophia Cope, from the First Amendment Project; and Terry Franke from Californians Aware. Richard Winnie, Alameda County Counsel, acted as moderator. The seven Leagues want to acknowledge ANG Newspapers for publishing an editorial on this very important topic and making the public more aware of their rights. The League hopes that this is just the beginning in an effort to raise public awareness.
The National League has put together an extremely informative booklet on Sunshine activities including what citizens can do and how to conduct compliance audits. For this and more information on the League of Women Voters, contact your local League or email us at lwvsun@comcast.net.
Nancy Van Huffel, President

Clean Money Elections

My Word Article--Daily Review 12/27/05
Clean Money Supports Healthy Communities "Healthy communities, institutions and societies ... depend on our ability to organize our collective affairs more wisely..." (Co-Intelligence Institute, Eugene Oregon.) Clearly we need to be wiser about protecting our democratic system and our right and responsibility to vote; to assure that each citizen has the uninhibited opportunity to cast their own vote as they see fit based on accurate information; and to assure that all important and contributory voices are heard. We need to remove the corrupting force of big money from our campaigns on issues and candidates.
Big money determines who can run, what gets said most widely and who says it, who receives the message, and how well the message (right or wrong) is crafted; and it determines what issues get on the ballot. Money buys candidates, issues, signatures, media time, voter contact/messaging, and ultimately buys the election and the elected. Money excludes candidates, viewpoints, and issues from ever reaching the ballot, from ever coming before the voters. Even elected officials determined to do the right thing and follow their conscience and ethics must show deference to the "deep pockets" if they want to get elected. It is a matter of survival; and falsely and dangerously skews the issues, the debate, and the outcomes.
Some voting rights activists say that getting private money out of public elections is the unfinished business of the voting rights movement. The Clean Money efforts going on in California are important in keeping our communities healthy, our democratic process strong, and our voters presented with accurate and complete information on voting day. And it is essential if we are to have any chance of restoring Californians' faith and trust in their elected officials.
"Clean Money"is the voluntary financing of campaigns through public rather than private dollars. The states of Maine and Arizona were the first to adopt a system of public financing of elections and they have demonstrated that the approach works.
Ideally, "Clean Money" would apply to all candidates and issues at all levels seeking a place on the ballot. However, our League effort is focused on the current bill (AB 583) introduced by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), which would set up a "Clean Money" system of public election funding at the State level in California.
Hancock's bill would provide up to $10 million for a qualifying candidate for governor, $150,000 for Assembly candidates, and $300,000 for Senate candidates. Candidates who agree to accept public funding must gather a set number of voter signatures and $5 contributions from a specific number of voters in their district. Candidates could choose to finance their campaigns the traditional way, but the "Clean Money" candidates would get enough money to remain competitive, and could advertise as "Clean Money" candidates.
Many details still need to be worked out in the course of the legislative process. Other states, like Arizona, have found innovative ways to make the system work through surcharges on court proceedings. The more immediate problem may be getting members of the California Legislature to put such a measure on the ballot because it would inevitably make it easier for outsiders and challengers to defeat them. Getting it to voters may take a ballot initiative with broad bipartisan support.
California can do this. California needs this. The bill needs a 2/3rds majority vote to pass and is expected to be taken up again when the Legislature reconvenes in January. Talk to your State Legislators, and urge their support. It will cost us...but not nearly as much as the dysfunctional, special interest-driven state government we have now. When the public pays for elections, important voices are heard and those elected are free to act in the public interest. For more info: http://www.lwvea.org
Nancy Van Huffel, President League of Women Voters--Eden Area

Learn about Ballots in Spanish

By Katy Murphy STAFF WRITER for the Daily Review 10/17/05
HAYWARD -- This year, Spanish-speaking Hayward residents will have the op¬portunity to learn about the governor's ballot initiatives and the positions of local school board candidates in their native language.
An Oct. 28 forum to be held at the West¬minster Hills Presbyterian Church on Pat-rick Avenue will feature a Spanish language interpreter. Angelina Reyes, voter services coordinator for the Eden Area League of Women Voters, said she believed it would be a first for the organization's local chapter, which is co-sponsoring the event with the six churches involved in the South Hayward Parish collective, as well as the South Hayward Neighborhood Collaborative.
Such outreach to voters might seem like a logical step in a city with a large Latino com¬munity. In the 2005-06 school year about 6,400 of the Hayward district's 23,400 stu¬dents were Spanish-speakers learning Eng¬lish, according to data posted on the California Department of Education's Web site. While not all of the students' parents are eligible to vote, the event organizers say, it is important for everyone to be involved in the process.
"We thought that it would be very impor¬tant for them to have the opportunity to meet . the candidates and find out what the candidates were going to do for their children," said Kathy Malloy, an intern minister at the South Hayward Parish collective.
The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28 at Westminster Hills. The church is at 27287 Patrick Ave., across from the Weekes Branch of the Hayward Public Li¬brary. Child care will be available.
The three remaining school board candidates -- chal¬lenger Chuck Homer, minister of the Calvary Baptist Church, and incumbents Myrna Truehill and Paul Frumkin III -- will be invited. The fourth candidate, challenger Roger Treskunoff, dropped out of the race Wednesday after pleading guilty to financial elder abuse in a case involving his 85-year-old mother-in-law.
In addition to questions posed to the candidates, the in¬terpreter will read the arguments for and against Gov. Ar¬nold Schwarzenegger's ballot initiatives. Josefina Ibarra, a bilingual parent whose children attend Cesar Chavez and Peixoto schools, said Spanish-speaking parents would be more likely to get involved in the schools if they are informed about the issues -- and elected officials -- of the district. "It's acknowledging that we do exist," Ibarra said. "I think it's a start."

Not as easy as 1-2-3: Voters prep for election

Several propositions on November ballot are 'controversial, confusing'
By Karen Holzmeister, Daily Review STAFF WRITER 10/08/05
SAN LORENZO -- Voting for propositions on the Nov. 8 ballot may be as difficult as picking successful lottery numbers. That's because Propositions 73 to 80 are controversial, confusing and, in some cases, chancy to figure out.
Take Propositions 78 and 79, dueling measures on prescription drug discounts, which the Eden Area League of Women Voters tackled Friday at an election forum. Both ask voters to approve a new discount drug program for low- and moderate-income households, but differ over what those incomes are as well as costs and how the programs are carried out.
When dealing with complicated issues, speaker Suzanne Barba warned, voters also have to be leery of endorsements. "Be careful when you look at who supports these measures," she told 55 people attending the forum. "The committee (name) may sound wonderful. But delve further and see if that organization is a legitimate organization."
The league, locally and statewide, hosts forums and provides both written and on-line analyses of measures, as league members did Friday. League member Trish Taylor noted that the league's role is to present both sides of an issue and help voters better understand the propositions on the ballot.
League presenters took quick looks Friday at the eight propositions, their pros, cons and backers. On Oct. 17, the contentious Prop. 76 -- state spending and school funding limits -- will get a whole debate all to itself. Proponents and opponents will square off over questions such as: will Prop. 76 solve the state's financial problems? Will Prop. 76 mean less funding for schools? Will the governor have too much power?
The debate, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Village community Hall, 377 Paseo Grande, is open to the public. Isobel Dvorsky, a Chabot-Las Positas Community College District trustee, will be speaking against Prop. 76 on Oct. 17. On Friday, she struggled mightily to be detached and not inject her personal opinion.
Opponents believe Prop. 76 will cut funding for health care, police and fire, overturn another state proposition which mandates minimum school funding, and give new powers to the governor. "It's very discouraging to read this," she said of the fiscal effects, "This will give you a little more angst."
For league analyses of ballot measures, go on-line to http://www.SmartVoter.org.

Longtime volunteer won't slacken her efforts to improve community

By Michelle Beaver, CORRESPONDENT (Inside Bay Area +Daily Review 2/18/05)
"Oh, I hope more people end up like me!" The typically modest Evelyn Cormier blushed at her statement. "What I mean is that I hope they get involved in their communities."
Cormier, 74, knows something about community involvement. She has long been one of the most active volunteers and environmental stewards in Hayward and doesn't plan to stop her work any time soon. She is secretary of the Fairway Park Neighborhood Association and the Hayward Area Planning Association, president of the Audubon Society and a member of the Eden Area League of Women Voters. And that's just the beginning of the list.
Cormier taught first and second grade at Fremont Elementary School for 31 years, and when she retired she needed to fill the void. "I missed the children terribly," she said. "I felt I would only be happy if I was being useful on a day-to-day basis. I don't have much fun sitting at home alone." Cormier volunteered during most of her adulthood and used her retirement as an excuse to join even more organizations. "I blame my busy life on the Tennyson Parent Cooperative Pre-School!" she joked. Cormier moved to Hayward in 1953 and enrolled her daughter in the preschool. That's where Cormier met many like-minded people who interested her in nonprofits. "My life would have been quite dull if I didn't get involved with all these unique people," she said. "I'm not a tea-party type of person. I like to socialize with purpose."
Cormier grew up in a rural area during the depression. Her family was isolated in the "middle of nowhere" andhad no plumbing or electricity. "People around me were struggling as hard as they could to make a living and keep mind, body and soul together," she said. "I knew then that I wanted to be of value to the world someday. It planted a seed." Cormier has been an environmentalist for most of her life and even persuaded her carpenter husband to be one, too. "It wasn't hard," she said. "He understood after a short time that we needed to be careful with the Earth." Her husband died in 1983 and, like retirement, left another void in Cormier's life. "I still miss him," she said. "I suppose that I wouldn't have gotten as busy with things if he were still here. I make sure I don't have a lot of undesignated time."
Cormier said she wishes more people would get involved in their communities. "I know people are busier now than they used to be," she said. "But they should still do what they can. Most people have goodwilled hearts but they don't see how they can make a difference. Our city needs the help. It has a lot of charm but has some rundown areas, too." Cormier has contributed significantly to Hayward, said her longtime friend Sherman Lewis. Lewis is a retired California State University, East Bay, political science professor and community volunteer. "She's one of Hayward's greatest assets," Lewis said. "You won't find anyone harder working or more dedicated than her. She's been around here forever and knows everyone. She pops up at each important event that happens in this area. She doesn't give up." Cormier concurred. "I don't like to lose," she said. "It happens sometimes, though. "I intend to live to be 100," she added. "I want to stick around and see what's going to happen in this crazy world." Chances are good that she'll do more than just watch.

The Castro Valley Friends of the Library (CVFL) recently honored Eleanor Parker and Lee Andresen for their many years of service on behalf of the Library. The CVFL were also celebrating their successful campaign to win a competitive process for funding for the construction of their future new library. Eleanor and Lee have served on the CVFL for many years and helped with fundraisers for the library including the book sales. Eleanor has been an active League member for 47 years and Lee for 19 years. Both are also active in many other community activities

Barbara Sidari recently retired and was honored for her 20 years of service on the San Lorenzo School Board. Barbara has been an active member of numerous education committees and many community service groups. She has been a member of the League for eight years.

Alison Lewis recently received a most unusual birthday gift--a 1,500-pound stone lion carved in London in 1968 who previously guarded the front of an antique shop in Des Moines, Iowa. To honor her for her many years of service to Hayward and County libraries, the lion was shipped to Hayward and installed in front of the Weeks Library with a plaque that tells its story. The lion adoption was arranged by Alison's good friend Supervisor Gail Steele. Alison is a past League president and has been a member for 39 years.

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