Alameda County Green Party Voter Guide

Taxes and Bonds:
TAX THE RICH not just the rest of us

Prop 40 – One–time tax on Billionaires – Yes, Yes, Yes!
Prop 41 – Prohibits some new taxes and stops Prop. 40 – No, No, No!
Prop 42 – Prohibits some property taxes and stops Prop. 40 – No, No, No!

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State Executive Offices
Boycott the Following Races – see front–page article:
- Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller,
Treasurer, and Attorney General
Insurance Commissioner – Jane Kim (Recommended, but not endorsed)
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Richard Barrera (Don’t vote for Shaw)

Federal Offices
U.S. Representative, District 12 – Jamie Joyce (Recommended, but not endorsed)
U.S. Representative, District 14 – Aisha Wahab
(Recommended, but not endorsed)

Other State Offices
State Board of Equalization, District 2 – Sally Lieber (Recommended, but not
endorsed)
State Assembly, District 14 – Mark Rendon*
State Assembly, District 18 – Andre Sandford (Recommended, but not endorsed)

Judicial Offices
State Supreme Court – Kelli Evans and Joshua Groban
State Courts of Appeal, First District – No endorsements, please see article

Special School Districts
Peralta Community College, Area 5 – Cindi Reiss


City Offices

Albany
City Council – #1 (or #2): Aaron Tiedemann, #2 (or #1): Robin D. Lopez

Berkeley
Auditor – Jenny Wong, with misgivings
City Council, District 1 – #1: Moni Gangopadhyay, #2: Daria Wrubel,
#3: Laura Babitt, with strong reservations
City Council, District 4 – Majdi “Gaith” Abuhamdieh
City Council, District 7 – Aidan Hill and Syrak Micael (both endorsed with no
preference)
City Council, District 8 –#1: Mari Mendonca, #2: Michael Wallman
(reluctantly ranked, but not endorsed)
School Board – Ka’Dijah Brown and Jennifer Shanoski
Rent Stabilization Board – Avery Arbaugh, Ida Martinac, Nathan Mizell,
Vylma Ortiz, and Derek Rodriguez

Dublin
City Council, District 2 – Daniel Hor*

Emeryville
City Council – Kalimah Priforce – and Brandon Soublet, with reservations
School Board –– Skip this race, please see article

Oakland
Mayor – No endorsement, please see article
City Auditor – Michael Houston
City Council, District 2 – Nate Adams
City Council, District 4 – No endorsement, please see article
City Council, District 6 – No endorsement, please see article
School Board, District 2 – Jennifer Brouhard, with qualifications
School Board, District 4 – No endorsement, please see article
School Board, District 6 – Valarie Bachelor, with qualifications

Special Districts
AC Transit, Ward 3 – No endorsement, please see article
AC Transit, Ward 4 – No endorsement, please see article
AC Transit, Ward 5 – No endorsement, please see article
BART, District 4 – Robert Raburn
BART, District 6 – No endorsement, please see article (Not on the ballot)
EBMUD, Ward 3 – Marguerite Young
EBMUD, Ward 4 – Andy Katz, (Unopposed, not on the ballot)
EBMUD, Ward 7 – Gary Wolff
EBRPD, Ward 3 – William Yragui
EBRPD, Ward 5 – Olivia Sanwong

Statewide Propositions
1 – Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond – Yes, with standard bond
reservations
2 – Expansion of California’s “Rainy Day Fund” – Yes
3 – Extend Tax on High Incomes for Schools and Health Care – Yes
4 – Allows for fairer elections by permitting certain public funding of
campaigns – Yes
5 – Eliminates State Officer Recall Successor Elections – Yes
37 – Loan Program for Middle-Income Buyers of Qualified New Homes –
No, with reservations
38 – Bond for Immunology Research – No
39 – Vote–suppressing voter identification – No
40 – One–time tax on Billionaires – Yes, Yes, Yes!
41 – Prohibits some new taxes and stops Prop. 40 – No, No, No!
42 – Prohibits some property taxes and stops Prop. 40 – No, No, No!
43 – Handicaps raising revenues for local services – No
44 – Community health clinics: More money for patients, less for CEOs –
Yes
45 – Guts many environmental reviews – No

Local Measures
RTM – Regional Tax Measure – Yes, with sales tax reservations
O – Albany Requirements for Zoning Changes – No
P – Albany Street Paving and Storm Drain Parcel Tax– Yes, with reservations
Q – Albany EMS, ALS and Fire Protection Parcel Tax – Yes, with reservations
R – Albany Business License Tax Measure – Yes, with reservations
S – Albany Real Property Transfer Tax Measure – Yes
T – Albany Street Trees & Streetlighting Parcel Tax – Yes
U – Berkeley $300M General Obligation Bond – Yes, with bond reservations
V – Berkeley Half–Cent Sales Tax Measure – No position, please see article
W – Berkeley Tax – Charter Amendment Measure – Yes
X – Berkeley Tax – Rent Ordinance Amendment Measure – Yes
Y – Berkeley Initiative: Arts Tax Measure – No position, please see article
Z – Berkeley Initiative: Public Bank Measure – Yes, yes, yes!
AA – Berkeley Initiative: Soda Tax Measure – Yes
BB – Emeryville Business Tax Measure – Yes
EE – Oakland Strong Mayor – No
FF – Oakland Real Property Tax Measure – Yes

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Our Endorsement Process

For many of the candidates’ races, we created questionnaires for the candidates and solicited their responses. For others we conducted over-the-phone or in-person interviews. We also gathered information from Greens and others working on issues in their communities and from the public record. For local measures we gathered information as comprehensively as possible. The Green Party of Alameda County held endorsement meetings to consider all the information and make decisions. Our endorsements are as follows: When we list “No endorsement,” either we had unresolved differences that prevented us from agreeing on a position, or no position was warranted.

We only endorse bond measures for essential public projects that are unlikely to be funded otherwise. Our endorsement “Yes, with standard bond reservations” reflects our position that funding through bonds is more costly and therefore less fiscally responsible than a tax.

Where no recommendation appears, we did not evaluate the race or measure due to a lack of volunteers. Working on the Voter Guide is fun! Give us a call now to get signed up to help on the next edition!

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Your Green Party

The things you value do not “just happen” by themselves — make a commitment to support the Green Party. Call us to volunteer your time during this election season and beyond. Clip out the enclosed coupon to send in your donation today.

During these difficult times, individuals who share Green values need to stand firm in our principles and join together to work to make our vision of the future a reality. The Green Party of Alameda County is coordinating tabling, precinct walking, phone banking, and other
volunteer activities.

The Green Party County Council meets in the evening on the 2nd Sunday each month at 7:00 p.m. This is the regular “business” meeting of the Alameda County Green Party. We have several committees working on outreach, campaigns, and local organizing. Please stay in touch if you want to get more involved.