SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

6:45 PM, County Building Cafeteria, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose

MINUTES FOR Thursday, February 4, 2010

 

 

 

  1. CALL TO ORDER:  7;15PM

 

  1. ROLL CALL
    1. Absent:  Ron Lind, Eric Larson, Francis LaPoll, Craig Dunkerley, Rosemary Kamei, Dan Kenney, Alex Kennett, Rebecca Scheel, Joe Coto, Jim Beall, Bill Monning, Anna Caballero, Elaine Alquist, Nancy Smith, and Andy Parker.
    2. Alternates For:  Marsha Grilli, Ken Yeager, Hope Cahan, Ira Ruskin, Joe Simitian, Jerry McNerney, Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, and Rena Modell.
    3. Excused:  Omar Torres
    4. Proxies For:  James Rowen and Herb Engstrom

 

  1. IDENTIFICATION OF VISITORS
    1. Erlinda Estrada, Renee Reid, Chris Kolterman, Rich Gordon-San Mateo County Board of Supervisor and 21st AD Candidate, Eugene DeForrest, Harry Adams-Housing Authority Commissioner, Mohammed Nadeem, PhD-City of Santa Clara Civil Service Commissioner, Fran Linkin-Planned Parenthood MarMonte, Jim Griffith-Sunnyvale City Council, Brian Miller, Jane Whiteford, Alex Wara, Brian Darrow-Working Partnerships, Javier Campos-City of San Jose District 5 Candidate, Sam Liccardo-San Jose City Council District 3, Don Rocha-Cambrian School District Board Member and Candidate for San Jose City Council District 9, Dave Cortese-Santa Clara County Supervisor, Forrest Williams, Former San Jose City Council Member District 2 and Santa Clara County Supervisor Candidate, and Blanca Alvarado-Santa Clara County Supervisor Candidate.

 

  1. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
    1. Motion to Approve; Seconded; Motion Approved.

 

  1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Minutes are/will be posted at sccdp.org)

a.       December 3, 2009 Minutes

a.       Item 6,c,vi and vii (New Business, Discussion of California Lt. Governor Vacancy, Motion to conduct a straw poll, Motion Approval)

                                                                           i.      Minutes have been reviewed and deemed accurate.

b.       Motion to Approve December 3, 2009 Minutes; Seconded; Motion Approved.

b.       January 7, 2010 Minutes

a.       Motion To Approve January 7, 2010 Minutes; Seconded; Motion Approved.

 

  1. NEW BUSINESS

a.       Senator Ellen Corbett

                                                               i.      Governor’s proposals are not allowing government to grow.  Need economic and job growth.

                                                              ii.      Issues Currently Working On:  Nummi Plant Closure – Almost 5,000 people employed.  Looking ways to find other manufacturers to move into the plant.  Allow a tax credit for job retention if plant remains open.  Looking for an alternative and working with federal government to assist employees who will be losing their jobs.

                                                            iii.      Consumer Protection – Chaired Judiciary Committee.  Working on foreclosure issue.  Additional time and notice prior to foreclosure of homes.  Bill became law early this year.

                                                            iv.      Introducing legislation to make banks work with people whose homes are close to foreclosure (special session).

                                                             v.      Signed – Dealers would take trade in and wouldn’t pay off note.  Buyers were getting calls from lenders of trade-in cars indicating there were outstanding payments.  Dealers are required to pay-off the loans on the trade-in.

                                                            vi.      Gift Cards:  Created ability to cash in balance on gift card.

                                                          vii.      State Senate passed Universal Health Care.

 

b.       Alberto Torrico:  21st Assembly District.

                                                               i.      Stabilize revenue for the schools.  Need to pass the split tax roll on Prop13.  30 to 50,000 students will be turned away at higher education due to budget. 

                                                              ii.      Proposed Bill:  Companies extracting oil in CA will be taxed 12.5% all to go to higher education.  Have collected 50,000 signatures towards the bill.  Information on Facebook – Fair Share for Fair Tuition.

                                                            iii.      Informed attendees he is a candidate for California Attorney General.  As Attorney General, he wants to bring corporate accountability.  Wants to be the lawyer for California.  Additional information on his website:  albertotorrico.com. 

 

c.        SCCDP Call To Action – March 27.  Report

                                                               i.      March 27, 2010 the Central Committee will be having a Call to Action.  On March 13, 2010, a calling of council of clubs on how to make clubs work strongly and collectively.  Requested club representative and members attend.

 

d.       Silicon Valley Young Democrats request support of Santa Clara stadium initiative (See Resolution).  Presentation from each side.

                                                               i.      Executive board decided to hear both sides of the discussion.

                                                              ii.      Mia White (In Support):  Works for campaign in support of the stadium.  Site chosen is next to Great America in the overflow parking lot.  Will increase jobs to the community. Many high and low level positions will be created by the stadium.  The stadium would create a lot of revenue in the City of Santa Clara and the County of Santa Clara.  Larry Stone, Santa Clara County Tax Assessor, is supporting the resolution.  Investment from the city would be minimal.  The vast majority of the funding is from the team and from the stadium.  Hotels are supporting stadium.  Hotels will increase hotel tax to support the stadium.  There will be no tax on residences of Santa Clara and no property tax increase.  Will not affect utility rates.  Will be on June, 2010 ballot.

                                                            iii.      Jamie McCloud (Santa Clara City Council-Opposing):  Has been with the project since the beginning.  Impact to general fund - $98 million is earmarked to be diverted to the stadium.  77% of the general fund currently pays city employees.   515stadium employees would earn $33K/year no health insurance, no labor piece, construction jobs are regional jobs.  Asking city for $115 million and cheap rent for 40 years and $67 million for fund.  Feels it is a subsidy.  Reduces commitment to affordable housing.  Urges party to stay out of fight.  Hotel occupancy tax is currently going to general fund.  Will not be able to provide adequate parking.  Council failed to negotiate a good deal. 

                                                            iv.      Motion to Table to March 4, 2010 meeting, seconded;

                                                             v.      Call for Question:  Seconded; Call for Question Approved

                                                            vi.      Motion to Table to March 4, 2010 meeting, Seconded; Motion Approved.

e.        Democratic Prospects for 2010.  Discussion.

                                                               i.      Year didn’t start off well with derailment of healthcare.  Question:  Where do we go from here with a lot of important measures ahead of us?

                                                              ii.      Motion to table to March 4, 2010 meeting, Seconded, Motion Approved.

  1. OLD BUSINESS

 

  1. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS AND OTHERS

a.       Executive Board:  Margie Mitchell

a.       Long discussions on stadium resolution, Call to Action and discussed other measures and debates/initiatives.  Request the State from taking resources from county, city and school districts, which be discussed at March meeting.  Constitutional Convention will be discussed at next E-Board meeting.

b.       Chair:  Steve Preminger

a.       Currently working with the JJ dinner committee to get Barbara Boxer as the keynote speaker.  Looking for people to take out program ads.

c.        Vice Chair:  Clark Williams

a.       Nothing to Report

d.       Treasurer:  Drina Collins

a.       $492.93 in budget.  Thanked everyone who paid dues.

e.        Secretary:  Margie Mitchell

a.       Nothing to Report

f.        Issues:  James Kim

a.       Nothing to Report

g.        Community Services and Voter Registration: Judy Pipkin

a.       Nothing to Report

h.       Finance:  Hope Cahan

a.       Not Present

i.         Candidate Recruitment and Endorsement:  Jon Kessler

a.       Candidate endorsement interviews will begin the week of March 22.  Follow-up interviews will be held on March 29, 30, and 31.  Will have a large group of candidate interviews in the fall.  Asked people who are on the committee be available for all interviews.  Jon will be going over questionnaire for updates.

b.       County Committee delegated papers will be available on February 16, 2010 and are to be turn in sometime in March, 2010.

j.         Communications:  David Cohen

a.       Nothing to Report

k.       Campaign Services:  Tom Cochran

a.       Currently a lot of good races so get involved.

l.         Political Outreach (Clubs):  Diane Rolfe

a.       Thanked Obama DemClub and Bay Area for Change for the evening’s refreshments.  Next month will be Mission City Dem Club. 

b.       Have 21st club to be chartered – East San Jose Democratic Club.

c.        Motion to charter E. San Jose DemClub, Seconded, Motion Approved.

m.     Regional Director:  Emy Thurber

a.       CDP has opened a website regarding carlyfailorina.com.  Endorsement meeting will be held on March 20 at 9:00.  Ten clubs came up with delegates.  There are 54 delegates coming from clubs.  Reminder, all elected members are delegates.  Convention will be held in Los Angeles on April 16-18, 2010.  Informed attendees that CDP is still trying to raise

b.       Shawn Bagley:  Informed attendees that SD12 and SD15 is progressive paradise. (Senate Districts)

n.       Democratic National Committee:  Chris Stampolis

a.       Westerndemocrats.com to provide updates on DNC caucus.  Agenda, minutes, and reports are posted.  All caucus agendas for national party meetings and resolutions submitted to national parties.  Talked DNC Chief Operations Officer:  Shared concerns from Central Committee.  Carrying message to Boxer and Feinstein to come to local Central Committee meetings.

o.       Pro-Choice Coalition:  Claudia Shope

a.       Fran Linkin – Action Alerts:  Fighting cuts to family planning.   Governor has proposed cutting Family PACT.  Requested attendees to contact Legislators and talk about how many people are served and oppose the proposed cuts.

p.       DTV Report:  Steve Chessin

a.       January guest was Michelle Lew, AACI CEO.  The February guest will be Former Assemblymember John Laird.

q.       CDC Report:  Jay Jackman

a.       Not Present

 

  1. ANNOUNCEMENTS
    1. Steve Chessin:  Contact him regarding amending the Constitution.
    2. Mia White:  Zoe Lofgren will be holding a fundraiser on April 30, 2010.  Jim Cogan will be holding a fundraiser.  Got to his website, votecogan.com, to get the date.  Omar Torres is currently is having a fundraising event for the Mateo Ortiz fund.
    3. Andrea Macapinlac – A press conference was held at Independent High School for the Cops on Campus initiative to promote safe schools.
    4. Teresa Alvarado:  Will be holding a joint signature gathering next weekend.

 

  1. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

 

  1. ADJOURNMENT  9:35pm  Omar Torres’ nephew, Mateo Ortiz, who was killed by the fallen tree in San Jose and Chris Stampolis’ father, who recently passed away.

 

Report of Clubs:

 

LGBT:  Special meeting will be held on February 23 to discuss the future and/or termination of the club.

 

San Jose State DemCaucus SJSU:  Campaign on campus to get college students counted in the census.  The Club is looking for guest speakers for their upcoming rally.  The Club has an Associate membership program and has received several donations through Central Committee members.

 

DAWN:  Endorsement Potluck will be held on March 14 at 11:00 at SEIU Local 521.  In order to vote, you will need to be a member for 30 days, which would be prior to February 14.

 

Latino Forum:  Active in Water District re-districting process.  Would like to get some more support. 

 

West Valley for Change:  January 9, the Club had a general meeting.  The Plan for 2010 was done.  San Jose City Councilmember, Pete Constant, was the, guest speaker.  He informed attendees the best way to get involved is to apply for Boards and Commissions.

 

Milpitas DemClub:  General Meeting will be held on February 27 at the Milpitas Library.  Guest Speaker will be Supervisor Dave Cortese.

 

Bay Area for Change:  Had a panel discussion regarding the California Constitution Convention.  Panel will be discussing Life after Shwarz on March 17.

 

Obama DemClub:  The Club will be restructuring in the near future.  The Club is pushing forward to get health insurance passed.

 

S. C. County DemClub:  Currently in the midst of determining goals for 2010.  Membership was asked to rank desires on a ballot.  E-Board will decide on where board is going.  On, February 15, Bob Applebaum will speak on healthcare reform.

 

DEAN:  At the February 3rd meeting, the Club discussed the State of California update on climate change.  Representatives from Joe Simitian and Ira Ruskin’s offices were guest speakers.

 

PDC:  February 27 annual meeting will be held at the Los Altos Youth Center, George Lakoff will be guest speaker.

 

DemClub at the Villages:  Working on gearing up membership to work on clean money campaign.  Last month, the guest speaker was Santa Clara County Tax Assessor, Larry Stone, who spoke on the Consitutional Convention.

 

SVAPADC:  Annual Dinner will be held on March 5, 2010 in Mountain View.  Cost will be $100 per person.

 

African American:  Held monthly meeting on February 4.  The next meeting will be a membership meeting on May 13.  Looking at having the meeting in the North County area.  Informed attendees of Santa Teresa Library Opening and High Speed Rail Meeting both hosted by Ash Kalra.