SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

6:45 pm, County Building cafeteria, 70 W. Hedding St. San Jose

 

 

MINUTES FOR Thursday, June 7th, 2007

 

1.             CALL TO ORDER: 7:15

 

2.             ROLL CALL

Absent: Deepka Lalwani, Ron Lind, Anna Song, Tom Cochran, Xavier Campos, Alex Kennett, Dan Kenney, Charmaine Jabr, Greg Sellers, Veronica Andrade, Alberto Torrico, Sally Lieber, Jim Beall, John Laird, Ellen Corbett, Joe Simitian, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, Chris Stampolis, Carol Garvey, Justin Carvalho

 

Alternate: Carolyn Curtis for Jim Thurber, Paul Fong for Pearl Cheng, Crag Dunkerley for Herb Engstrom, Maureen Grzan for Dennis Kennedy, Alex Kobayashi for Ira Ruskin, Claudia Shope for Joe Coto, Jon Kessler for Elaine Alquist, Swanee Edwards for Jerry McNerney, Alfredo Magallanes for Mike Honda, Chris Cote for Anna Caballero 

 

Excused: Emy Thurber, Rebecca Scheel, and Bruce Morasca

 

3.             IDENTIFICATION OF VISITORS

Sam Liccardo, San Jose City Council, Anjali Menon, Jack Kurzwal, Ralph Wheeler, Jolyn Liau, Kristen Johnson, Gloria Nieto, Eric Crane, Ash Kalra, Darcie Green, Jon Graff, Charlene Loomis

 

4.             ADOPTION OF AGENDA

 

5.             APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Minutes are posted at sccdp.org)

 

6.             ISSUES

 

7.             NEW BUSINESS

Election of California Democratic Party Executive Board representatives (4 positions)

Nominations: Jim Thurber, Craig Mann, Anne Mack, Hope Cahan, and Omar Torres

Motion to elect Anne and Hope by acclimation, second, so carried

 

Carolyn Curtis spoke on behalf of Jim Thurber. Omar Torres and Craig Mann provided a short speech explaining why they would like to be elected.

Each Central Committee member had 2 votes: Jim and Omar were the winners

 

Support for Anti-Iraq occupation resolution (see end of minutes)

Jack Kurzweil from Alameda County spoke on behalf of the resolution from Resolution Peace (www.resolutionpeace.org). Jack asked that the Central Committee vote in support of the resolution and that club members take the resolution to their clubs for club endorsements.  For more information or to alert the group of club endorsements, email Jack at jkurz@igc.org.

 

Motion to approve the resolution, second, motion carried.

 

July’s meeting date change to July 12th

 

8.             REPORTS FROM OFFICERS AND OTHERS

A.      Executive Board: Steve Preminger: No meeting due to work on Kansen’s race

 

B.      Chair:  Steve Preminger: worked on Kansen’s successful race

David Cohen spoke about the vacancy on the school board due to Kansen’s election to City Council.

There is also a vacancy on the Union School Board. Deadline to apply is June 21st

 

I’m sad to announce that Vince Cortese has resigned effective tomorrow because he is moving. If anyone would like to fill this position for the 22nd AD, please see Jim Thurber.

 

C.      Vice Chair:  James Kim

Thank you to everyone for helping elect Kansen

 

The Democratic Club Picnic has 7 clubs affiliated so far. Any clubs that would like to join us please let me know. The picnic is at Rainbow Park on July 28th.  

 

D.      Treasurer: Drina Collins

Congratulations to Kansen and his campaign staff/volunteers for their great success!

 

E.       Secretary:  Hope Cahan

The Dinner Committee is meeting on a regular basis to assure a successful dinner. Anyone who would like to join our team please let me know.

 

F.       Community Services and Voter Registration:  Carolyn Curtis

Of the 12 upcoming fairs, clubs already covers 7, but 5 remain uncovered.

 

Adrienne Grey: Silicon Valley LGBT Club is hosting the LGBT festival this weekend at Discovery Meadow. They could use a few more volunteers.

 

Thank you to Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum for hosting the first major festival: The Tamale Festival.

 

G.      Finance:  Jim Thurber

H.      Candidate Recruitment and Endorsement:  Jon Kessler

Endorsement committee met last month to go over the existing questionnaire. The endorsement interviews will be in the fall. Clubs will have the ability to send 1 member to the committee.

 

I.      Communication: David Cohen

Still need volunteers for the newsletter. Have contacts from people who would like to provide us with technology and will be meeting with them soon. Anyone who would like to be included on these meetings, let David know.

 

J.        Campaign Services: 

K.       Issues:  Adrienne Grey

L.       Political Outreach: James Kim on behalf of Tom Cochran: Thank you to the Silicon Valley LGBT Club for the food, South County Democratic Club will bring the food for July

 

Club, AD, SD, & CD Reports

Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley: Carolyn Curtis

- The club raised over $1200 for Charlie Brown at our Wildflower Walk fundraiser May 12; candidate was not there but phoned us

- At our general meetings June 6, the north county group wrote thank-you letters to Eshoo & others for their good Iraq votes; watched a video on Atty General Gonzales & signed a petition to impeach, hand-delivered to Anna Eshoo's office Thurs June 7; heard presentations of the healthcare plans of the 3 leading Democratic presidential candidates; and watched a tape of Howard Dean on the Colbert Report; the San Jose group watched a video called Affluenza & discussed the Kansen Chu win

- The club is cosponsoring a garden party for Ira Ruskin June 24 with the San Mateo County DFA & the Peninsula Democratic Coalition, part of the plan for these 3 clubs to supplant functions of the now obsolete 21st AD committee

-  The club will leaflet & register voters at the opening weekend June 30-July 2 of Michael Moore's "Sicko," as we successfully did 4 years ago for "Fahrenheit 9-11"

- The club will celebrate and elect new officers at our annual picnic June 23; four of seven are retiring from the steering committee

 

The Evergreen Democratic Club: Beverly Waller-Wharton

Willa Dawson, a Villager and Clinical Psychologist who has taught in correctional facilities, speaking on “Urban Myths and Their Effect on our Justice System,” told us that increasing incarceration rates is primarily political and does not equate to a decrease in crime rates. She also emphasized that much in the way of rehabilitation needs to be done in our prisons.

 

In lieu of a July meeting, the Club will again participate in the Villages’ July 4th parade. This year the Villages is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Our entry will feature JFK and Jackie and Lyndon and Lady Bird, with a banner inscribed with “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

 

The Club voted in May to support the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club’s “Anti-Iraq Occupation” resolution.

 

We are in the planning stages for our annual picnic and barbeque scheduled for Sunday, September 9, from 3-6pm, and will be sending out invitations later this summer.

 

Peninsula Democratic Coalition: Rich Watters

1) The PDC will hold our quarterly Legislative Luncheon this coming Saturday, June 9th at the Jade Restaurant in Palo Alto. Our featured speaker will be Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren.

2) On Monday evening June 25th PDC will present a Mental Health Forum in the Mountain View City Council Chamber. The forum has been planned by the PDC Health Issues Committee to increase awareness of the county’s role in mental health and the expected impact of planned budget cuts. Our speaker panel will include Veronica Tincher (county Mental Health Board President), Navah Statman (from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, NAMI) and Nancy Pena (Director of the county Department of Mental Health). Martin Gorfinkel, our PDC newsletter editor, will serve as panel moderator. (Martin is also a Mental Health Board member.)

Silicon Valley Young Democrats: Diego Barragan

The club organized Young Democrats from California to walk for Kansen and 25 Young Democrats came out last weekend. Some of the walkers came from as far as Fresno.

 

Our elections will be held on June 21st.

 

M.     Regional Director: Peter Chiu for Emy Thurber

DNC representative amendment will be discussed at the State Party Executive Board meeting

 

N.      Democratic National Committee: Chris Stampolis

 

O.      Pro-Choice Coalition:  Claudia Shope

At the state level, Planned Parenthood is advocating for Medi-Cal reimbursement rate for providers and two sponsored bills, AB 629 and AB 1541.  Below is the status of each of our priorities:

 

·         Medi-Cal Provider Rate Increase – The Cost of Doing Nothing

The Governor and the Legislature recognizes that Medi-Cal rate increase is an important component of their health care reform agenda for the year. But our need is now. Planned Parenthood is facing a critical juncture where the need for the safety-net services we provide is far greater than our capacity to serve. After more than 20 years without a significant Medi-Cal rate increase, our affiliates are struggling financially and we are and turning away over 10,000 patients every month. We need a rate increase NOW or we won’t even be able to keep up our current level of quality health care services – let alone meet new demands.

 

The Governor did not include the Medi-Cal rate increase in his May Revised Budget.  Planned Parenthood is collecting signatures on postcards to send to the Governor and state legislature.  

 

·         AB 629 The California Community Sexual Health Education Act (Brownley): This bill is a reintroduction of SB 1471 (Kuehl) which created standards for community based organizations providing state-funded sexuality education.  Status: Passed out of Assembly Appropriation Committee and will go to full Assembly Floor

 

·         AB 1541 Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Act (Nava): This bill is similar to AB 2742 last year.  The goal of the bill this year is to make family planning services for eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries the same and to codify federal statute that allows Medi-Cal Managed Care beneficiaries to go out of plan for family planning services.  Status:  Died in Assembly Appropriation Committee

 

EVENT Announcement:

·         VOICES FOR CHANGE, JUNE 16, 2007 4:00-6:00 PM Cost: $100

GET YOUR TICKET for Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte’s second annual Voices for Change, a garden reception honoring several distinguished individuals for their contributions to protecting reproductive rights and privacy. Honorees include: KAREL, a popular radio personality, the HONORABLE JOE SIMITIAN, State Senator, and CAROL MAYER MARSHALL, community leader.  Featuring FRED KEELEY, advocates board chair, as emcee.  Contact Taylor Fields at (408) 297-9255 ext. 225 or taylor_fields@ppmarmonte.org for more information about becoming a sponsor or purchasing tickets.

 

PRO-CHOICE COALITION MEETING

The next meeting of the Pro-Choice Coalition will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at 1605 The Alameda. Please join us and get more involved with the Pro-Choice Coalition. 

 

P.       DTV Report: Steve Chessin

Democratic Television Producer Steve Chessin reported that our May taping was with our own Emily Thurber, Region 5 Director for the California Democratic Party.

 

Our guest in June was Assemblywoman Anna Caballero of the 28th AD.

 

We will be on San Jose Comcast Channel 15A June 14th and July 12th with Emily Thurber, and June 28th, July 26th, and August 23rd with Assemblywoman Caballero.

 

See the sccdp web site for the schedule in the other communities, and to download our shows.

 

We could still use more good Democrats on the crew.  No prior video experience is necessary.

 

San Jose Channel 15A (also serves part of Cupertino), 8:00pm every other Thursday (408-918-3200):

2007:

Jun 14     DTV 148 Emily Thurber

Jun 28     DTV 149 Hon. Anna Caballero

Jul 12      DTV 148 Emily Thurber

Jul 26      DTV 149 Hon. Anna Caballero

Aug  9    TBD-150

Aug 23   DTV 149 Hon. Anna Caballero

 

Q.     CDC Report:  Jay Jackman

 

9.             OLD BUSINESS

 

10.          ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Anne Mack: The Century Club Luncheon is tomorrow. Rod Diridon Sr. is the speaker and will discuss high-speed rail

 

Tim: Launching a 3-year program of family volunteers to take ownership of environmental stewardship. The first one includes the areas from Menlo Park to Hayward. You may get more information from www.greenchallenge.org. This is the only nationally recognized grass roots program of its kind.

 

Carolyn Curtis: went to the DNC Western Regional Caucus and was really pleased with the important discussion that occurred. The Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley also purchased an ad

 

Paul Fong: I am hosting a fundraiser and everyone is invited. Thank all of you for your support thus far.

 

Dan Hoffman: discussed the article “Gingrich Lambastes President and Rove”

 

11.          EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

                The next Executive Board meeting is June 27th at 6pm

 

12.          ADJOURNMENT 8:33 An additional thank you to Vince Cortese for your years of service to this committee!

 

 

 

 

 

ANTI-IRAQ OCCUPATION RESOLUTION FOR THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE 

WHEREAS 75% of Californians disapprove of Bush’s illegal, immoral and disastrous occupation of Iraq, 69% say it was a mistake to invade Iraq (Public Policy Institute of California poll January 2007) and Californians join with other Americans in overwhelmingly supporting a safe withdrawal from Iraq by 2008 at the latest; 

WHEREAS the ongoing occupation is costing not only the lives of young Californians in combat, but also billions of dollars that could be used to meet critical health, education and social service needs in the state; and                       

WHEREAS Californians gave a clear mandate to the Democratic Party in November 2006 to take leadership in ending the occupation and bringing the troops safely home, and hearing from Democratic clubs and county central committees in their districts will get the attention of Democratic officeholders in a different way from the messages they are accustomed to hearing from antiwar groups;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Santa Clara County Democratic Party Central Committee send this resolution to all California Democratic Congressional representatives asking them to support a fully funded speedy withdrawal of all troops from Iraq, as well as full funding necessary to meet the medical and mental health needs of troops, veterans and their families; and no attack on Iran without Congressional authorization; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Santa Clara County Democratic Party Central Committee send this resolution to all Santa Clara County Democratic Clubs asking them to become vocal, active supporters of Congressional action needed to accomplish the above and convey their strong support to their Democratic Congressional representatives.

Submitted by the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club