Politics

Rally for Budget Change at Capitol

2009-08-20T03:45:22Z

Members of The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Drug Policy Alliance, ACLU of Northern California and Families to Amend California's Three Strikes gathered on the south steps of the Capitol on Tuesday, August 17, to speak in opposition of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed cuts to the state prison budget.

Zachary Norris, director of the Books Not Bars campaign, hosted the rally and introduced the members of the coalition.

"We must address this elephant in the budget," Norris said before leading the crowd in chants of "books not bars" and "schools not jails." Norris and his fellow speakers urged legislators to rethink their policies on incarcerating petty criminals. California's 75 percent recidivism rate for convicts was a primary concern.

"Wake up, California," said Natasha Minsker, death penalty director of the ACLU of Northern California. "It's time to stop imprisoning people for petty crimes."

"If you don't go to prison in the first place, you don't have to worry about recidivism," said assembly member Jim Bell. "I'd like to send people to get their Ph.D.s in the UC system rather than in prison.”

The coalition stressed the importance of rehabilitation programs in the place of imprisonment for those found guilty of drug-related crimes.

“Drug treatment works, and we know it works," said Laura Thomas, a representative of the Drug Policy Alliance.” We could use the $1 billion for drug treatment instead of sending people to prison for petty drug crimes." She closed by saying, "Keeping people in the community works."

While Norris agreed with some of the governor's decisions, such as "converting some felonies to misdemeanors," he and the other groups were against all juvenile correctional facilities. "The average cost of one juvenile detainee is $234,000 per year,” Norris said. "We are wasting our money on recidivism."

"Waste is not a noun, it is a verb," said assemblywoman Nancy Skinner. "Something doesn't become waste until you waste it. We are wasting people."

More information about the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights can be found here.

City Charter Review Committee Holds Meeting in District Seven

2009-10-02T04:06:26Z

A meeting held in the Riverside Boulevard Elks Lodge at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday marked another in a series held by the City of Sacramento City Charter Review Committee (CRC).

Moderated by CRC vice chair JoAnn Fuller, the two-hour discourse between the roughly 25 citizens of District Seven and members of the council addressed issues involving the strong mayor initiative and the tentative decisions surrounding it.

Each proposal was presented on a separate page in a packet handed to everyone. A dry erase board was set up that had charts for all to read.

The first question posed was if the mayor should sit and vote as a member of the City Council. The committee felt that it might be important for the mayor to sit at the meetings in order for him to be more connected with the rest of his council.

When a citizen asked what would happen to the city manager, CRC member Alan LoFaso responded that he would continue to be a charter officer.

The subject of the mayor having veto power was also raised.

“So would it then take a super-majority to respond to a strong mayor’s veto?” asked citizen Warren Burns.

LoFaso responded in the affirmative.

Burns pointed out that if the strong mayor initiative is voted into action, the mayor can not only veto a law, but he can also use his spot on the council to vote against it again if the other members wish to overturn his veto.

The most controversial subject during the meeting was the question of who should appoint and remove certain members of government.

“A strong mayor would be able to appoint anyone he wanted to the role of city manager, which could cause a split among the members of the City Council,” warned CRC member Chester Newland.

This subject brought LoFaso back to the microphone to explain the three most common catalysts for political change in city government:

1. There is a scandal or major event in the city’s government, which prompted San Diego’s conversion five years ago.

2. A dynamic elected official enacts the change.

3. Cities get larger.

“There has been no compelling problem with Sacramento’s government that has given us the need to change the whole thing,” said LoFaso.

Burns expressed further skepticism at the ability of the strong mayor to hire and fire government employees, especially a city manager.

“If the mayor can appoint anyone he wants to city manager, he will be able to put a crony in the place of a perfectly competent person to further his agenda,” argued Burns. “I moved to Sacramento in 1968, and I’m afraid the strong mayor initiative could cause turmoil among many citizens, forcing them to move.”

As for other city employees, non-union workers would not be protected by a civil service support system, according to Fuller.

Sacramento’s budget was the last major topic discussed.

Under a strong mayor, the budget would be proposed by him or her. The council can make changes, which the mayor can then veto. If the council does not override the mayor’s veto by the new fiscal year, the budget goes into effect.

Fuller posed the last question of the evening, taking a poll of the citizens present who would be in favor of adding term limits to the mayor’s stay in office, and only a few were.

Proponents of Health Care Reform Gather for Change

2009-09-23T03:45:29Z

Activists for health care reform gathered in front of the Blue Cross building across from the Capitol Tuesday.

Amidst cries of "Blue Cross, you're no good; treat the people like you should," the 100 people in attendance marched in a wide oval on the sidewalk. After a half hour of alternating rallying cheers, Laurie Comstock was invited to speak to the crowd. She told her personal story of how the health care system impacted her.

"I lost my health care in August when it almost doubled from $260 to $450," Comstock said over the megaphone. "It became too much for me to afford, so I had to drop it."

After her speech, organizer Lino Pedres of SEIU read a new policy drafted for Blue Cross and other health care providers. He then announced that he and a few volunteers would enter the building to deliver the proposal. Roughly five minutes later the volunteers appeared again, telling the gathering that security would not let them into the main offices to speak with anybody.

The main stipulation of the policy is as follows: "Wellpoint/Blue Cross will not use any resources -- including funds, employees, and facilities to oppose any aspect of the health care reform proposals supported by President Obama and being considered by members of the United States Congress."

Pedres stayed and continued his attempt to get access, but was unsuccessful.

Once the rally ended and the people dispersed, Comstock explained her situation in more detail.

"I am a self-employed deposition court reporter," she said. "After they raised my monthly costs, they also made me pay $1600 out of pocket just for continued coverage. I had never had a medical bill that was that much, so I figured it was not worth the cost."

She also explained struggles in other states.

"I have a friend in Oregon who actually comes down here every three months now to deal with bigger, more expensive procedures, because they cost even more there" she said.

While Pedres is covered under SEIU's plan, he is fighting for those who are not so fortunate.

"It is very difficult to have to take children to the hospital with no health insurance," Pedres said. "We are protesting against the companies' prevention of everyone getting health care. I don't care how we figure it out, one way or another, but coverage should be provided for those who need it."