Where the Action Is!
From Janet Brennan, LWVMP president
Condominium Subdivisions in the City of Monterey
In a letter to the City we noted that the draft amendments covering requirements for tenant notification and protection, as well as relocation assistance, clearly addressed our concerns, and we strongly supported their inclusion in the revised Ordinance. We commended the Planning Staff and the Planning Commission Subcommittee for their extensive work on this project.
Protect America Act
The following letter was sent to Senator Feinstein:
"The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula urges you to vote to repeal the Protect America Act that was rushed into passage earlier this year without public debate. Widespread wiretapping of Americans is unacceptable in a democracy and any reform of this act must clearly state that the government must obtain an individual warrant when it wiretaps the communications of American citizens. Reform must also guard against providing retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies that have provided government agencies with information on their customer records."
State Health Care Legislation
The following letter was sent to Senator Maldonado and Assemblyman Laird on ABX1 1:
"The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula urges a no vote on ABX1 1. This bill fails to meet the goal of universal, affordable and comprehensive coverage on a continuous basis to all Californians. Health care premiums and out-of-pocket expenses compete with basic living costs. Many families are hard pressed to balance health care costs with their rents or mortgage payments, childcare, food, transportation and unexpected but crucial bills.
"ABX1 1 does not contain adequate cost controls. There are no cost controls over premiums, and no limits placed on co-payments, deductibles, co-insurance or hospital charges. We feel that the provisions to control increases in the cost to the state and local governments are not sufficient. Rising health care costs will place a significant financial burden on stakeholders, with the notable exception of the insurance companies.
"With the approval of this bill, employers will be required to pay up to 6.5 percent of payroll toward employee health care coverage. This spending range is less than many employers currently pay. There is concern that this lower standard for employer payments will erode the coverage benefits many individuals and families now have, as well as shift more of the cost burden to them.
"Additionally, there is a lack of information regarding the funding mechanisms, employer responsibilities, and cost protections for consumers through such mechanisms as subsidies, tax credits, and Section 125 plans. It is important to have full disclosure of these details and have consideration of the unintended outcomes that ABX1 1 as written would provide.
Letter to Assemblyman Laird Regarding His Support for AB 1430 (Official Title: An Act to Amend Section 85703 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974)
Our letter said in part:
"AB 1430 authored by Martin Garrick, (R- Carlsbad). It passed the Assembly on a 77-0 vote on May 24, 2007, and yours was one of the yes votes. LWVMP representatives have discussed local Campaign Finance Reform (CFR) with you, and you have indicated support for such measures, as well as supporting public financing efforts by the California Clean Money Campaign.
"The LWVMP spent over 18 months developing a strong model ordinance for local CFR, which we shared with you at our most recent legislative interview in Santa Cruz. We were successful in helping the city of Pacific Grove adopt an ordinance based on our model.
"Our eventual goal was enacting local CFR at the county level, where it is sorely needed. It is our understanding that AB 1430 guts every measure we included in our ordinance as crucial to cleaning up the purchase of candidates by special interests. It invalidates the ordinances enacted by approximately 100 local jurisdictions in California and the work of ethics commissions in our largest cities.
"We would appreciate hearing from you on your reasons for supporting AB 1430. We eagerly await your reply."
Statement on Revisions to Final Board Direction for GPU5
On November 6 the Board of Supervisors approved "final direction for policies for GPU5" to be used as the basis of analysis for the EIR. A Supplemental Agenda was released on late Friday, December 7th, scheduling a last minute item to "consider several modifications to the November 6, 2007 Board director regarding amendments to the 2006 General Plan and to provide direction to staff regarding proposed modifications".
The staff report did not provide any specific language and was very vague as to what was specifically being considered. Based on serious process issues, the two Leagues raised the following questions at the December 11th Board hearing:
- Were any meetings of the Board of Supervisors held to discuss changes? When? Who attended?
- Does the Board have any written documents on this item that have not been made available to the public? Who prepared the documents? When did the Board receive them?
- Why were these documents not made available to the public as required by the Brown Act?
