Contents of the June 2020 Voter:

• President’s Message 
• Annual Meeting - Saturday, June 20th
• Input from our Members
• Dues are due
• Observe the LWVUS Convention
• Doing Business Virtually
• Open Board Positions
• Volunteer: Pros and Cons Speaker
• Letter from LWVUS President
• LWVC: Digital Transparency Task Force
• LWVC: Schools & Communities First
• Centennial Celebration for Los Altos Mountain View on August 18th, 5:00 - 7:00pm at Los Altos History Museum
• Housing Committee
• Climate Action Team
• Upcoming League Events:

President’s Message 

We hope that you will attend our Annual Meeting on June 20th from 10:00am-12:15pm.  The business meeting should last about an hour and be followed by a discussion with Jerry Hill, our outgoing state senator.

The LWVUS will be hosting its virtual National Convention from June 25th-27th. If you are interested in being an observer, look for the information below. Deadline to sign up, Monday, June 15th.

We still hope to have our local centennial celebration on August 18th in the patio of the Los Altos History Museum, so save the date. The countywide centennial has been moved to April of 2021.  

At the Annual Meeting we have Direction to the Board when members can provide feedback to the incoming board. You can use the following link to provide your feedback through email, Direction to the Board. Your thoughts will be shared with the new board in August.

Take care,

Lisa McLain

Annual Meeting - Saturday, June 20th

Register for Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting Kit (read, download and print)

We hope to see you there.

For questions, contact:
Carol Kuiper
annualmeeting@lwvlamv.org

Input from our Members

Questions for Senator Hill 

Please send us your questions for Senator Jerry Hill for the Annual Meeting. We will be compiling questions in advance to ensure that we get as many questions asked as possible. Submit your question.
 

Direction to the Board

At the Annual Meeting we set aside a time when members can provide feedback to the incoming board. You can provide feedback through email and your thoughts will be shared with the new board in August. Provide Feedback to the Board.

Dues are due

On July 1, 2020 it will be time to renew your membership for 2020-2021. Dues will remain the same: $75 for individuals, $110 for households and $5 for young people. Thank you for renewing promptly!

To pay your dues online, please go to https://www.lwvlamv.org/join/. There are instructions for renewing your membership using your credit card. You may also pay by mailing a check to: League of Women Voters, PO Box 3492, Los Altos, 94024.  Be sure to include the member’s name, address, telephone number and email address.

The League believes that sensible, responsible civil discourse and action, based on substance rather than partisanship, is essential for civic improvement. We believe that with members like you, we can make democracy work.   Renew your membership and be part of the solution! 

Observe the LWVUS Convention

If you are curious about what happens at the League of Women Voters National Convention, you can sign up as an observer. You will be able to watch the plenary sessions and some of the speeches.

To learn more about being an observer, click here. Deadline to sign up is 2pm PT, Monday, June 15th.

Doing Business Virtually

Open Board Positions

The following board positions are open for the 2020-2021 year. We would love to hear from you if you are interested in working with our board. We provide training for all of our jobs and a mentor to assist you.

• VP Program is responsible for organizing our Program Planning and Annual Meeting events. This position sits on the board.
• Data Manager is responsible for managing our database of members using NeonCRM. Members are added when they join and updated when they renew their membership. This position does not need to sit on the board but may elect to.
• Government serves as a conduit between National, State and the local League in government policy areas. Should be knowledgeable about or interested in government issues at the local level. 
• Book Group Coordinator helps facilitate the meetings, making sure everyone gets to talk, gathers book suggestions at the end of each meeting and announces via email the next meeting and book selection to the Book Group members.

Contact Sue Graham sgraham@batnet.com

Volunteer: Pros and Cons Speaker

We are looking for someone to join our stable of Pros and Cons speakers. Starting six to eight weeks before each election, our Pros and Cons speakers appear at League events and meetings of civic organizations to explain ballot issues in an unbiased manner. The job involves a fair amount of up-front study to learn about often-complex ballot measures and the arguments for and against. This can be a large and intense effort when there are many propositions. The speakers then prepare PowerPoint slide decks for the talks, and rehearse in order to fit the allotted time for each presentation. At each appearance, speakers arrive early for A/V setup, microphone checks, and so on. Pros and Cons speakers are among the most visible representatives of LWVLAMV, and should present with appropriate appearance and demeanor. This job requires planning and organization, confidence onstage, and an interest in the kaleidoscope of issues that appear on the ballot at the state and local levels. It is also a great opportunity for members interested in public speaking, voter service, and meeting interested members of our community.

Contact Sue Graham sgraham@batnet.com

Letter from LWVUS President

On May 25, George Floyd was murdered by an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department. He is only one of too many names on a list that should not exist. It is time that the League of Women Voters take stand for social justice for Black lives in America.  

Over the years we have watched Black men, women, and children lose their lives at the hands of people who benefit from a system that protects them. Today we witness the rage of those who are tired of due process being a privilege not afforded to Black people.  

The League is committed to expanding our voice beyond the statement we released last week. We are joining our partners who serve in the civil rights community in fighting for policy reform that will dismantle systematic racism. We joined coalition partners on a letter calling for congressional action on police violence, and in the weeks and months ahead, the national office will be stepping up our commitment to racial justice. Virginia Kase wrote a blog, Standing in Solidarity with the Black Community, to share how the League plans to proceed as allies in the social justice space.  

 As allies in the social justice space I encourage us all to do our homework and learn more about the iniquities that Black Americans face, without leaning on Black people to educate us.  

We encourage you to continue your get-out-the-vote and voter education efforts. This is a time to highlight the power of voting, especially in local elections, and informing voters where candidates stand on issues that are important to them. 

Lastly, we acknowledge that the League hasn’t taken such a strong stance against racism in the past, and as we move into the next century of work, we hope to play a bigger role in fighting for social justice. I hope you’ll join us.  

In League,

Chris

If you, your family or friends are out protesting, the LWVUS has some suggestions. 

How to be Good Allies when protesting in this Moment of Solidarity with the Black Community

LWVC: Digital Transparency Task Force

The California Fair Political Practices Commission formed a Digital Transparency Task Force to look at digital political ads. LWV San Francisco member Jennifer “JDub” Waggoner is serving for LWVC and Katie Zoglin of LWV Los Altos-Mountain View Area is our alternate. They invite you to join a member-to-member GoogleGroup about digital political ads. The Task Force welcomes public comment: contact the Commission Assistant at (916) 322-5745(voice),   CommAsst@fppc.ca.gov (e-mail) and ADACoordinator@fppc.ca.gov.

Email jdublwv@gmail.com and ktzoglin@gmail.com to get involved with the League’s work in this area.

LWVC: Schools & Communities First

IT’S OFFICIAL: SCF Qualifies for November Ballot!
On May 29, the Schools & Communities First initiative officially qualified for the November ballot. The campaign submitted a historic 1.7 million signatures of support, powered by more than 300 social justice, faith-based, education, labor and philanthropic organizations. 

If passed, this initiative will generate $12 billion every year for critical local services, essential workers, and schools by closing corporate tax loopholes – while protecting homeowners and renters, small businesses, and agriculture from any changes.

To learn more about Schools and Communities First and how you can help, visit their website:  https://www.schoolsandcommunitiesfirst.org/

Centennial Celebration for Los Altos Mountain View on August 18th, 5:00 - 7:00pm at Los Altos History Museum

Come celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters with other LAMV league members. There will be food, drink, festivities and you can tour the LWV sponsored Rise Up!, Women’s Suffrage exhibit. We will be welcomed by Amy Ellison, the exhibit’s curator, who can answer questions about the exhibit. As this is an outdoor event, we are hopeful that it will be allowed and members comfortable attending, if not, it will be rescheduled.

The countywide celebration has been rescheduled until April 25th, 2021.

Housing Committee

We asked Sue Russell, our Housing Committee co-chair, for an article that our members might find interesting and she suggested the following two:

Declining rents in the Bay Area (San Francisco Chronicle)

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/San-Francisco-Silicon-Valley-rents-saw-sharp-15307118.php 

Potential housing market crisis (CNN)

https://www.ccn.com/housing-market-crisis-brewing-heres-where-it-will-strike-first/

Housing Committee Action Letters: Read

Climate Action Team

Green Buildings and the New Reach Codes

On July 14th, the Los Altos City Council will vote on using all-electric design in new building construction, moving the town closer to an inventory of homes and offices with near-zero emissions. Natural gas contributes to rising air pollution, harmful emissions indoors, and the climate crisis. Adopting the new Reach Codes of using all-electric heating and appliances and infrastructure for EV charging in new construction helps mitigate the consequences of climate change. Reach Codes are named so because they “reach” beyond state regulations. The proposed codes would not affect existing buildings. California set a goal to be carbon-free by 2045 and about a quarter of emissions come from energy used by buildings. Switching to all-electric buildings is logical as our electricity from Silicon Valley Clean Energy is 100% carbon-free. Continuing to use gas lines that will eventually be phased out makes no sense but without enacting the Reach Codes, we run the risk that builders will continue to install gas lines. Reach codes have been approved in Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.

To learn more about the work of the Climate Action Team and find out how you can help, please contact Donna Davies at climateactionteam@lwvlamv.org. 

Climate Action Team action letters: Read

Upcoming League Events:

For details go to: https://www.lwvlamv.org/calendar/