For upcoming opportunities to volunteer, contact Debra: (707) 951-0424
About Us
Del Norte County Democratic Party is an active organization focused on party building and educating voters about the issues important to Democrats. Del Norte County is the northernmost county on the coast of California. We are privileged to live in a beautiful environment where the redwoods meet the ocean and blessed with rivers that we actively protect.
Del Norte's Democratic Party consists of a diverse group of individuals that represent various aspects of our community. We are proud to call ourselves Democrats and make ourselves visible at every opportunity. We lead by example and continue to work to elect Democrats with vision to create a better world.
Welcome
Del Norte County Democratic Central Committee Official Endorsement
President Barack Obama
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
Congressional District 2 No Recomendation
Assembly Wesley Chesbro
Prop 28 Term Limits - Yes
Prop 29 additional tax on cigarettes - Yes
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Supervisor Martha McClure District 2
Supervisor David Finigan District 5
Congressional District 2 there were 4 Democrats
that asked for the endorsement of the California Democratic Party
The local party is restricted from endorsing in partisan elections.
There was no candidate that recieved 60% of the eligble vote
Candidates received the following votes
Jared Huffman - 64
Norman Soloman--39
no endorsement - 19
Susan Adams - 12
Stacey Lawson - 2
If you need your polling location or a ride to the polling place, contact the Democratic Party at 707-464-3120
We will be watching the election results at the Campaign 2012 Office, 1044 Highway 101 North in Crescent City
We will be open from 8 am to ? on June 5, 2012
Campaign 2012 HQ
Democratic Party Campaign Office
1044 Highway 101 N
Crescent City
Campaign 2012 office now open 5 days a week
Tuesday to Saturday noon to 6 pm
stop by and visit our office
campaign material
yard signs will available in April
buttons and bumper stickers are in the office NOW!
Volunteer to get out the vote for Democrats for the June 5, 2012 primary election!
You can help the planet and your local Democratic Party. Donate your recyclables, plastic, cans, and glass at Julindra Recycling, located at 1039 Harrold Street. When you drop off your recycling, tell them to credit the Democratic Party's account. All funds will help the 2012 elections.
STOP the Special Exemptions Act -- Upcoming Speaker’s Training
Click here to find a speaker’s training near you and RSVP today.
California is a battleground state this year. We are already seeing the impact of corporate special interest-funded Super PACs around the nation. If the Special Exemptions Act passes, secretive Super PACs will become the law of the land in California, with no accountability, checks or balances.
We need your help to beat them back.
Please sign up for one of five “Stop the Special Exemptions Act” speaker’s trainings throughout the state and learn more about how the act unfairly singles out and limits the voices of local teachers, nurses and firefighters who keep our families safe.
Thank you,
The CDP Team
Megavote, May 14, 2012
In this MegaVote for California's 1st Congressional District:
Humboldt -Del Norte County Central Labor Council meets in Del Norte
Supervisor Martha McClure addressing the Humboldt -Del Norte County Central Labor Council at the First meeting in Crescent City, The CLC will be meeting quarterly in Crescent City. Check the website for updates.
Supervisor David Finigan addressing the Humboldt -Del Norte County Central Labor Council
Congressman Mike Thompson Del Norte Democrat of the Year!
Congressman Mike Thompson, Democrat of the Year, 2012, with Del Norte Democrats.
Town Hall on California's Foreclosure Crisis
California, as well as the nation, is in the midst of one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. As unemployment rises above 11 percent within the State, more and more homeowners are having difficulty making their mortgage payments. That difficulty is compounded by certain mortgage products that, based on their design, result in a substantial increase in payment after several years. As a result of those and other factors, many homeowners now face payments beyond the level of what they can afford.
The above issues are compounded by a significant decline in property values, which has left many California homeowners owing more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. Regardless of the initial cause of the default on a loan, the resulting foreclosure has significant impacts upon the surrounding home values, community, and for those with a financial interest in the loan itself. In February 2012 a historic $18 billion multistate settlement was secured for Californians by Attorney General Kamala Harris that will provide substantial relief for California homeowners.
Seeking to ensure protections for the hundreds-of thousands of Californians still in the foreclosure process, the California State Legislature's leadership convened a bipartisan conference committee to create permanent and locally enforceable actions that will protect homeowners and hold banks accountable to their California commitments.
The Legislative Conference Committee on the California Foreclosure Crisis, co-chaired by Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) and Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park) will review and propose a comprehensive legislative solution, including the Homeowners Bill of Rights package, to protect homeowners in the mortgage market and help to keep credit-worthy families in their homes and revive the state's economy.
Senator Evans and Assemblymember Eng will host a live electronic town hall on the California foreclosure crisis Wednesday, May 16th from 6:30-7:30p.m. You can submit questions for the hosts prior or during the town hall at http://sd02.senate.ca.gov/townhall.
For more information call (916)651-4002. Click here to submit questions.
Chesbro bill to make SRA fire fee more equitable clears committee hurdle
1st Assembly District leads state with 85,741 homes in rural State Responsibility Areas
SACRAMENTO – A bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D – North Coast) to make fire protection fees assessed to property owners in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs) more equitable, while ensuring continued funding for local fire departments and CalFire, has been approved by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
“Many property owners in SRAs have already agreed to assess themselves for fire protection and prevention services, which are provided by their local fire agencies,” Chesbro said. “Imposing a $150 state fee on top of this means they pay double or triple for fire protection and prevention services without any additional benefit. It’s unfair to these property owners and it threatens the financial security of local rural fire departments, which in most cases are the first responders to a structure fire in rural areas.”
Under Chesbro’s legislation, AB 2474, property owners who live in SRAs and already pay an assessment to a local fire agency would be able to deduct that amount from the state SRA fee. As a result, those who pay a local assessment of $150 or more would be exempt from paying the state fee.
AB 2474 would also require CalFire to develop a fee based on fire history and severity of past fires to ensure the fee is equitable for the fire protection and prevention services received.
“It’s unfair to charge someone who lives in a log cabin on the foggy, rainy North Coast the same fee as someone who owns a multimillion dollar mansion in the tinder dry hills of Southern California,” Chesbro said.
AB 2474 would also require the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, which oversees CalFire, to report to the Legislature on the cost of responding to all fire disasters and emergencies in the state. This would include a breakdown of the cost of fire prevention, including urban vs. rural, taking into account the square footage of a structure, in addition to the cost of responding to other natural disasters, including earthquakes.
The First Assembly District – comprised of Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Mendocino and Lake counties and a portion of Sonoma County – has 85,741 homes in State Responsibility Areas, more than any other Assembly district in the state.
“I have worked hard to craft legislation to find a solution to the inequitable fee imposed by the state budget,” Chesbro said. “I have personally met with many stakeholders on this issue, including rural fire chiefs from the First Assembly District, constituents who own property in SRAs, representatives from CalFire and members of the Board of Forestry. This bill is a just compromise that minimizes the burden on rural property owners yet provides a funding source for CalFire that doesn’t threaten funding for local fire districts.”
Last month, Chesbro voted to move an Assembly bill by Riverside County Republican Kevin Jeffries that would eliminate the SRA assessment altogether.
“As I stated then, I only voted for Mr. Jeffries’ bill because I believe the SRA fee is so unfair,” Chesbro said. “I also stated that given the budget situation, and especially now that the May revise will show that revenues are down, Mr. Jeffries’ proposal has no chance of succeeding. The approach in my bill promotes fairness and equity in how the fee is implemented.”
AB 2474 next goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for a hearing on a date to be determined later.
Committee Approves State Parks Stewardship Bill
AB 1589 raises park revenue by increasing sales of annual park passes
SACRAMENTO — The Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee today gave unanimous, bipartisan support to legislation authored by Assemblymembers Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that offers several creative funding opportunities to help prevent state parks from being closed.
Assembly Bill 1589, also known as the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012, addresses short and long-term needs for California State Parks in order to achieve substantial budget savings without wide-scale park closures. The bill includes an option for taxpayers to designate all or a portion of their state income tax refund towards purchase of an annual state parks pass.
“Today, our bipartisan effort to save state parks took an important step forward,” said Huffman. “It’s important that as we continue to make technical improvements to the bill, we are getting unanimous votes in committee, and members of both parties continue asking to be added as co-authors. I’m also grateful that State Controller John Chiang registered his support and is working with us to make sure key revenue elements of the bill are administratively feasible.”
“The parks closures disproportionately impact rural California, and nowhere is that more true than on the North Coast,” said Chesbro, who represents the First Assembly District. “One of the key elements I wanted included in AB 1589 is the opportunity for Californians to purchase an annual parks pass with their tax refunds. This tool will increase revenue for the parks system with no impact to the general fund and more California families will get out and enjoy our state parks.”
AB 1589 includes the following additional provisions:
1)Encourages formation of a state compact that guarantees an ongoing level of state funding for operations and maintenance of state parks.
2)Creates a State Park Enterprise Fund to be used for construction and installation of modern revenue and fee collection equipment and technologies to increase park visitation and revenues.
3)Produces a California State Park environmental license plate which individual vehicle owners could purchase and have the fees go towards support of state parks.
4)Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to be more transparent on how it evaluates and selects specific parks for closure, and places a cap of 25 state park units on the number of park closures allowed from 2012 to 2016 without legislative approval.
AB 1589 is also joint-authored by Assemblymembers Roger Dickinson, Mike Gatto and Kevin Jeffries. The bill proceeds to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) represents the 6th Assembly District, which encompasses southern Sonoma County and all of Marin County. First elected in 2006, Huffman chairs the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and also serves as Co-Chair of the Legislative Environmental Caucus.
Megavote, April 30, 2012
In this MegaVote for California's 1st Congressional District:
Recent Congressional Votes
Senate: 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012
Senate: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011
House: Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
House: Interest Rate Reduction Act
Editor's Note: The Senate and House are in recess this week. They will return on Monday, May 7.
Sick and tired of rising health insurance and HMO rates?
Now you can do something about it.
Join me in supporting a ballot measure to rein in excessive health insurance rate hikes. We need your signature to get this ballot measure on the November ballot.
Health insurers and HMOs are making record profits. Rates have gone up 153% on average since 2002. In May, four health insurers will raise rates yet again -- up to 20% for four million Californians. Recently, a couple called my office to complain that their rates will have gone up 65% since the fall of 2010, when their 20% rate increase takes effect on May 1st.
And I have no authority to stop it. None.
Unlike 35 other states, in California there is no authority to reject excessive health insurance and HMO rate increases. As rates have skyrocketed in California over the past few years, two million more Californians have lost their coverage.
Health insurers and HMOs have used their influence to block state legislation I sponsored over the last six years to close this loophole, including most recently blocking Assembly Bill 52. Now the nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog has proposed this ballot measure to give the voters a chance to decide.
The ballot measure will require health insurers and HMOs to publicly justify their rates, and get permission before rate hikes take effect. It needs your signature to reach the November ballot.
Join me, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and over 500,000 of our fellow Californians who have already signed on to demand that health insurance companies justify their rates.
There are just three weeks to go, and we need another 295,000 signatures to be sure we reach the ballot in November. Can you help us finish the job?
P.S. If you are a registered Democrat, please attend one of the Congressional District Caucuses this Sunday, April 29 and collect signatures for this ballot measure. Simply download copies of the petition, bring them to your District Caucus, collect signatures from your fellow Democrats and mail them in! (Mail to: Consumer Watchdog Campaign, P.O. Box 5547, Santa Monica CA 90409-5547)
Stop rate hikes at the ballot box
Sick and tired of rising health insurance and HMO rates?
Now you can do something about it.
Join me in supporting a ballot measure to rein in excessive health insurance rate hikes. We need your signature to get this ballot measure on the November ballot.
Health insurers and HMOs are making record profits. Rates have gone up 153% on average since 2002. In May, four health insurers will raise rates yet again -- up to 20% for four million Californians. Just yesterday a couple called my office to complain that their rates will have gone up 65% since the fall of 2010, when their 20% rate increase takes effect on May 1st.
And I have no authority to stop it. None.
Unlike 35 other states, in California there is no authority to reject excessive health insurance and HMO rate increases. As rates have skyrocketed in California over the past few years, two million Californians have lost their coverage.
Health insurers and HMOs have used their influence to block state legislation I sponsored over the last six years to close this loophole, including most recently blocking Assembly Bill 52. Now the nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog has proposed this ballot measure to give the voters a chance to decide.
The ballot measure will require health insurers and HMOs to publicly justify their rates, and get permission before rate hikes take effect. It needs your signature to reach the November ballot.
Join me, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and over 500,000 of your fellow Californians who have already signed on to demand that health insurance companies justify their rates.
There are just three weeks to go, and we need another 295,000 signatures to be sure we reach the ballot in November. Can you help us finish the job?
Chesbro bill to protect forests, streams and people gains bipartisan momentum
Three legislators ask to be coauthors as AB 2284 wins approval from another committee
SACRAMENTO – A bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D – NorthCoast) to protect forests, streams and people today cleared another committee with unanimous, bipartisan support and picked up three co-authors along the way. Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-Marin), who chairs the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, which heard AB 2284 today, and committee members Linda Halderman (R-Fresno) and Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) each asked to be added as co-authors of Chesbro’s bill.
“This bill is focused on providing law enforcement with tools and funding to prevent the establishment of illicit drug production on resource and forest lands and it provides funding to help cover the large costs of investigating these cases and cleaning up after them,” Chesbro said.“This bill is about pollution and illegal diversion of waterways, and the increasing violence that is occurring in our forests.
“This bill is not about the legal production or use of medical marijuana under California law,” Chesbro continued. “For this reason, I added legislative intent language to this bill to make it clear that in no way, shape or form is it the intent of this piece of legislation to erode medical marijuana laws.”
Chesbro also noted AB 2284 is a work in process, and has amended the bill since last presenting it to a committee a week ago after meeting with numerous stakeholder groups.
“I am committed to continuing to work with all the interest groups on this bill to identify plausible tools to address the problems that are taking resources lands away from the public by making them unsafe and harming the environment,” Chesbro said.
Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), spoke in support of AB 2284 at today’s hearing.
“This bill is imperative to the fishing industry,” Grader said. “These streams that are being affected are important for the salmon. When they dry up because of illegal water diversion it severely harms the recovery of species we are anxious to see return.”
AB 2284 next goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Today's a big day for the environment -- but to protect our air, land, and water, we have to make every single day count between now and November 6th.
President Obama knows we don't have to sacrifice clean air and clean water to create jobs and grow our economy. But time and again, we've seen that our opponents are willing to play politics with the health of our natural resources -- and the American people -- just to protect the bottom line of their special-interest allies.
If it was up to them, we'd have no EPA working to protect our kids from harmful air pollution or make sure our water is safe to drink -- polluters would once again have a free pass. And I probably don't need to remind you of their views on climate change.
So today, as we pause to appreciate our planet, say you're standing with the only candidate in this race who's fighting for it: Join Environmentalists for Obama.
This community will help spread the word about the President's record on the environment and what's at stake in this election.
President Obama has already taken historic steps to clean up our air and water, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and bring ecosystems like the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, and Florida Everglades back to life.
This is what that kind of change looks like: -- Setting the first-ever national standards on mercury and other forms of toxic air pollution from power plants, which will prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks, and 130,000 asthma attacks every year when fully implemented -- Developing fuel efficiency standards that will nearly double fuel economy for cars and light trucks by 2025 -- and save families thousands of dollars at the pump and save our country millions of barrels of oil -- Establishing safeguards to cut interstate soot and smog-forming pollution from power plants by more than 50 percent and improve air quality for more than 75 percent of Americans -- Investing more in clean energy than ever before -- and putting us on track to double our use of renewable sources by the end of the year -- Signing one of the largest expansions of wilderness protections in a generation, setting aside more than 2 million acres of land
All of that is on the line -- along with the chance to keep going.
We simply can't afford a White House that is skeptical about the human impact on climate change and continues to give Big Oil taxpayer giveaways at a time of record profits.
It's on us to make sure that doesn't happen -- right now, President Obama needs you to have his back.
This week, President Obama traveled to Lorain County Community College in Ohio to highlight the success of the federal worker training program. On Wednesday, both President Obama and Vice President Biden advocated for reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which faced some opposition from Republicans in the Senate this week. President Obama also announced the need to crack down on oil manipulation to reduce the unpredictability in fuel prices, and First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the one year anniversary of the Armed Forces Initiative, which mobilizes communities to provide employment, education, and health and wellness opportunities to troops, veterans, and their families.
Assembly Public Safety Committee approves Chesbro bill to protect public and forests from illicit drug operations
SACRAMENTO – The Assembly Public Safety Committee today gave unanimous, bipartisan support to a bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D – NorthCoast) to crack down on offenders who pollute the environment and endanger the public by growing or manufacturing illegal drugs on forest lands.
“This bill is not about the legal production or use of medical marijuana under California law,” Chesbro told the Committee. “This bill is about pollution and illegal diversion of waterways, and the increasing violence that is occurring in our forests. AB 2284 is the direct outgrowth of two hearings I held this year as Chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. At the hearings, fisheries experts, the Department of Fish and Game and environmental groups described the increasing threat that illegal drug production represents, especially to endangered species such as the Coho salmon.
“In addition, violence and the threat of violence is making it increasingly dangerous for those who work in the woods and those who go there to hike, hunt or fish on public and private forest lands.”
AB 2284 would increase the penalties for those violating the law by growing marijuana, operating a meth lab or any other illicit drug manufacturing on forest lands. The bill would also, under a very limited scope, allow law enforcement to pull over and question drivers transporting irrigation piping onto or through resource lands. AB 2284’s focus is on public lands and large scale industrial timber lands, not on homeowners or small property owners.
“The Nature Conservancy supports Assemblymember Chesbro’s efforts to protect California’s forest lands, and people who recreate there, from environmental damage and public safety hazards,” said Jay Ziegler, the Nature Conservancy’s director of policy and external affairs. “Cultivation and production of illicit drugs are a growing problem on public lands and the problems associated with this expansion – including pollution, littering and water diversion – have serious consequences for fish and wildlife.”
The Democratic National Committee Weekly Update
This week, the President and Vice President traveled to Florida and New Hampshire to make the case for the Buffett Rule. They highlighted the Administration’s efforts to close loopholes and end special tax breaks that let some of the wealthiest pay a lower tax rate than many middle-class families. They believe we should build an economy where everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules. On Friday, the President and Vice President released their 2011 tax returns on the White House website, yet Mitt Romney continues to conceal years of his. To read more, download the pdf.
Fighting for women's economic equality, President Obama's Op-Ed
No issue is more important than restoring economic security for families in the wake of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. And that begins with making sure everyone who wants a job has one. But it also means addressing challenges that are unique to women's economic security — challenges that have been around since long before the recession hit.
Thanks to some of the steps we've taken, we're making some progress to increase women's economic security through all stages of life — from young women furthering their education and beginning their careers, to working women who create jobs and provide for their families, to seniors in retirement or getting ready for retirement.
These aren't just matters of policy. They're personal. I grew up the son of a single mom who struggled to put herself through school, but she earned her education and made sure that my sister and I earned ours. When my mom needed help, my grandmother stepped up. She had a high school education but eventually became vice president at the local bank before hitting the glass ceiling. Once Michelle and I had our girls, we gave it our all to balance raising a family and chasing our careers — something that could be very difficult on her when I was gone a lot. Like a lot of parents, we both wished there were a machine that would let us be in two places at once.
And as a father, one of the highlights of my day is asking my daughters about theirs. Their hopes and their futures are what drive me when I step into the Oval Office. Every decision I make is all about making sure they and all our children grow up in a country where more opportunities are open to them than were ever open to us.
That's what's at the heart of all our efforts, and we've got to realize that these are not just women's issues, they're economic issues that impact all of us.
Women are not an interest group — women are half of this country and its work force. When women make less than men for the same work, families have to get by with less and businesses have customers with less to spend. When a job doesn't offer family leave to care for a new baby or sick leave to care for an ailing parent, that burdens men too. When an insurance plan denies women coverage because of a pre-existing condition, that puts a strain on emergency rooms and drives up the cost of care for everyone.
Women are a growing number of breadwinners in their households, but they're still earning just 77 cents for every dollar a man does — even less for African-American or Latina women. Closing this pay gap — ending this pay discrimination — is about far more than simple fairness; it's about strengthening families, communities and our entire economy.
That's why the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to make it easier for women to demand equal pay for equal work. And we're pushing to give women more tools to fight pay discrimination and encouraging companies to make workplaces more flexible — so women don't have to choose between being a good employee or a good mom.
Nearly 30 percent of small business owners are women, generating $1.2 trillion a year. More women should be able to create jobs, which is why we've extended more than 16,000 new loans worth $4.5 billion to women-owned businesses, and cut taxes for small businesses 17 times.
We are also helping prepare more women for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Women account for just 25 percent of the work force in the growing science and technical fields. To grow these numbers, our education reform prioritizes science, technology, engineering and math education, and rewards states that take specific steps to involve underrepresented groups like girls. We've also made higher education more affordable for 2.3 million more young women through increased Pell Grants.
The policies we've put in place have started to take hold. But at this make or break moment for the middle class, we've got more to do. And as long as I have the privilege of being your president, we're going to keep opening doors of opportunity for all who are willing to work for it.
American women who work full time, year round are paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. This gap in earnings translates into $10,784 less per year in median earnings, leaving women and their families shortchanged. The wage gap is even more substantial when race and gender are considered together, with African-American women making only 62 cents, and Hispanic women only 54 cents, for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. Although enforcement of the Equal Pay Act as well as other civil rights laws has helped to narrow the wage gap over time, it is critical for women and their families that the significant pay disparities that remain are addressed.
Download the full report below. For more information about our work on the wage gap and fair pay, click here.
SACRAMENTO - Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland), Jon B. Streeter, President of the State Bar of California, and attorneys David Boies and Theodore Olson will hold a press conference to discuss the decline in public access to the justice system following years of budget cuts to the third branch of government and the implications of that diminished access.
With California recovering from a historic recession, the fiscal implications have resulted in significant cuts to essential programs, including cuts to the Judicial Branch. Diminished access to justice across the state has resulted in court closures, layoffs, reduced availability or elimination of self-help services, and other cost cutting measures that directly impact the ability of the courts to adequately serve the public where justice delayed is becoming justice denied to millions of Californians.
The press event precedes a joint informational hearing on "Public Access to Justice in the Wake of Budget Cutbacks" of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary. Watch the hearing live via my web site.
WHO:
Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of California Senator Noreen Evans, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Loni Hancock, Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety and the Judiciary David Boies & Theodore Olson, Co-Chairs, American Bar Association, Task Force on Preservation of the Justice System Jon B. Streeter, President of the State Bar of California
WHAT:
Press conference on public access to justice in the wake of budget cuts.
WHERE:
California State Capitol-South Steps (N street side)
WHEN:
Monday, April 16th from 1:30-2:00 p.m.
The public is invited to submit personal stories of their interactions with California's justice system.
Submit your story here:
Chesbro to hold hearing on sustainable winegrowing practices
SACRAMENTO – North Coast Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro will chair a hearing on sustainable winegrowing practices in California on Thursday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. in room 126 of the State Capitol.
“California’s wine industry has been a national leader in the organic and sustainable agriculture movement,” Chesbro said. “The First Assembly District has the largest number of wineries and vineyards in the state and I am pleased to say that most of these vintners have a high degree of consciousness about how their industry affects the environment. This is important, because California’s wine industry has a huge economic impact - not just in this state but the entire nation – a $61 billion industry that creates jobs, generates tourism and contributes significantly to the tax base.”
The hearing is a joint effort between the Assembly Select Committee on Wine, which Chesbro chairs, the Assembly Select Committee on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, chaired by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, and the state Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry. Assemblymember Yamada and Sen. Lois Wolk, representing the Senate committee, are scheduled to participate in the hearing as well.
“The hearing will focus on sustainable winegrowing practices, including water and energy conservation, protecting air and water quality, maintaining healthy soil, reducing pesticide use and preserving local ecosystems and wildlife habitat,” Chesbro said.
Presenters include experts from the wine industry, sustainability programs and academia, including Bobby Koch, president of the Wine Institute; John Aguire, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers; Allison Jordon, executive director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance; and Roger Boulton, professor in the Deparment of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.
Also scheduled to speak are Cindy DeVries from Fetzer Vineyards, Katie Jackson and Robert Boller from Jackson Family Wines, David Lucas of Lucas Winery, and Kim Ledbetter Bronson from Vino Farms.
The public is invited to attend. There will be a public comment period at the end of the hearing.
Help build the coalition
The California State Sheriff's Association is the latest organization to join a growing coalition of teachers, public safety, business and others in support of my Local Public Safety and Protection Act. It's the only initiative that will protect local public safety funding, education AND help balance California’s budget. We have to do all three.
3 Easy Steps to Gather Signatures to Protect Our Schools
and Public Safety
Our campaign must gather 807,615 signatures of California registered voters to give you the chance to prevent cuts to our vital services. You can help by printing your own petition, gathering signatures from your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers, and sending them back to us.
The rules for these petitions are very strict. If you don't follow the rules carefully, the signatures you gather won't count.
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Ryan Republican Budget
House Republicans today banded together to shower millionaires and billionaires with a massive tax cut paid for by ending Medicare as we know it and making extremely deep cuts to critical programs needed to create jobs and strengthen the middle class. The Ryan Republican budget would give every millionaire an average tax cut of at least $150,000, while preserving taxpayer giveaways to oil companies and breaks for Wall Street hedge fund managers.
Today’s vote stands as another example of the Republican establishment grasping onto the same failed economic policies that stacked the deck against the middle class and created the worst financial crisis in decades. If the Ryan Republican budget is made a reality and the radical discretionary cuts fall across the board, by 2014, more than nine million students would see their Pell Grants fall by as much as $1100, and about 900,000 would lose their grants altogether. Clean energy programs would be cut nearly 20 percent, Head Start would offer 200,000 fewer slots per year, and critical medical research and science programs would see drastic cuts.
The President has put forward a balanced plan that would reduce our deficit by over $4 trillion by asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share, enacting responsible spending cuts and achieving significant health savings while still investing in the programs we need to grow our economy and bring economic security back to the middle class and seniors. Any serious attempt at tackling our deficits must be balanced, fair and demand shared responsibility. The Ryan Republican budget clearly fails that test.
The Democratic National Committee Weekly Update
This week, the White House marked the two-year anniversary of the President signing the Affordable Care Act into law – releasing a new report that highlights the benefits that millions of Americans are already experiencing thanks to health reform. In Florida, Vice President Biden delivered a speech laying out the Ryan budget plan and how it would harm countless seniors by turning Medicare into a voucher program – forcing seniors to pay thousands more a year for their health care in order to give massive tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. President Obama embarked on a four-state energy tour to highlight his “all-of-the-above” strategy for American energy. First he visited the Cooper Mountain Solar 1 Facility in Boulder City, Nevada, followed by a visit to oil and gas production fields located on federal lands outside of Maljamar, New Mexico. In Cushing, Oklahoma, the President committed to expediting an oil pipeline connecting Cushing to the Gulf Coast. The last stop was at Ohio State University, where the President discussed the importance of American energy innovation. It was a difficult week for Mitt Romney. He won the Illinois primary on Tuesday, but his momentum was soon stopped when a senior advisor compared his candidacy to an Etch-a-Sketch that would reset policy positions after the primary concluded. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee and Democrats across the country worked to hold Mitt Romney and the rest of the Republican field accountable for their failed policies – and, in particular, Romney’s willingness to say anything to get elected.
Contact Info: Democratic Party of Del Norte County P.O. Box 15 Crescent City, CA. 95531 (707) 464-3120
Central Committee Meetings: 5:30 p.m., 2nd Monday of each month, 1044 Hwy. 101 North, Crescent City, CA. 95531 Executive Board Meetings: To be announced
Central Committee Members
Chair Debra Broner Vice-Chair Joseph Aliotti
Treasurer Linda Sanford
Secretary Deborah Lucas
Alternates Ex-Officio Members
Unites States Congress Mike Thompson Jerry Cochran
California Assembly Wesley Chesbro Martha McClure
California Senate Lathe Gill Alternate: Summer Moore-Clawson
Representatives
District One Joseph Aliotti Kathryn Murray Barry Wendell
District Two Jon Alexander James Ramsey Richard Enea James Gordon
District Three Debra Broner Deborah Lucas Bob Black Linda Ehrisman Linda Sanford Dalton Bradbury
District Four Sarah Sampels Amanda Haney Vacant Vacant Vacant
District Five Ricky Toreson Melissa Darnell Jennifer England Felice Pace Cherie Connick
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