Official Endorsements of the California Democratic Party and Sonoma County Democratic Party

Statewide Ballot Propositions

51   YES Kindergarten Through Community College Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2016 Repairs and upgrades older schools; relieves classroom overcrowding.

52   YES Medi-Cal Funding and Accountability Act  Ensures continued access to Medi-Cal.

53   NO Stop Right Wing Millionaire’s Attack on Local Control and Infrastructure Erodes local control of infrastructure projects.

54   NO Legislature. Legislation and Proceedings. Gives special interests the power to block needed and timely legislation on key issues facing California.

55   YES Tax Extension to Fund Children’s Education and Healthcare Maintains current tax rates on the wealthiest Californians to prevent $4 billion in cuts to public education.

56   YES Cigarette Tax to Fund Healthcare, Tobacco Use Prevention, Research, and Law EnforcementIncreases cigarette tax by $2/pack to keep children from smoking, improve healthcare, and save lives.

57   YES Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act Authorizes parole consideration for nonviolent inmates under certain conditions.

58   YES The LEARN Initiative (Language Education, Acquisition, and Readiness Now!)  Helps students learn English quickly and expands opportunities for English speakers to learn a second language.

59   YES Overturn Citizens United Stops the flood of secret corporate money into our elections.

60   NO Adult Films. Condoms. Health Requirements. Would allow any California resident to sue adult film performers and other workers; violates their privacy and reduces workplace safety.

61   YES State Prescription Drug Purchases. Pricing Standards. Would change standards used by state agencies for negotiating and paying for prescription drugs. (CADem* – No Position)

62   YES  Replace the Costly, Failed Death Penalty System  Replaces the death penalty with life in prison without parole.

63   YES  Safety for All Act  Keeps communities safe with common-sense laws to curb gun violence.

64   No Position – Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (CADem* – YES)

65   NO Carry-Out Bags. Charges. Changes specifications for revenue from carry-out bags. (CADem* – No Position)

66   NO  Death Penalty. Procedures.  Removes legal safeguards in death penalty procedures, greatly increasing the risk of executing an innocent person.

67   YES  Plastic Bag Ban  Keeps in place California’s current ban on plastic bags.

*CADem = California Democratic Party

Local Ballot Measures

Note: Measures P, Q, and S were not considered.

C    YES  Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District Bond

D   YES  Healdsburg Unified School District Bond

E    YES  Sonoma Valley Unified School District Bond

F    YES  Windsor Unified School District Bond

G   YES  Guerneville School District Bond

H   YES  Rincon Valley Union School District Parcel Tax

I     YES  Wilmar Union School District Parcel Tax

J     YES  Sonoma County Regional Parks and Water Quality Improvement  One-half-cent sales tax in unincorporated areas to expand, maintain, and improve Regional Parks.

K    YES  Sonoma County Community Separators Protection Act  Renews voter protections for community separators, preserving open space and farmlands.

L    YES  Sonoma County Tourist Tax  Addresses impacts of tourism by increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax from 9% to 12% in unincorporated areas.

M  YES  Sonoma County Transgenic Contamination Prevention Ordinance  Countywide ban on cultivation of genetically engineered crops.

N   YES  Santa Rosa City Services Measure  Extends existing voter-approved 1/4-cent sales tax for eight more years.

O   YES  Santa Rosa Public Safety Spending Levels  Amends minimum funding requirements for public safety services.

R   NO  Healdsburg Growth Management Ordinance  Amends existing Growth Management Ordinance.

T    No Position – City of Healdsburg  Moratorium on water fluoridation.

U   YES  City of Sonoma  Extends existing voter-approved  1/2-cent sales tax for five years to support city services.

V   YES  City of Sonoma  Bans use of gas-powered leaf blowers within city limits.

W YES  City of Sonoma  Expands protections from secondhand smoke.

Y    YES  Sonoma County Library  Sales tax of 1/8 of one cent to fund library services.

Register to vote by Monday, October 24th to be eligible to vote this November 8th!

Click here to register online today.

By now, all registered voters who signed up for absentee ballots should have received theirs in the mail.

They should also have received their copies of the Sample Ballot from the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters (with local measures and statewide and local candidates) and the California Official Voter Information Guide that has information on the statewide propositions.

Here’s a link to the endorsements of the Sonoma County Democratic Party:

http://www.sonomademocrats.info/who-what-do-democrats-endorse/

Here’s a link to the county Sample Ballot with instructions on polling places and who is on the ballot in your area:

https://secure.sonoma-county.org/vote/polling_place_sample_ballot.aspx?sid=1070

We are busy this election season. Every day our office is filled with volunteers doing a variety of activities ranging from preparing walk materials, phoning banking, registering voters, and more.

For more information on how you can volunteer please call our office at 707-575-3029 or complete the volunteer form and hear back from us.

Victory on Nov 8 for the Democratic Party candidates won’t be possible without the help of volunteers.

If you have a few hours to spare, we are looking for volunteers to contact voters and to staff the office headquarters. in downtown Santa Rosa at 120 D. Street.

We are generally open from 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays.

Campaigns get crazy and we could use your help.

Contact:

Val Hinshaw, campaign coordinator

575-3029

socodems@gmail.com

The governing board of the Sonoma County Democratic Party decided April 12 to support re-election of Susan Gorin as 1st District Supervisor and to back former state legislator Noreen Evans for 5th District Supervisor.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————–Excerpts of the news media release on the Evans endorsement:

The governing board of the party decided that Noreen Evans has an unmatched record of public service to her constituents, a record that dates back to her vast experience in the state legislature as well in Santa Rosa government. Over the last 23 years, Evans has already represented portions of the broad Fifth Supervisorial District, which covers west Santa Rosa and spans the West County to the Sonoma Coast.

“Noreen’s experience, particularly on environmental protections and on affordable housing, reflect the values of Fifth District residents,” said Bleys W. Rose, chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party. “An open seat on the board gives us a unique opportunity to set a new course for the future. The Democratic Party is confident the people of this district don’t want to go down the path of inexperience again.”

Evans is an attorney who returned to private practice in Sonoma County after serving four years in the California senate and six years in the state Assembly. Before that, she was on the Santa Rosa city council for eight years and on its planning commission for three years.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Excerpts of the news media release on the Gorin endorsement:

The governing board of the party decided that, due to her outstanding record of leadership during the last four years, Susan Gorin merited a second term representing the residents of east Santa Rosa and Sonoma Valley.

“Four years ago, the Democratic Party endorsed Susan in first run for the county Board of Supervisors. Susan has devoted every day of those four years to putting leadership into action,” said Bleys W. Rose, chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party. “Susan’s priorities always put working families at the forefront of the board’s efforts to build Sonoma County’s sustainable economy.”

In addition to her four-year term as supervisor, Gorin served six years on the Santa Rosa city council, two years on the city planning commission and four years on the Santa Rosa school board. She was an active community volunteer prior to her 14 years as an elected official. During all that time, she has proven to be a solid advocate for the best interests of the community.