Month: December 2008

Supervisor-elect Jim Provenza Hires Staff

Supervisor-elect Jim Provenza Hires Staff

By David GreenwaldDecember 13, 20088 comments
imageYolo County

Special to the Vanguard

Jim Provenza, Yolo County Supervisor – Elect for the 4th District announced today that he is appointing Gina Daleiden to serve as Deputy County Supervisor. Sandra Rodriguez will continue as Assistant Deputy.

Daleiden is currently employed as the Assistant Deputy to Supervisor Helen Thomson and is President of the Davis School Board. Daleiden is a Davis native and a 4th District resident in South Davis. Provenza and Daleiden previously served together on the Davis School Board.

DJUSD Moves Toward Changing Election Cycle

DJUSD Moves Toward Changing Election Cycle

By David GreenwaldDecember 12, 200896 comments
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As I mentioned in a previous article on this subject, the move from odd-year elections for DJUSD board members to even-year elections make complete sense from a democratic standpoint and a budgetary standpoint.

From a political standpoint both Bob Dunning and Richard Harris expressed concerns about the major drawback, the fact that the board members would essentially be extending their term for a year. Looking at the issue purely from this standpoint however, obscures the benefits of the move. The biggest being the huge budget impact. But the secondary point being democratic factors. In 2007, around 30% of people turned out to vote for DJUSD board elections, Measure P, and Measure Q. In 2008, over 80% of the voters turned out to vote in the Presidential election and by extension in the Measure W election. Even in an average mid-term election, you are looking at well over 50% of the vote. To me it makes perfect sense and I will share more in the commentary portion of this article.

Groups Line Up in Opposition To Mike Thompson for the Interior Position

Groups Line Up in Opposition To Mike Thompson for the Interior Position

By David GreenwaldDecember 9, 200833 comments

Most conventional wisdom has Congressman Mike Thompson as one of two finalists for Secretary of the Interior in President-elect Obama’s new cabinet along with Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva. Grijalva is the son of migrants and an outspoken critic of the Bush administration’s federal land policies.

The Oregonian argues that while hunting and fishing groups like Congressman Thompson environmentalists and other liberals are lining up against him.

“Thompson, whose district runs from the wine country of Napa Valley to the Oregon border, is favored by hunting and fishing groups that like the fact that he’s an avid sportsman. And the League of Conservation Voters gives him solid voting scores. In fact, Thompson won national publicity back in 2002 when he held a press conference in front of the Department of Interior with 500 pounds of fish killed by low waters in the Klamath River.”

City of Davis to Vote To Join Amicus Brief To Petition Court to Invalidate Proposition 8

City of Davis to Vote To Join Amicus Brief To Petition Court to Invalidate Proposition 8

By David GreenwaldDecember 7, 2008148 comments

As a consent agenda item for Tuesday’s Davis City Council meeting, the Davis City Council will likely unanimously support a resolution to join an amicus brief petition to the Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8. Davis will join a growing list of cities that lack the resources to directly sue to challenge the adoption of Proposition as as the City and County of San Francisco, Santa Clara County and the City of Los Angeles did the day after the election.

On November 5, 2008 San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera joined Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and Santa Clara County Council Anne Ravel in filing a petition for a writ of mandate with the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8, an initiative constitutional amendment that intends to strip gay and lesbian citizens of their fundamental right to marry in California.

Update on the Virtual Townhall Meeting

Update on the Virtual Townhall Meeting

By David GreenwaldDecember 1, 200820 comments
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IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR THE TOWNHALL MEETING PLEASE DO SO BY NOON TODAY.

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Here is Davis Media Access’ Press Release which also includes for the first time the first round of broadcasts on Cable Channel 15. In addition to some 30 questions that have been submitted directly on the blog, the Vanguard has received at least as many questions via email.