The Measure received a bare majority at 50.4 percent of the vote but needed 55% for it to pass.
I am consistently troubled by the power that a minority of voters are given to block the will of majority.
One person quoted in the Sacramento Bee delivered the “we have sent a message” line:
“The residents of West Sacramento have sent the school board a message: You must be accountable to the people first and for the money that has already been given to you in the three prior bonds before asking for more.”
Actually the majority of the citizens in West Sacramento who voted said the opposite, it was a minority that was able to block it.
This got me thinking to the city of Davis’ generosity and commitment to education. Davis approved not one but two tax bills by very wide margins, garnering over 73 percent of the vote and failing even to generate organized opposition.
On the surface you would look and say that Davis has a very strong commitment to education. In fact, if you look at the comments from officials in charge of these measures, they said as much.
But I look at this a little differently.
Does Davis really have a commitment to education? By two measures there is a clear commitment. First, the shear magnitude of the vote. And second, the fact that there was no organized opposition.
However, a third measure has troubled me really since Election Day and before. The low voter turnout. The low voter interest in this race. The fact that other than the “scandal” involving envelopes, most articles on education on this blog drew relatively little interest.
Let’s put this another way–if Davis was so committed to education–why would 70% of the eligible voters stay home from the polls? As many pointed out, this is normal, as though that exonerates the low interest. All that tells me is that Davis never has great interest in school issues. Whereas a city council election will draw 67 to 100 percent higher voter turnout.
I am sorry but a city where 70 percent of the electorate stays home during school board elections, does not demonstrate commitment to education. Other communities rally against taxes and Davis does not do that. That again does not prove a commitment to education. Instead I see apathy. It’s not that Davis voters are against education–we see that and we get that. It’s that Davis voters are not interested in what is going on at the school board. It is apathy.
To me apathy is a very dangerous thing because it leads to complacency and eventually it leads to a deterioration in governance of the board. Given the level of disinterest and apathy, Davis is lucky to have strong and well-funded schools. But taking that for granted is dangerous and will eventually catch up to us.
As I have said previously, I am very glad that the parcel taxes passed, but let us not take that to mean a commitment to education.
—Doug Paul Davis reporting
I agree with Freddie Oakley. Elections, particularly with limited ballot issues, should be entirely by mail.
——
Look at how much it cost to vote
By FREDDIE OAKLEY
Article Created: 11/08/2007 08:52:30 AM PST
On Tuesday we had an election. These odd-year elections are devoted primarily to issues of local governance: School, fire and other district governing boards, bond measures for schools and libraries, and the like.
In Yolo County, we elected six school board trustees and voted on three bond measures, all told.
And although we have 84,889 registered voters in Yolo County, only 23.39 percent of them, a total of 19,856, participated in the decision-making by casting ballots.
Using figures from past elections, I know that the cost of running an election is about $4 per registered voter. That means the taxpayers of Yolo County just paid about $17.10 per voted ballot. Holy Toledo!
Shouldn’t you get a nice lunch with that?
We print a ballot for you and staff your local polling place with four friendly, capable people (and about $10,000 worth of accessible technology for voters with special needs) whether you show up or not.
We also staff four early voting sites around the County for those who wish to use them.
Finally, we will happily mail a ballot to you for your ultimate convenience. Mail ballots (“absentee ballots”) are convenient for us, too, and they are very economical, at about $2.50 per vote cast.
Some 58.71
Advertisement
Click Here!
percent of the votes cast on Tuesday were by mail-in ballots. At $2.50 per vote cast, with 11,658 absentees voting, that mail ballot (absentee) portion of the election cost about $29,000.
Some 8,198 voters cast ballots at the polls, and the total cost of the election will probably be about $340,000. Subtracting the $29,000 spent on absentees and dividing by about 8,000 polling place voters, the cost of the election per polling place voter was about… You do the math; I lack the heart.
But it’s a great deal more than I am willing to spend on anybody’s lunch.
This piece is not meant to be an aimless harangue. I am at the point of admitting that we don’t have a way, short of coercion, to get those who are registered to vote to go to the polls.
Much as I hate to confess it, I believe it is time to fold up our old polling place tents and steal away from our wonderful neighborhood-based past. Few people want us in the neighborhood, few people visit us in the tent on election day, and we are supporting an expensive infrastructure for little apparent benefit.
Voters, like me, who enjoy the patriotic community experience of walking past waving flags to make our voices heard are about as anachronistic as music listeners, like me, who think that Mozart can’t be beat.
The current cost to local government coffers of supporting our quaint, little-exercised neighborhood voting ideals is too great, in my opinion, when counted against the need for mental health services, health care, roads, flood-control, emergency preparedness, eldercare, education, library books, well-baby care, and the innumerable other responsibilities of local government.
It’s time to get real. In the coming legislative sessions I will work hard to pass a law permitting Yolo County to conduct some, if not all, elections by mail, with the addition of fully accessible early-voting polling places and regional voting centers on election day. I’ll do it holding my nose and humming the Statue Song from Don Giovanni, but I’ll do it.
If you have a different idea, please let me know.
I agree with Freddie Oakley. Elections, particularly with limited ballot issues, should be entirely by mail.
——
Look at how much it cost to vote
By FREDDIE OAKLEY
Article Created: 11/08/2007 08:52:30 AM PST
On Tuesday we had an election. These odd-year elections are devoted primarily to issues of local governance: School, fire and other district governing boards, bond measures for schools and libraries, and the like.
In Yolo County, we elected six school board trustees and voted on three bond measures, all told.
And although we have 84,889 registered voters in Yolo County, only 23.39 percent of them, a total of 19,856, participated in the decision-making by casting ballots.
Using figures from past elections, I know that the cost of running an election is about $4 per registered voter. That means the taxpayers of Yolo County just paid about $17.10 per voted ballot. Holy Toledo!
Shouldn’t you get a nice lunch with that?
We print a ballot for you and staff your local polling place with four friendly, capable people (and about $10,000 worth of accessible technology for voters with special needs) whether you show up or not.
We also staff four early voting sites around the County for those who wish to use them.
Finally, we will happily mail a ballot to you for your ultimate convenience. Mail ballots (“absentee ballots”) are convenient for us, too, and they are very economical, at about $2.50 per vote cast.
Some 58.71
Advertisement
Click Here!
percent of the votes cast on Tuesday were by mail-in ballots. At $2.50 per vote cast, with 11,658 absentees voting, that mail ballot (absentee) portion of the election cost about $29,000.
Some 8,198 voters cast ballots at the polls, and the total cost of the election will probably be about $340,000. Subtracting the $29,000 spent on absentees and dividing by about 8,000 polling place voters, the cost of the election per polling place voter was about… You do the math; I lack the heart.
But it’s a great deal more than I am willing to spend on anybody’s lunch.
This piece is not meant to be an aimless harangue. I am at the point of admitting that we don’t have a way, short of coercion, to get those who are registered to vote to go to the polls.
Much as I hate to confess it, I believe it is time to fold up our old polling place tents and steal away from our wonderful neighborhood-based past. Few people want us in the neighborhood, few people visit us in the tent on election day, and we are supporting an expensive infrastructure for little apparent benefit.
Voters, like me, who enjoy the patriotic community experience of walking past waving flags to make our voices heard are about as anachronistic as music listeners, like me, who think that Mozart can’t be beat.
The current cost to local government coffers of supporting our quaint, little-exercised neighborhood voting ideals is too great, in my opinion, when counted against the need for mental health services, health care, roads, flood-control, emergency preparedness, eldercare, education, library books, well-baby care, and the innumerable other responsibilities of local government.
It’s time to get real. In the coming legislative sessions I will work hard to pass a law permitting Yolo County to conduct some, if not all, elections by mail, with the addition of fully accessible early-voting polling places and regional voting centers on election day. I’ll do it holding my nose and humming the Statue Song from Don Giovanni, but I’ll do it.
If you have a different idea, please let me know.
I agree with Freddie Oakley. Elections, particularly with limited ballot issues, should be entirely by mail.
——
Look at how much it cost to vote
By FREDDIE OAKLEY
Article Created: 11/08/2007 08:52:30 AM PST
On Tuesday we had an election. These odd-year elections are devoted primarily to issues of local governance: School, fire and other district governing boards, bond measures for schools and libraries, and the like.
In Yolo County, we elected six school board trustees and voted on three bond measures, all told.
And although we have 84,889 registered voters in Yolo County, only 23.39 percent of them, a total of 19,856, participated in the decision-making by casting ballots.
Using figures from past elections, I know that the cost of running an election is about $4 per registered voter. That means the taxpayers of Yolo County just paid about $17.10 per voted ballot. Holy Toledo!
Shouldn’t you get a nice lunch with that?
We print a ballot for you and staff your local polling place with four friendly, capable people (and about $10,000 worth of accessible technology for voters with special needs) whether you show up or not.
We also staff four early voting sites around the County for those who wish to use them.
Finally, we will happily mail a ballot to you for your ultimate convenience. Mail ballots (“absentee ballots”) are convenient for us, too, and they are very economical, at about $2.50 per vote cast.
Some 58.71
Advertisement
Click Here!
percent of the votes cast on Tuesday were by mail-in ballots. At $2.50 per vote cast, with 11,658 absentees voting, that mail ballot (absentee) portion of the election cost about $29,000.
Some 8,198 voters cast ballots at the polls, and the total cost of the election will probably be about $340,000. Subtracting the $29,000 spent on absentees and dividing by about 8,000 polling place voters, the cost of the election per polling place voter was about… You do the math; I lack the heart.
But it’s a great deal more than I am willing to spend on anybody’s lunch.
This piece is not meant to be an aimless harangue. I am at the point of admitting that we don’t have a way, short of coercion, to get those who are registered to vote to go to the polls.
Much as I hate to confess it, I believe it is time to fold up our old polling place tents and steal away from our wonderful neighborhood-based past. Few people want us in the neighborhood, few people visit us in the tent on election day, and we are supporting an expensive infrastructure for little apparent benefit.
Voters, like me, who enjoy the patriotic community experience of walking past waving flags to make our voices heard are about as anachronistic as music listeners, like me, who think that Mozart can’t be beat.
The current cost to local government coffers of supporting our quaint, little-exercised neighborhood voting ideals is too great, in my opinion, when counted against the need for mental health services, health care, roads, flood-control, emergency preparedness, eldercare, education, library books, well-baby care, and the innumerable other responsibilities of local government.
It’s time to get real. In the coming legislative sessions I will work hard to pass a law permitting Yolo County to conduct some, if not all, elections by mail, with the addition of fully accessible early-voting polling places and regional voting centers on election day. I’ll do it holding my nose and humming the Statue Song from Don Giovanni, but I’ll do it.
If you have a different idea, please let me know.
I agree with Freddie Oakley. Elections, particularly with limited ballot issues, should be entirely by mail.
——
Look at how much it cost to vote
By FREDDIE OAKLEY
Article Created: 11/08/2007 08:52:30 AM PST
On Tuesday we had an election. These odd-year elections are devoted primarily to issues of local governance: School, fire and other district governing boards, bond measures for schools and libraries, and the like.
In Yolo County, we elected six school board trustees and voted on three bond measures, all told.
And although we have 84,889 registered voters in Yolo County, only 23.39 percent of them, a total of 19,856, participated in the decision-making by casting ballots.
Using figures from past elections, I know that the cost of running an election is about $4 per registered voter. That means the taxpayers of Yolo County just paid about $17.10 per voted ballot. Holy Toledo!
Shouldn’t you get a nice lunch with that?
We print a ballot for you and staff your local polling place with four friendly, capable people (and about $10,000 worth of accessible technology for voters with special needs) whether you show up or not.
We also staff four early voting sites around the County for those who wish to use them.
Finally, we will happily mail a ballot to you for your ultimate convenience. Mail ballots (“absentee ballots”) are convenient for us, too, and they are very economical, at about $2.50 per vote cast.
Some 58.71
Advertisement
Click Here!
percent of the votes cast on Tuesday were by mail-in ballots. At $2.50 per vote cast, with 11,658 absentees voting, that mail ballot (absentee) portion of the election cost about $29,000.
Some 8,198 voters cast ballots at the polls, and the total cost of the election will probably be about $340,000. Subtracting the $29,000 spent on absentees and dividing by about 8,000 polling place voters, the cost of the election per polling place voter was about… You do the math; I lack the heart.
But it’s a great deal more than I am willing to spend on anybody’s lunch.
This piece is not meant to be an aimless harangue. I am at the point of admitting that we don’t have a way, short of coercion, to get those who are registered to vote to go to the polls.
Much as I hate to confess it, I believe it is time to fold up our old polling place tents and steal away from our wonderful neighborhood-based past. Few people want us in the neighborhood, few people visit us in the tent on election day, and we are supporting an expensive infrastructure for little apparent benefit.
Voters, like me, who enjoy the patriotic community experience of walking past waving flags to make our voices heard are about as anachronistic as music listeners, like me, who think that Mozart can’t be beat.
The current cost to local government coffers of supporting our quaint, little-exercised neighborhood voting ideals is too great, in my opinion, when counted against the need for mental health services, health care, roads, flood-control, emergency preparedness, eldercare, education, library books, well-baby care, and the innumerable other responsibilities of local government.
It’s time to get real. In the coming legislative sessions I will work hard to pass a law permitting Yolo County to conduct some, if not all, elections by mail, with the addition of fully accessible early-voting polling places and regional voting centers on election day. I’ll do it holding my nose and humming the Statue Song from Don Giovanni, but I’ll do it.
If you have a different idea, please let me know.
Australia(and increasingly other countries) are fining their citizens for failing to vote. They are getting extraordinary percentages of voter participation. Another “fix” should be entertained: Absentee ballots should be accepted only at the end of the campaign cycle.. Now, near 50% of the voters mail in their ballot decisions BEFORE they have the opportunity to evaluate all the candidate’s arguments.
Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.
Australia(and increasingly other countries) are fining their citizens for failing to vote. They are getting extraordinary percentages of voter participation. Another “fix” should be entertained: Absentee ballots should be accepted only at the end of the campaign cycle.. Now, near 50% of the voters mail in their ballot decisions BEFORE they have the opportunity to evaluate all the candidate’s arguments.
Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.
Australia(and increasingly other countries) are fining their citizens for failing to vote. They are getting extraordinary percentages of voter participation. Another “fix” should be entertained: Absentee ballots should be accepted only at the end of the campaign cycle.. Now, near 50% of the voters mail in their ballot decisions BEFORE they have the opportunity to evaluate all the candidate’s arguments.
Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.
Australia(and increasingly other countries) are fining their citizens for failing to vote. They are getting extraordinary percentages of voter participation. Another “fix” should be entertained: Absentee ballots should be accepted only at the end of the campaign cycle.. Now, near 50% of the voters mail in their ballot decisions BEFORE they have the opportunity to evaluate all the candidate’s arguments.
Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.
1. Freddie’s points are very good. Do it.
2. It is the low voting turnout that is alarming. It is the lack of interest in what is happening at all political levels that is alarming.
3. A minority of voters supported the educational measure. What were the in depth issues? More of the same? If creating a citizenry that understands that democracy requres an educated involved people how well are our schools doing at creating such citizenship? Where do the social sciences place in curriculum in relation to math, science, and technology? Always at the bottom. Davis and other districts need Magnet schools that teach world history, political involvment, humanities, languages and political, social and economic analysis. We need to teach our people how to challenge and think. We need to catch up with the world. We need math that explains the unemployment problem and teaches problem solving on real issues not just preparation for more advanced math and univeristy attendence. Public schools must be breeding ground for the joy of participation in decision making. It is that act that give pride to citizenship.
4. I suggest that we go to Freddie’s plan of mail voting and use the extra saved money for a campaign to enlighten the voter on what democracy needs to survive. Perhaps we need to go door to door and both register new voters and engage others in the need for action. We also can find out what issues the citizens face.
5. Only through community action, education and making democracy mean something can we change the current bleak picture.
1. Freddie’s points are very good. Do it.
2. It is the low voting turnout that is alarming. It is the lack of interest in what is happening at all political levels that is alarming.
3. A minority of voters supported the educational measure. What were the in depth issues? More of the same? If creating a citizenry that understands that democracy requres an educated involved people how well are our schools doing at creating such citizenship? Where do the social sciences place in curriculum in relation to math, science, and technology? Always at the bottom. Davis and other districts need Magnet schools that teach world history, political involvment, humanities, languages and political, social and economic analysis. We need to teach our people how to challenge and think. We need to catch up with the world. We need math that explains the unemployment problem and teaches problem solving on real issues not just preparation for more advanced math and univeristy attendence. Public schools must be breeding ground for the joy of participation in decision making. It is that act that give pride to citizenship.
4. I suggest that we go to Freddie’s plan of mail voting and use the extra saved money for a campaign to enlighten the voter on what democracy needs to survive. Perhaps we need to go door to door and both register new voters and engage others in the need for action. We also can find out what issues the citizens face.
5. Only through community action, education and making democracy mean something can we change the current bleak picture.
1. Freddie’s points are very good. Do it.
2. It is the low voting turnout that is alarming. It is the lack of interest in what is happening at all political levels that is alarming.
3. A minority of voters supported the educational measure. What were the in depth issues? More of the same? If creating a citizenry that understands that democracy requres an educated involved people how well are our schools doing at creating such citizenship? Where do the social sciences place in curriculum in relation to math, science, and technology? Always at the bottom. Davis and other districts need Magnet schools that teach world history, political involvment, humanities, languages and political, social and economic analysis. We need to teach our people how to challenge and think. We need to catch up with the world. We need math that explains the unemployment problem and teaches problem solving on real issues not just preparation for more advanced math and univeristy attendence. Public schools must be breeding ground for the joy of participation in decision making. It is that act that give pride to citizenship.
4. I suggest that we go to Freddie’s plan of mail voting and use the extra saved money for a campaign to enlighten the voter on what democracy needs to survive. Perhaps we need to go door to door and both register new voters and engage others in the need for action. We also can find out what issues the citizens face.
5. Only through community action, education and making democracy mean something can we change the current bleak picture.
1. Freddie’s points are very good. Do it.
2. It is the low voting turnout that is alarming. It is the lack of interest in what is happening at all political levels that is alarming.
3. A minority of voters supported the educational measure. What were the in depth issues? More of the same? If creating a citizenry that understands that democracy requres an educated involved people how well are our schools doing at creating such citizenship? Where do the social sciences place in curriculum in relation to math, science, and technology? Always at the bottom. Davis and other districts need Magnet schools that teach world history, political involvment, humanities, languages and political, social and economic analysis. We need to teach our people how to challenge and think. We need to catch up with the world. We need math that explains the unemployment problem and teaches problem solving on real issues not just preparation for more advanced math and univeristy attendence. Public schools must be breeding ground for the joy of participation in decision making. It is that act that give pride to citizenship.
4. I suggest that we go to Freddie’s plan of mail voting and use the extra saved money for a campaign to enlighten the voter on what democracy needs to survive. Perhaps we need to go door to door and both register new voters and engage others in the need for action. We also can find out what issues the citizens face.
5. Only through community action, education and making democracy mean something can we change the current bleak picture.
As much as I hate to toot my own horn — well, I don’t hate to toot it that much — Freddie stole her ideas from me. I spoke with her specifically about vote by mail for my December 27, 2006 column, “California should adopt vote-by-mail.”
She told me at that time that she was completely against it: “I want more people to be involved in governance and I think maintaining polling places advances that goal. So I’m not an advocate for all-mail balloting.” She added, “If I were an elitist, I would love all-mail balloting.”
What I told her at that time, and still believe to be true today, is that vote-by-mail elections generate higher turnouts at a far, far lower cost. She harrumphed at that a year ago. It’s good to see Freddie has changed her mind.
As much as I hate to toot my own horn — well, I don’t hate to toot it that much — Freddie stole her ideas from me. I spoke with her specifically about vote by mail for my December 27, 2006 column, “California should adopt vote-by-mail.”
She told me at that time that she was completely against it: “I want more people to be involved in governance and I think maintaining polling places advances that goal. So I’m not an advocate for all-mail balloting.” She added, “If I were an elitist, I would love all-mail balloting.”
What I told her at that time, and still believe to be true today, is that vote-by-mail elections generate higher turnouts at a far, far lower cost. She harrumphed at that a year ago. It’s good to see Freddie has changed her mind.
As much as I hate to toot my own horn — well, I don’t hate to toot it that much — Freddie stole her ideas from me. I spoke with her specifically about vote by mail for my December 27, 2006 column, “California should adopt vote-by-mail.”
She told me at that time that she was completely against it: “I want more people to be involved in governance and I think maintaining polling places advances that goal. So I’m not an advocate for all-mail balloting.” She added, “If I were an elitist, I would love all-mail balloting.”
What I told her at that time, and still believe to be true today, is that vote-by-mail elections generate higher turnouts at a far, far lower cost. She harrumphed at that a year ago. It’s good to see Freddie has changed her mind.
As much as I hate to toot my own horn — well, I don’t hate to toot it that much — Freddie stole her ideas from me. I spoke with her specifically about vote by mail for my December 27, 2006 column, “California should adopt vote-by-mail.”
She told me at that time that she was completely against it: “I want more people to be involved in governance and I think maintaining polling places advances that goal. So I’m not an advocate for all-mail balloting.” She added, “If I were an elitist, I would love all-mail balloting.”
What I told her at that time, and still believe to be true today, is that vote-by-mail elections generate higher turnouts at a far, far lower cost. She harrumphed at that a year ago. It’s good to see Freddie has changed her mind.
Vanguard writes: “All that tells me is that Davis never has great interest in school issues. Whereas a city council election will draw 67 to 100 percent higher voter turnout. I am sorry but a city where 70 percent of the electorate stays home during school board elections, does not demonstrate commitment to education.”
I agree that there is more interest in Davis in city council elections than in school board races. Whereas council decisions affect everyone in town directly, school board policies only directly affect a subset of our population.
Nonetheless, if school board elections were moved to even-numbered years — something I don’t advocate — then turn out for them would be much higher. City council ballots are always counted at the same time as primaries for the state legislature, House and Senate, governor, (often) president and widely publicized referendums. As such, many marginal voters will be drawn to the polls for those other races, and they end up voting down ballot in our city council elections.
Vanguard writes: “All that tells me is that Davis never has great interest in school issues. Whereas a city council election will draw 67 to 100 percent higher voter turnout. I am sorry but a city where 70 percent of the electorate stays home during school board elections, does not demonstrate commitment to education.”
I agree that there is more interest in Davis in city council elections than in school board races. Whereas council decisions affect everyone in town directly, school board policies only directly affect a subset of our population.
Nonetheless, if school board elections were moved to even-numbered years — something I don’t advocate — then turn out for them would be much higher. City council ballots are always counted at the same time as primaries for the state legislature, House and Senate, governor, (often) president and widely publicized referendums. As such, many marginal voters will be drawn to the polls for those other races, and they end up voting down ballot in our city council elections.
Vanguard writes: “All that tells me is that Davis never has great interest in school issues. Whereas a city council election will draw 67 to 100 percent higher voter turnout. I am sorry but a city where 70 percent of the electorate stays home during school board elections, does not demonstrate commitment to education.”
I agree that there is more interest in Davis in city council elections than in school board races. Whereas council decisions affect everyone in town directly, school board policies only directly affect a subset of our population.
Nonetheless, if school board elections were moved to even-numbered years — something I don’t advocate — then turn out for them would be much higher. City council ballots are always counted at the same time as primaries for the state legislature, House and Senate, governor, (often) president and widely publicized referendums. As such, many marginal voters will be drawn to the polls for those other races, and they end up voting down ballot in our city council elections.
Vanguard writes: “All that tells me is that Davis never has great interest in school issues. Whereas a city council election will draw 67 to 100 percent higher voter turnout. I am sorry but a city where 70 percent of the electorate stays home during school board elections, does not demonstrate commitment to education.”
I agree that there is more interest in Davis in city council elections than in school board races. Whereas council decisions affect everyone in town directly, school board policies only directly affect a subset of our population.
Nonetheless, if school board elections were moved to even-numbered years — something I don’t advocate — then turn out for them would be much higher. City council ballots are always counted at the same time as primaries for the state legislature, House and Senate, governor, (often) president and widely publicized referendums. As such, many marginal voters will be drawn to the polls for those other races, and they end up voting down ballot in our city council elections.
Everyone is affected by school board policies when they regard taxation. Either your poperty taxes are going to be increased, or if your taxes go up so much you will be passing the increase on to your renters. This affects both commercial and personal property.
Everyone is affected by school board policies when they regard taxation. Either your poperty taxes are going to be increased, or if your taxes go up so much you will be passing the increase on to your renters. This affects both commercial and personal property.
Everyone is affected by school board policies when they regard taxation. Either your poperty taxes are going to be increased, or if your taxes go up so much you will be passing the increase on to your renters. This affects both commercial and personal property.
Everyone is affected by school board policies when they regard taxation. Either your poperty taxes are going to be increased, or if your taxes go up so much you will be passing the increase on to your renters. This affects both commercial and personal property.
property taxes as opposed to “poperty taxes.”
property taxes as opposed to “poperty taxes.”
property taxes as opposed to “poperty taxes.”
property taxes as opposed to “poperty taxes.”
davisite said…
“Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.”
Thank you, Davisite, once again for unintentionally exposing the dark, conservative underbelly of Davis regressives. Sounds like you think tyranny of the minority should rule against increased funding for schools and libraries. You also sound a bit like Supervisor Yamada when she said at the Solano County debate that she wouldn’t support lowering the 2/3 vote requirement for the state budget. A few months later, a couple Republican members of the State Senate held the budget hostage for months. Exactly what disenfranchised minority needed protecting there?
davisite said…
“Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.”
Thank you, Davisite, once again for unintentionally exposing the dark, conservative underbelly of Davis regressives. Sounds like you think tyranny of the minority should rule against increased funding for schools and libraries. You also sound a bit like Supervisor Yamada when she said at the Solano County debate that she wouldn’t support lowering the 2/3 vote requirement for the state budget. A few months later, a couple Republican members of the State Senate held the budget hostage for months. Exactly what disenfranchised minority needed protecting there?
davisite said…
“Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.”
Thank you, Davisite, once again for unintentionally exposing the dark, conservative underbelly of Davis regressives. Sounds like you think tyranny of the minority should rule against increased funding for schools and libraries. You also sound a bit like Supervisor Yamada when she said at the Solano County debate that she wouldn’t support lowering the 2/3 vote requirement for the state budget. A few months later, a couple Republican members of the State Senate held the budget hostage for months. Exactly what disenfranchised minority needed protecting there?
davisite said…
“Finally, concerning the 2/3 needed for tax measures: A majority tax measure requirement can also be troubling . When it comes to taxes, it is politically axiomatic that tax legislation is about whose “ox is gored”. A 2/3 majority rather than a simple majority serves to dilute the potential community-fracturing nature of tax legislation.”
Thank you, Davisite, once again for unintentionally exposing the dark, conservative underbelly of Davis regressives. Sounds like you think tyranny of the minority should rule against increased funding for schools and libraries. You also sound a bit like Supervisor Yamada when she said at the Solano County debate that she wouldn’t support lowering the 2/3 vote requirement for the state budget. A few months later, a couple Republican members of the State Senate held the budget hostage for months. Exactly what disenfranchised minority needed protecting there?
Rich,
Did you ever stop to think that there may be other people who shared this idea with Freddie Oakley?
You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?
Rich,
Did you ever stop to think that there may be other people who shared this idea with Freddie Oakley?
You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?
Rich,
Did you ever stop to think that there may be other people who shared this idea with Freddie Oakley?
You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?
Rich,
Did you ever stop to think that there may be other people who shared this idea with Freddie Oakley?
You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?
“You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?”
Absolutely. I told Freddie this is what we need to do. She vociferously disagreed. And then upon further review, she changed her call. Toot. Toot!
“You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?”
Absolutely. I told Freddie this is what we need to do. She vociferously disagreed. And then upon further review, she changed her call. Toot. Toot!
“You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?”
Absolutely. I told Freddie this is what we need to do. She vociferously disagreed. And then upon further review, she changed her call. Toot. Toot!
“You are a bit of a self-tooter, or horn blower aren’t you?”
Absolutely. I told Freddie this is what we need to do. She vociferously disagreed. And then upon further review, she changed her call. Toot. Toot!
Hey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps the low voter turnout had to do with the poor quality of the candidates – or that there wasn’t much difference between them? I know several folks told me that – they did not bother to vote because the choices were so lousy.
Now what that means is we need better choices. Only problem is look what campaigning does to candidates a la Joe Spector. Everything you do is scrutinized to the nth degree. God help you if you sin even a little. I don’t condone what Joe did, but don’t think the hypocritical School Board should have been using school time to send out “informational brochures” on Measure Q. Sorry, but that whole scenario was like the pot calling the kettle black.
I have been asked to run for office by many people – but I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Get’s too nasty for me. It’s all about “gotcha” politics. Richard Harris is a case in point. It worked didn’t it? Politicians are not winning on the issues, they are winning based on who’s campaign does the better job at damage control.
There is little respect for anyone these days. Politicians don’t respect the voter, figuring the candidate that raises the most money is the one that wins. I personally feel the School Board race had more to do with the lack of good candidates that were not that far apart on issues.
My money is on Valley Oak and how well it does as a charter school. There is where a true difference can be made. Think about it!
Hey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps the low voter turnout had to do with the poor quality of the candidates – or that there wasn’t much difference between them? I know several folks told me that – they did not bother to vote because the choices were so lousy.
Now what that means is we need better choices. Only problem is look what campaigning does to candidates a la Joe Spector. Everything you do is scrutinized to the nth degree. God help you if you sin even a little. I don’t condone what Joe did, but don’t think the hypocritical School Board should have been using school time to send out “informational brochures” on Measure Q. Sorry, but that whole scenario was like the pot calling the kettle black.
I have been asked to run for office by many people – but I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Get’s too nasty for me. It’s all about “gotcha” politics. Richard Harris is a case in point. It worked didn’t it? Politicians are not winning on the issues, they are winning based on who’s campaign does the better job at damage control.
There is little respect for anyone these days. Politicians don’t respect the voter, figuring the candidate that raises the most money is the one that wins. I personally feel the School Board race had more to do with the lack of good candidates that were not that far apart on issues.
My money is on Valley Oak and how well it does as a charter school. There is where a true difference can be made. Think about it!
Hey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps the low voter turnout had to do with the poor quality of the candidates – or that there wasn’t much difference between them? I know several folks told me that – they did not bother to vote because the choices were so lousy.
Now what that means is we need better choices. Only problem is look what campaigning does to candidates a la Joe Spector. Everything you do is scrutinized to the nth degree. God help you if you sin even a little. I don’t condone what Joe did, but don’t think the hypocritical School Board should have been using school time to send out “informational brochures” on Measure Q. Sorry, but that whole scenario was like the pot calling the kettle black.
I have been asked to run for office by many people – but I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Get’s too nasty for me. It’s all about “gotcha” politics. Richard Harris is a case in point. It worked didn’t it? Politicians are not winning on the issues, they are winning based on who’s campaign does the better job at damage control.
There is little respect for anyone these days. Politicians don’t respect the voter, figuring the candidate that raises the most money is the one that wins. I personally feel the School Board race had more to do with the lack of good candidates that were not that far apart on issues.
My money is on Valley Oak and how well it does as a charter school. There is where a true difference can be made. Think about it!
Hey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps the low voter turnout had to do with the poor quality of the candidates – or that there wasn’t much difference between them? I know several folks told me that – they did not bother to vote because the choices were so lousy.
Now what that means is we need better choices. Only problem is look what campaigning does to candidates a la Joe Spector. Everything you do is scrutinized to the nth degree. God help you if you sin even a little. I don’t condone what Joe did, but don’t think the hypocritical School Board should have been using school time to send out “informational brochures” on Measure Q. Sorry, but that whole scenario was like the pot calling the kettle black.
I have been asked to run for office by many people – but I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Get’s too nasty for me. It’s all about “gotcha” politics. Richard Harris is a case in point. It worked didn’t it? Politicians are not winning on the issues, they are winning based on who’s campaign does the better job at damage control.
There is little respect for anyone these days. Politicians don’t respect the voter, figuring the candidate that raises the most money is the one that wins. I personally feel the School Board race had more to do with the lack of good candidates that were not that far apart on issues.
My money is on Valley Oak and how well it does as a charter school. There is where a true difference can be made. Think about it!
I did’nt see what I felt was a real sincere interest in education. What I saw was a majority of the affluent who wished to maintain high property values. The nine college students sharing a once traditional family house could care less about local education. The off site Bay area landlord will rely on the affluent to maintain his status quo. The people of Davis have exterminated the once thriving all important middle class from the community. If it was’nt for large pockets of subsidized housing in the western portion were my son goes to Jr. High, his school would have approx. only 75 students.
I did’nt see what I felt was a real sincere interest in education. What I saw was a majority of the affluent who wished to maintain high property values. The nine college students sharing a once traditional family house could care less about local education. The off site Bay area landlord will rely on the affluent to maintain his status quo. The people of Davis have exterminated the once thriving all important middle class from the community. If it was’nt for large pockets of subsidized housing in the western portion were my son goes to Jr. High, his school would have approx. only 75 students.
I did’nt see what I felt was a real sincere interest in education. What I saw was a majority of the affluent who wished to maintain high property values. The nine college students sharing a once traditional family house could care less about local education. The off site Bay area landlord will rely on the affluent to maintain his status quo. The people of Davis have exterminated the once thriving all important middle class from the community. If it was’nt for large pockets of subsidized housing in the western portion were my son goes to Jr. High, his school would have approx. only 75 students.
I did’nt see what I felt was a real sincere interest in education. What I saw was a majority of the affluent who wished to maintain high property values. The nine college students sharing a once traditional family house could care less about local education. The off site Bay area landlord will rely on the affluent to maintain his status quo. The people of Davis have exterminated the once thriving all important middle class from the community. If it was’nt for large pockets of subsidized housing in the western portion were my son goes to Jr. High, his school would have approx. only 75 students.
I wish someone would give me $59 million to “modernize” schools in West Sac, because I could do it for about $10 million and then keep $49 million for myself!
I wish someone would give me $59 million to “modernize” schools in West Sac, because I could do it for about $10 million and then keep $49 million for myself!
I wish someone would give me $59 million to “modernize” schools in West Sac, because I could do it for about $10 million and then keep $49 million for myself!
I wish someone would give me $59 million to “modernize” schools in West Sac, because I could do it for about $10 million and then keep $49 million for myself!
Oh Rich, Rich, Rich Rifkin…What did your Mama teach you? Graceless in Victory, Ruthless in Defeat?:
First: I did not “vociferously” disagree with you. I just disagreed. Second: I have not forgotten our email exchange, and I just knew you would come after me like this. Jeez! Third: As I said to you after you feverishly emailed me over the weekend to remind me that you were first – At least you didn’t say “I told you so”.
Freddie
Oh Rich, Rich, Rich Rifkin…What did your Mama teach you? Graceless in Victory, Ruthless in Defeat?:
First: I did not “vociferously” disagree with you. I just disagreed. Second: I have not forgotten our email exchange, and I just knew you would come after me like this. Jeez! Third: As I said to you after you feverishly emailed me over the weekend to remind me that you were first – At least you didn’t say “I told you so”.
Freddie
Oh Rich, Rich, Rich Rifkin…What did your Mama teach you? Graceless in Victory, Ruthless in Defeat?:
First: I did not “vociferously” disagree with you. I just disagreed. Second: I have not forgotten our email exchange, and I just knew you would come after me like this. Jeez! Third: As I said to you after you feverishly emailed me over the weekend to remind me that you were first – At least you didn’t say “I told you so”.
Freddie
Oh Rich, Rich, Rich Rifkin…What did your Mama teach you? Graceless in Victory, Ruthless in Defeat?:
First: I did not “vociferously” disagree with you. I just disagreed. Second: I have not forgotten our email exchange, and I just knew you would come after me like this. Jeez! Third: As I said to you after you feverishly emailed me over the weekend to remind me that you were first – At least you didn’t say “I told you so”.
Freddie