Tag: Endorsements

By Posted on Posted in Campaign Finance Disclosure, Electoral Campaigning, Endorsements

Ads that link to here are paid for by the Berkeley Tenants Union PAC, FPPC #1469678. Major funding provided by the Berkeley Tenants Union, Berkeley, CA ($1,600).

Local Candidates and Ballot Measures

  • Alameda County Board of Supervisors: Nikki Fortunato Bas
  • Berkeley Mayor: Kate Harrison
  • Berkeley City Council District 2: Jenny Guarino
  • Berkeley City Council District 3
    • John Chip Moore (#1)
    • Ben Bartlett (#2 – recommended but not endorsed)
  • Berkeley Rent Board: Right to Housing Slate (Alfred Twu, Avery Arbaugh, Dominique Walker, and Xavier Johnson)
  • NO to recalling District Attorney Pamela Price
  • YES on Berkeley Measure W (Fund homeless services)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure Z (Soda tax)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure AA (Allow Berkeley to spend money voters have already approved)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure BB (Tenant Protection & Right to Organize Act)
  • NO on Berkeley Measure CC (Gut rent control ordinance and divert housing retention funds to a landlord slush fund)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure GG (Tax large buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions to fund building decarbonization retrofits using union labor)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure HH (Set minimum air quality standards in City of Berkeley buildings)

State Candidates and Ballot Measures

  • State Senate: Jovanka Beckles
  • State Assembly: Margot Smith
  • YES on Proposition 3 (Repeal Prop 8/Allow same-sex marriage)
  • YES on Proposition 5 (lower the vote approval threshold to 55% for local bond measures)
  • YES on Proposition 6 (Ban involuntary servitude, i.e. slavery)
  • YES on Proposition 32 (Minimum wage increase)
  • YES on Proposition 33 (Repeal Costa-Hawkins/Allow stronger rent control)
  • NO on Proposition 34 (Retaliatory scheme by big landlords to restrict the political activities of a single progressive nonprofit)
  • NO on Proposition 36 (Roll back Prop 47/Worsen mass incarceration)

By Posted on Posted in Meeting

Join us this Sunday, September 22 for our regular membership meeting! We will be meeting from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at Grassroots House (2022 Blake Street). The meeting will also be a potluck, and you can sign-up here to let everyone know what you’re bringing!

Finally, we’re excited to announce our guest speaker for this Sunday’s membership meeting is City Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra!

By Posted on Posted in Electoral Campaigning, Endorsements

Earlier this month, our members voted to make the following endorsements:

  • Right to Housing Slate (Avery, Alfred, Dominique, Xavier) for Rent Board
  • Jenny Guarino for City Council District 2
  • YES on Berkeley Measure W (Fund homeless services)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure AA (increase Berkeley’s appropriations limit for the next 4 years)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure BB (Tenant Protection & Right to Organize)
  • NO on Berkeley Measure CC (Gut rent control ordinance and divert housing retention funds to a landlord slush fund)
  • YES on Proposition 32 (minimum wage increase)
  • YES on Proposition 33 (repeal Costa-Hawkins)
  • YES on Proposition 6 (ban involuntary servitude)

Our members also voted to endorse Regional Measure 4 ($20 billion affordable housing bond). However, BAHFA voted to withdraw Measure 4 while our membership vote was ongoing.

Additionally, our members previously voted to endorse:

  • Nikki Fortunato Bas for Alameda County Supervisor
  • Margot Smith for State Assembly
  • Jovanka Beckles for State Senate
  • YES on Berkeley Measure GG (Tax large buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions to fund building decarbonization retrofits using union labor)
  • YES on Berkeley Measure HH (Set minimum air quality standards in City of Berkeley buildings)
  • NO on recalling Pamela Price

The BTU membership also previously voted to endorse YES on a ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution. However, the State Legislature subsequently withdrew that measure from the ballot.

By Posted on Posted in Endorsements

We’re excited to announce that the Berkeley Tenants Unions membership has overwhelmingly voted to make the following endorsements:

  • People Powered Progressives Slate (Avery Arbaugh, Alfred Twu, Paola Laverde, Michael Cheng, Carol Coyote Cook, Sadia Khan, and John “Chip” Moore) for Alameda County Democratic Central Committee
  • YES on Berkeley Measure H (parcel tax renewal to fund schools)
  • YES on Alameda County Measure A (civil service)
  • YES on Alameda County Measure B (recalls)
  • OPPOSE recalling District Attorney Pamela Price

Additionally, the BTU membership previously voted to endorse:

  • Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7 (special election)
  • Nikki Bas for Alameda County Supervisor District 5
  • Margot Smith for State Assembly District 14
  • Jovanka Beckles for State Senate District 7
  • Barbara Lee for US Senate
  • YES on the Proposed Berkeley Measure to Strengthen the City’s Rent Control Ordinance
  • YES on the ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution (November)

A big thank you to everyone who voted on all of our endorsements.

By Posted on Posted in Endorsements

We’re excited to announce that the Berkeley Tenants Unions membership has overwhelmingly voted to make the following endorsements:

  • Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7 (special election)
  • Nikki Bas for Alameda County Supervisor District 5
  • Margot Smith for State Assembly District 14
  • YES on the Proposed Berkeley Measure to Strengthen the City’s Rent Control Ordinance

Additionally, the BTU membership previously voted to endorse:

  • Barbara Lee for US Senate
  • Jovanka Beckles for State Senate District 7
  • YES on the ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution (November)

A big thank you to everyone who voted in this election. Additionally, members-in-good-standing should be on the look out for another membership ballot that will go out shortly.

By Posted on Posted in Issues

At a meeting in January, BTU selected fellow Tenants Union member Kate Harrison as the best candidate for renters in the District 4 Special Election for City Council.

Kate Harrison won overwhelming support at the endorsements meeting since she is already well-known for her leadership in getting the landlord tax passed last fall (Measure U1) as well as for her community work making sure big developers are forced to fund affordable units in Berkeley. Her platform also includes using a portion of the transfer tax on homes sold in Berkeley to fund even more low-income housing. Kate also wants to allow limited equity coops to use Housing Trust Fund money to purchase existing rental housing in order to keep it affordable.

Learn More About Kate’s Housing Proposals
http://electkateharrison.com/issues/

Video from League of Women Voters Forum
https://www.lwvbae.org/elections/

The election is being held by mail to save costs. Ballots must be in by March 7th. The special election is needed because BTU member Jesse Arreguin, who was the District 4 Councilmember, was elected mayor last November.

Ben Gould Corrects Campaign Violations
“…violations of the Berkeley Election Reform Act had been committed, but determined that the violations had been corrected promptly.”
http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/02/17/berkeley-watchdog-panel-declines-further-probe-into-gould-campaign/

How the Candidates Differ
“Harrison emphasized protecting existing tenants against displacement by limiting short-term housing, protecting rent control, and enforcing rules on owner move-in evictions.”
http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/01/25/berkeley-candidates-for-vacant-council-seat-differ-on-approaches/

Harrison Q&A
“I would like to expand the current program helping building owners pay for energy improvements through their property taxes to include safety improvements for artists’ live/work spaces to avoid repeating the tragedy at the Oakland Ghost Ship. We cannot afford to lose our creative community either through disaster or displacement.”
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/02/07/district-4-candidate-kate-harrison/

 

By Posted on Posted in Issues

Berkeley Tenants Union members voted overwhelmingly to support BTU member Kate Harrison for City Council in the upcoming special election.

harrisonendorsements-meeting-01-08-17-02

On Sunday, BTU joined with old friends Berkeley Citizens Action and new allies Berkeley Progressive Alliance to host a forum between the two candidates for District 4, Berkeley’s downtown City Council district. Berkeley will hold an election by mail to fill the seat left open when BTU member Jesse Arreguin became Mayor. Ballots must be postmarked by March 7.
Only about 20% of BTU members made the trek in heavy rains to cast a vote, yet almost every audience member submitted a question for the forum. The majority of questions focused on housing, displacement, and homelessness, but police accountability was also an issue. To guide members in voting, BTU / BCA / BPA also distributed responses from Harrison and graduate student Ben Gould to members of the three groups before the meeting.

questionnaire-harrison

questionnaire-gould

Gould was a good sport about supporting the landlord tax U1 in the last election, but he did tell the Daily Cal that the main differences between himself and Kate Harrison are their policies regarding housing, so BTU voters should take a close look at both candidates.

all photos: Christine Schwartz
all photos: Christine Schwartz

Support the Renter’s Choice
http://electkateharrison.com/

More on Harrison
Former Mayor Gus Newport spoke at Harrison’s press conference. Harrison is already endorsed by Mayor-Elect Arreguín, UCB’s Progressive Student Alliance, Sandre Swanson, Jean Quan, Councilmembers-Elect Sophie Hahn and Ben Bartlett, and seven Rent Board Commissioners so far.
http://www.dailycal.org/2016/11/30/kate-harrison-kicks-off-campaign-district-4-city-council-seat/

More Info on Election and Vote by Mail
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/elections/

BTU Member Kate Harrison Runs in Special Election
“Arreguín, on his last day as the District 4 City Councilman, introduced Harrison, who has served on the Housing Advisory Commission, the Parks Commission, the Waterfront Commission and is a co-founder of the Berkeley Progressive Alliance.”
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2016/12/01/kate-harrison-begins-her-campaign-for-the-district-4-berkeley-city-council-seat/

Harrison Has Experience
“As a leader in passing Measure U-1, Harrison led volunteer efforts to secure $4 million a year in new revenues from the windfall profits of Berkeley largest landlords. These new revenues are to use to create and preserve affordable housing for the people of Berkeley.
Harrison earned her master’s degree in Public Policy from Berkeley’s Goldman School.
In her professional career, Harrison has managed state and municipal budgets and improved government efficiency while ensuring vital public services are maintained and employees treated fairly. Harrison’s work experience includes policy and executive positions in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office under Art Agnos, and at the California Administrative Office of the Courts….”
http://berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2016-11-25/article/45183?headline=Kate-Harrison-Enters-Berkeley-District-Four-Council-Race

Daily Cal on District 4
http://www.dailycal.org/2016/11/17/3-candidates-vie-mayor-elect-jesse-arreguins-city-council-seat/

Gould Supported By BARF
The Bay Area Renters Federation, known as a tool for developers and supporter of Air BnB, backs Gould.
http://www.sfbarf.org/

Learn About Ben Gould
http://www.bengould.org/

League of Women Voters Forum January 19
https://kpfa.org/event/berkeley-city-council-district-4-candidates-forum/

By Posted on Posted in Issues

At the April 2016 Tenant Convention – sponsored by BTU and many other community organizations – a record turnout of Berkeley progressives selected a team of four candidates for Rent Board. Christina Murphy, Alejandro Soto-Vigil, Leah Simon-Weisberg and Igor Tregub are your team – vote CALI!

However, the Pro-Tenant CALI team has opposition! Sitting landlord Commissioner Judy Hunt only managed to recruit one young property manager to run for election as part of her slate.

Property Manager Nate Wollman
Property Manager Nate Wollman

One of the major differences between the two groups is their positions on the ballot measures that most impact renters: Measure AA and Measures U1/DD. The team chosen at the Tenant Convention all support Measure AA and Measure U1 and consider the landlords’ measure DD a dangerous deception. Hunt was the only vote on the Rent Board not supporting U1. She repeatedly refused to vote for Measure AA as a Commissioner, though it was put on the ballot at the request of the Rent Board to update parts of the Rent Ordinance which got behind the times. (Measure AA is non-controversial, has no official opposition except Hunt and Wollman, and is endorsed by the School Board and Berkeley Federation of Teachers.)
Property Manager Wollman is one of the main critics of Measure U1’s exemption of new construction from the tax to encourage building of more housing, although he strongly supports more development in his Rent Board platform. “We have a lot of so called progressives that harp on the ideals of making this city more inclusive, more affordable, more accessible to students and low income renters and then go an protest at zoning board meetings about proposed developments,” Wollman told Berkeleyside.

Learn More About CALI:
The schedule shows the CALI team is out talking to voters with their supporters every Saturday and Sunday. They also plan to hold phone banks.
http://berkeleyrentboard.org/

Rent Board Candidates on Video:
League of Women Voters held a forum for all six candidates.
http://www.lwvbae.org/videos-of-candidates-in-the-berkeley-municiple-elections-2016/

Bernie Sanders Endorses Pro-Tenant Slate!
http://www.dailycal.org/2016/09/25/bernie-sanders-endorses-pro-tenant-slate-november-rent-stabilization-board-elections/

Daily Planet Endorsements for Berkeley
http://berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2016-10-07/article/44973?headline=Endorsements-for-the-Berkeley-City-Races

Berkeleyside Coverage
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2016/10/17/election-2016-berkeley-spotlight-on-the-rent-board/

Hunt and Wollman have few endorsements
Hunt and Wollman have few endorsements