Posts by Becca Duncan
The group behind Measure J hopes Sonoma County is the start of a green movement
Kristina Garfinkel is an activist and Santa Rosa resident who said she treasures Sonoma County’s rural, farm-based culture. Still, for the past year, she’s been one of the lead organizers of an initiative that many say could upend farming in Sonoma County. Measure J is on the ballot for residents of Sonoma County and has…
Read MoreIn Kamala Harris’ childhood neighborhood, residents have differing views on rent control
Some say rent control is necessary, while others say it will hurt the economy and stifle housing construction. As Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has repeatedly talked about the high cost of housing on the campaign trail, and residents in the Berkeley neighborhood where she grew up offered mixed views on a California ballot initiative,…
Read MoreFactory farming measure could cost county hundreds of millions
But proponents of the measure say those estimates are overblown, and that measure will protect animals and the environment. “This measure is designed to ban farming in Sonoma County — period.” That is the view of Mark Weber, owner of Sunrise Farms LLC, a major poultry farm in Sonoma County and one of…
Read MoreBerkeley voters face stark choice between two opposing rent control measures
One measure is supported by tenants and another by landlords. Only one measure can become law. When Berkeley voters go to the polls Tuesday, they will be confronted with not one but two rent control measures. The measures mirror each other in many respects. Both have provisions for rent relief, and tenants rights.…
Read MoreOakland voters asked to support a property tax increase to keep millions of dollars in public safety funding
Oakland voters are being asked to consider a measure on the ballot that would increase property taxes as a way to fund public safety and crime prevention programs. But to understand Measure NN, you need to know about Measure Z, the voter-approved action that has been doing this since 2015. Measure Z is set to…
Read MoreMayor Thao rallies against recall, with help from a former Oakland mayor and other supporters
At an event launching the campaign to fight her recall, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said Sunday that the FBI raid of her home in June was an “overreach” by the agency. Likening it to the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails just two weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Thao said the ongoing FBI probe is…
Read MoreYouth press Mayor Thao about jobs, housing, policing, saying city has ignored concerns of young people
At a youth town hall meeting Tuesday, Mayor Sheng Thao said she was interested in how the government can better support young people and the importance of transitional housing for 18-year-olds as they become adults. She also said that the FBI raid on her house was an attempt to stop her from creating meaningful change…
Read MoreMove to increase campaign donation caps hits snag in Oakland City Council
A proposal to temporarily increase campaign contribution limits for the November election has stalled, after the City Council failed to meet a quorum for the legislation’s passage. The change, proposed by Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran and Kevin Jenkins, would have increased campaign contribution limits to $800 from individual donors and $1,500 from political committees until 2027.…
Read MoreOakland voters being asked to add muscle to the city’s Ethics Commission
In the face of mounting political pressure, the Oakland City Council reversed course Tuesday and voted in favor of a November ballot measure that would beef up the Public Ethics Commission. Citing Oakland’s substantial budget shortfall, the council had previously turned down a proposal that includes a slate of reforms meant to modernize the city’s…
Read MoreResidents ask District 6 City Council candidates what they will do about sideshows and smoke shops.
More than 100 people attended the District 6 City Council forum Monday night at Memorial Auditorium, pressing candidates Claudia Jiménez and Shawn Dunning about sideshows, smoke shops, rent control, public safety and the $550 Chevron settlement. About 70% of the residents who came in person live in District 6. The forum also was accessible on…
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