Serving the people of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Morgan Hill & Gilroy
August 2022
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Message from the Co-Presidents
Summer doldrums?
Not so much
Who says summer is slow! The last few weeks have been very busy for our League and other Leagues in Santa Clara County with significant actions taken on serious issues.
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Preparing for November election
The Voter Service team is moving at high speed to get everything in place for Candidate Forums (possibly as many as 20!), voter registration, Pros & Cons and Voter's Edge
prior to the Nov. 8 election. MANY MORE VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED. Please email Voter Service Chair Sandy Mory to learn how you can help the League deliver these activities to the communities we serve.
San Jose Housing Element Update
The City of San José released its Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element update in July and is hosting an in-person open house on Monday, Aug. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. at Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose, to review its contents and answer questions.
The League's Housing and Homelessness Committee will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 12 noon via Zoom to hear from Lucas Ramirez, a policy aide to San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, share his personal thoughts on how to review and comment on a Housing Element from a League point of view. He is an active member of the LWV Los Altos-Mountain View Housing Committee.
The Housing Element is part of the General Plan and is required to be updated every eight years. It must include specifics on production goals, strategies, policies, programs and quantified objectives as well as a list of potential sites for affordable housing and how the City will address homelessness and affirm fair housing.
For further information or to receive the link to the League's Aug. 10 committee meeting, contact Roma Dawson.
Joining Urban Forestry Coalition
In July our Board voted to have our League join the newly formed Coalition to Advance Urban Forestry in San Jose. Other Coalition partners include Our City Forest, the Audubon Society, the California Native Plant Society, and the Sierra Club. Our League has been vocal about our concerns about the reduced tree canopy in San Jose and about the need for San Jose to actively support its urban forest as a part of a climate resiliency strategy. We’ve been particularly concerned about the inequitable tree canopy throughout the city, and wrote three letters last year urging action on San Jose's Draft Community Forest Management Plan. If you'd like to be involved in advocating for San Jose's urban forest, please contact Vicki Alexander, Virginia Holtz or Judy Chamberlain.
We need you!
We anticipate that the pace is going to accelerate even more in the coming months. We'd love to talk with you about how you can get even more involved in the League.
Taryn Upchurch
Taryn.Upchurch@lwvsjsc.org
Diane McNutt
Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org
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Virtual Lunch With League
"Building a Welcoming San Jose Through Equity Inclusion
and Belonging"
Thursday, Aug 18, 2022
12 noon-1 p.m. via Zoom
Zulma Maciel, Director, Office of Racial Equity, City of San José, will be our guest speaker this month. Nearly 40% of San Jose residents were born in another country. Many more San Jose residents have immigrant relatives and family members, with approximately 60% of children having at least one immigrant parent. The Office of Racial Equity aims to assist immigrant communities, long-term residents, and the City itself to build a more welcoming community — in which everyone can feel like they belong and where immigrants are included in civic, economic, linguistic, and social aspects of life in San Jose. Come learn about how the City of San Jose intends to carry out the strategies in the Welcoming San José Plan.
Virtual Lunch With League events are FREE and open to all members of the community. Please invite people you know to attend.
COMING UP
On Sept. 15, Cameron Hickey of the Algorithmic Transparency Institute and the National Conference on Citizenship speaking on “Combating Mis- and Dis-information in Our Community: Understanding It and Effective Response Strategies.” His workshop on this topic was one of the most highly-rated events of the League's National Convention in June, and we are privileged to have him as our guest.
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Meet Martha Butzier
New League Secretary
Martha Butzier is no stranger to change. She has lived in six states, mostly in the Midwest, including her native Iowa. After many years as a nurse working in critical care, emergency rooms and physician offices, she took a major career shift by attending seminary to become a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. And in early 2021, she embraced change once again, moving to California – a place she “never in my wildest dream thought I would live” -- to start a new chapter of her life.
When she and her son decided to buy a house together, they looked at many communities in search of one that would offer lots of diversity. They chose San Jose and haven’t been disappointed. It was also important to her to find a place where she could become involved with the political and social issues important to her. Again, San Jose filled the bill and so did the League of Women Voters.
“My father was the odd duck in his family politically,” she said, “and the conversations I heard as a child about inclusion not exclusion influenced my life and political decisions. My faith journey deepened my search for justice and equity for all.”
She was generally familiar with the League and the principles it stands for but has come to appreciate it even more as she learns about the growing list of core issues that the League is working on. Martha appreciates the nonpartisan stance of the League about political parties and candidates, but she also admires the League’s positions and willingness to speak out.
“Some things you just can’t be quiet about. You can’t be a fence sitter, you have to take stand,” she said.
Martha is balancing her pastoral work with her duties as our League’s Secretary and her new role as a grandmother. She has a budding interest in succulent gardens and keeping five chickens for fresh eggs. “I’m learning so much about California and the Bay Area,” she said. “There is a lot to explore.”
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Hot Button Issues On Our Radar
Controversial Quarry Proposal
The Climate Change and Action/Advocacy Committees are monitoring a proposal for a quarry at the Sargent Ranch property, four miles south of Gilroy (county jurisdiction). The proposal is for an open pit sand and gravel mine that would operate for 30 years and then be reclaimed. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was recently released.
The Climate Change and Action/Advocacy Committees will hold a joint meeting on Monday, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m. via Zoom to discuss the Draft EIR and possible League action about this project. The Draft EIR lists various significant and unavoidable impacts, including biological resources (wildlife corridors), air quality, and transportation (vehicle miles traveled). There are also concerns about the location of the proposed quarry is on a sacred site of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. If you would like to attend the Aug. 22 or learn more about this issue, contact Vicki Alexander, Virginia Holtz or Judy Chamberlain.
Money in Politics/Police Reform
The Action/Advocacy Committee is also following two issues that will be coming to the San Jose City Council this fall. One is a proposed ordinance that would prohibit foreign-influenced corporations or donors from making contributions to local elections. The League is also monitoring the release of recommendations to re-imagine policing in San Jose drafted by a city committee on police reform. Watch for updates on these issues in future issues of The VOTER or contact Action/Advocacy Committee Chair Vicki Alexander if you want to get involved.
Gun Violence
League members have a special invitation to attend a Zoom discussion on guns and violence in America on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 7-9 p.m., presented by Braver Angels Silicon Valley. The goal is to have a serious, civil conversation across the political divide that seeks to find common ground and shared values -- seeing where we might agree as well as better understanding the other side where we disagree. Is there a way we can all move forward on issues such as gun control, cultures of violence, and how to help at-risk youth. Learn more and register HERE.
Lawsuit against anti-nonprofit speech
You may have read about the federal lawsuit filed by LWV of Cupertino-Sunnyvale challenging an ordinance in the City of Cupertino which requires nonprofit organizations to register as lobbyists or risk being penalized. “This ordinance is an attack on nonprofit organizations that seek to educate and empower voters and engage with their elected officials to seek reforms. Ultimately, the voters will suffer,” said Tracey Edwards, co-president of LWV of Cupertino-Sunnyvale. “At the League, engaging with state and local officials on behalf of voters and communities is a key part of protecting a fair, equitable, and representative government, and our voices deserve to be heard.”
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Training sessions for Voter's Edge volunteers |
Voter’s Edge is key to our League’s voter education and resource goals. There is always a need for Voter’s Edge volunteers, especially with the upcoming November election. The work is primarily administrative and there is continual technical support. It is a great way to become familiar with candidates and the various races.
Voter’s Edge volunteers may be asked to:
- reach out to candidates for information
- follow up on candidate postings
- review candidate information
- explain to candidates the benefit of being listed on Voter’s Edge
- send out emails through the Voter’s Edge system
- manage content submitted by candidates
- resize photographs
- monitor the site
Online training sessions will be offered in preparation for the November election. Sign up if you think you would like to volunteer.
To learn more about Voter's Edge volunteering, contact Judy Conner
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QUICK LINKS
Join the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara HERE
Donate to the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara HERE
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