Serving the people of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Morgan Hill & Gilroy
January 2022
The VOTER
President's Message from Carol Watts

Ready or not, 2022 is here!

Happy New Year! We hope all of you had a safe and healthy holiday season. 

Many of us enjoyed getting together in person at our Holiday Party in early December. It felt “normal” and we so much enjoyed visiting with each other. Thanks to our hard-working committee who organized all the food and drinks, and decorations. And now the Omicron variant is changing our lives once again. Sigh. 
Hold the date!
We have an important meeting for members on Feb. 12 which we call “Program Planning.” This is the League’s grassroots process of recommending and selecting governmental issues for study and agreement in reaching a position. We will discuss national, Bay Area, and local issues and propose our action priorities for 2022-23. Mark your calendar now and watch for more information about this meeting in our next VOTER.

Lunch with League – Judge LaDoris Cordell
Be sure to sign up for our Jan. 20 Lunch With League when we will welcome Judge LaDoris Cordell and talk about the judicial system and her new book “Her Honor”. 

I’m currently listening to the audio version of this book, read by her, and am just enthralled. She describes the reality of being a Superior Court judge in our county with interesting stories, clear descriptions, and historical background so the reader can learn how our justice system works. I admire her honesty, humor, and commitment to justice. I’m anxious to get to the last chapter titled “The Fix: Ten Suggestions for Reform.” Based on the chapters I’ve heard so far, I’m sure two reforms are the selection and retention elections of judges and the judicial recall process. 

If you want to read this book, you can get it from libraries in our area or you can buy a copy. We will have lots to talk about with her on Jan. 20! 

Stay safe and healthy,

Carol
president@lwvsjsc.org
Let's double our impact!

When our League’s current fundraising campaign launched in November, we had no idea a generous, anonymous donor would come forward to match whatever we raised. What an opportunity we have been given!

From now through early 2022, every dollar you or I contribute, up to a total of $10,000, will be matched 100%. The additional funds generated through this campaign will stay in our local community and allow The League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara to expand its impact and reach newer, larger audiences prior to the 2022 primary and general elections.

Please add your name to the list of individuals who have already taken advantage of this generous offer. You can make your gift online, by going to our website, or sending a check to League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara, P.O. Box 5374, San Jose, CA 95150.

Donors during the month December included:
Mary Collins
Virginia Holtz
Beth Hughes
Curtis Jones
Lily Mei

This generous matching gift opportunity will extend through the first few months of 2022, but will not last forever, so Donate Now to make your gift go twice as far!

Lunch With League launches 2022 with guest speaker
Judge LaDoris Cordell

Thursday, Jan. 20 via Zoom
12 noon-1 p.m.

LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, the first African American woman to sit on the Superior Court of Northern California, will be the guest speaker for Lunch With League on Thursday, Jan. 20, 12 noon-1 p.m.

She will discuss her new book, Her Honor, a thought-provoking insider account of our legal system that includes vivid stories of the cases that came through her courtroom. The candid account of her years on the bench reveal the strengths, flaws, and much-needed changes within our courts.

Following her retirement from the bench, Judge Cordell served as a Vice Provost at Stanford University and as the Independent Police Auditor for the City of San Jose. Most recently she is a legal commentator and police reform advocate who is a frequent guest on news outlets such as NPR, CNN and MSNBC.


Virtual Lunch With League events are FREE and open to all members of the community. Please invite people you know to attend.

LWVSJ/SC registers with Benevity
for workplace giving

The League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara has recently registered with Benevity, an online platform used by many companies – large and small – to facilitate workplace giving by their employees. Among the major local employers who use Benevity are Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe Systems.

Employees at these companies can login to the Benevity portal and find a list of nonprofit organizations, organized by name, geographic location, or category of service. Here they can learn more about registered organizations like ours, including a description of our programs, finances, and volunteer opportunities. And if they choose to support LWVSJ/SC with a gift, they can do so directly from this site. In many cases employers will match their individual employees’ donations, especially during specific campaign periods when they want to demonstrate corporate support for their local community.

If you, a member of your family, or friends work at a company that uses Benevity to facilitate workplace giving, please encourage them to use the site to give a one-time or recurring gift to our League in support of the work we do to provide voter education and strengthen our democracy. Their gift may be doubled, or even tripled, by their employer! 

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Help us define the League's agenda
for the next two years

The League is a grassroots organization that sets its agenda through the “Program Planning “ process. This is your chance to help choose our priorities for action and determine what we want for the future of the League of Women Voters (national) and our local League

Join us Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. via Zoom when we discuss the League issues proposed for the next two years. Where should the National League focus its efforts and energy? Also, what are the issues of concern here in our community? Is there a need for legislative activity and/or other types of advocacy? Are there areas that we have not taken a position on that you think we should?

This meeting will determine our League’s direction through 2022. Set the date on your calendar and register here now.

To learn more about the Program Planning process, sign up for a free webinar from the national League on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 12 noon Pacific time.

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Legislative interviews coming up - volunteers needed

It is time for our annual interviews with eight state legislators representing our area -- and we need your help! This is an opportunity to share with our elected state assemblymembers and senators some of the League's priorities while gathering information from them about their legislative priorities. Interviews have already been conducted with Assemblymember Alex Lee (District 25) and Senator Bob Wieckowski (District 10). Upcoming virtual meetings are in the works for:

State Senators: Dave Cortese (District 15) and John Laird (District 17) 

Assemblymembers: Ash Kalra (District 27), Evan Low (District 28) Mark Stone (District 29) and Robert Rivas (District 30)

Would you like to be part of the team to interview one or more of these elected officials? If yes, or to learn more about the legislative interview process, contact Vicki Alexander or Taryn Upchurch.

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More good news about Coyote Valley!

On Dec. 14, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to change zoning for farming lands in Mid and South Coyote Valley to protect agricultural uses of the land. Changes include limiting the size of houses and other non-agricultural structures on farmlands and providing incentives for preserving farmland. Last month, the San Jose City Council voted to rezone parts of Coyote Valley from industrial to open space and agriculture. These County and City votes will help ensure that Coyote Valley can provide flood control, groundwater recharge, wildlife corridors, local food production and other climate resilience benefits.

The Action and Climate Change Committees wrote the Board of Supervisors  encouraging them to vote YES; the League of Women Voters SJ/SC has long been an advocate for the preservation of Coyote Valley.

If you’d like to be more involved in the Action Committee, please contact Vicki Alexander. For more information about the Climate Change / Natural Resources Committee, please contact Judy Chamberlin or Virginia Holtz. The next meeting of the committee is Thursday, Jan. 13, 2 p.m. via Zoom.

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San Jose Council considers
Forest Management Plan on Jan. 25

The San Jose City Council is set to review the Draft Community Forest Management Plan recently completed by the City's Department of Transportation and Dudek Consultants at its meeting on Jan. 25. The League has closely monitored the development of this plan and has written letters of support during the process for the overall concepts of the plan, but recommending these revisions:

  • 100% of San Jose tree canopy should be included, rather than just street trees and trees on city-owned property.
  • A stakeholder Working Group composed of experts in the field of urban forestry practices should be formed.
  • An urban forest database of trees should be made public.

Learn more about this plan and the review/adoption process HERE.


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Bay Area League Day focus on "Solving for Housing:
The Nexus of Housing Policy and Climate Policy"

As wildfires worsen, temperatures peak and air quality decreases, Bay Area communities are already experiencing the impacts of climate change. Experts estimate that California is short over 3.5 million homes. This year’s LWV Bay Area annual educational day, Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. via Zoom, explores how we build more housing that is affordable while protecting critical natural and working lands. A resilient Bay Area requires the implementation of strategies at local and regional levels that can achieve multiple benefits. The event will take a holistic look at land-use strategies involved in placing housing. 
 
"Solving for Housing" tackles how best to accomplish the goal of increasing housing supply while combating the existential threat of climate change. How will we provide adequate housing while doing all possible to address impending climate risks? Cities and counties in the Bay Area must update their Housing Element strategies in 2022. Therefore, it is an opportune time for League members to learn more about how leading environmental and housing advocates are coming together to create a more resilient California with nature-based solutions for how we use our land and grow our cities.
 
We all know the Bay Area is in the midst of a severe housing shortage and a climate crisis, both of which disproportionately impact low income communities. Explore the tough questions we should all ask regarding land-use decisions that affect sea level rise, wildfire risk, and lack of water/water infrastructure. What climate resilient land-use policies should be integrated into local land-use planning to achieve smart growth patterns? Hear experts discuss critical actions we need to take right now to address climate challenges while increasing housing affordability and availability for all.
 
Registration details will be available soon in the weekly "Monitor Notes" newsletter.  Subscribe here. Contact Roma Dawson for more information.

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New state & federal district boundaries are drawn

New state and federal district boundaries are drawn.  See information and the new mapsScroll down to the map, enter your street address, then click on 'Zoom out." You can change which districts are displayed in the "Layers."  

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Celebrate 102 years of the League
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2-4 p.m.

Postponed from spring of 2020, this festive celebration honors the League's 102nd anniversary. It will be held at Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose. Beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be served. And there will be cake! REGISTER HERE.
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