Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. | | The official newsletter of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County.
Vol 65 | Issue 4 | Date: April 13, 2023 | | | LEAGUE ADVOCACY YIELDS RESULTS
|
On April 4, 2023, the SLO County Board of Supervisors took action on two issues that have been a focus of League advocacy for more than two years. They acted to set aside the controversial Patten Map adopted in December 2021 and adopt a new map, and they repealed the ordinance setting a contribution cap of $25,000 on individual contributions to candidates for countywide offices. LWVSLOCO 2nd Vice President Ed Cabrera spoke on behalf of the League at the meeting.
| Board of Supervisors Repeals Current Patten Map and Sets April 18 Hearing to Adopt a New Map
The Supervisors voted 3-2 to repeal the supervisory districts established by Ordinance 3467 (the Patten Map). This action followed the Board’s March 21 decision to settle the lawsuit with SLO County Citizens for Good Government, other petitioners, and the League of Women Voters of SLO County, who jointly opposed the Patten Map for violating the CA Fair Maps Act and the CA Constitution. Now the county will consider other maps, including Map A, Map B and the Chamber of Commerce Map that were previously considered by the Board. The Board set a hearing date of April 18, 2023, to adopt a new map in time for the 2024 primary election.
At the April 4 board meeting, League 2nd VP Cabrera stated in public comment that the League can support either Map A, Map B, or the Chamber Map, however, we believe Map B is the best choice because it makes minimal changes to the district lines and consolidates the entire campus of Cal Poly within one supervisory district making it easier for students to vote.
Read the League’s Public Comment to the Board here.
The hearing to select a new map is set for April 18. We encourage our members to submit public comment, either in person or via email to the Supervisors email at boardofsups@co.slo.ca.gov. The agenda for the April 18 meeting can be found here. | SLO County Takes a Small Step Forward for Campaign Finance Reform by Repeal of $25,000 Contribution Cap
Also on April 4, the Board of Supervisors took a step forward on campaign finance reform by repealing an ordinance passed in November 2020, which set the cap for individual contributions to candidates for countywide office at $25,000. The Board voted 3-2 to default to the state limit, currently $5,500. League 2nd VP Cabrera noted that the League, together with more than 700 other individuals and organizations, strenuously opposed the campaign cap ordinance when it was proposed in 2020. He stated the League position that large money contributions have a corrosive influence on our democracy and that large contributions from individuals and corporations, and dark money from PACs that are not required to disclose their donors, distort our political process and undermine fair representation. They contribute to public mistrust of government institutions, to disillusionment with democracy, and to voter apathy.
The League, both nationally and locally, seeks to ensure that candidates are elected based on their positions and their qualifications to serve and not on how much money they can raise.
Read the League’s Public Comment to the Board here. | Lunch with the League: Why the Lack of Affordable Housing Matters
May 8 at noon on Zoom
| | Why the Lack of Affordable Housing Matters
Lunch with the League - May 8 at noon
SLO County has a serious lack of housing affordable for low and moderate-income families. This webinar will explore why it matters and what tools are available to address the problem. The panel will look at the economic and social consequences for the whole community, as well as show how individual households suffer the impact of a shortage of affordable housing.
This Zoom event is free to the public, but registration is required. Register here.
| | | Why Should YOU Care About Affordable Housing? Find out when you join Lunch With the League at noon on May 8.
The lack of affordable housing is on the agenda of County government, every City Council, and the numerous agencies and nonprofits that provide social services to residents of our county. For those of us living securely in a house or apartment, it may seem like a peripheral issue. After all, the housing market automatically allocates housing, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, market rate housing in SLO County is no longer affordable to the middle class, and certainly not to households with lower income. By one measure, just 18% of SLO households can afford the median (the 50th percentile) priced home for sale.
This webinar will provide evidence, through data and experience, of why this should matter to YOU. Communities function best when they have a diverse range of options for housing to match the needs of different kinds of households by income and size. When the housing doesn’t exist, the quality of life of every person in the community is slowly reduced.
This is the first of 4 webinars to be produced by the League of Women Voters of SLO County to
describe the lack of affordable housing and identify steps we can take to address the problem. An
outstanding panel will walk you through why it matters that SLO has too little affordable housing.
Moderator:
Jeff Eckles, CEO, Housing Trust Fund of SLO County
Panel:
Michael Foote, Project Manager, REACH: The Economic Consequences
Brenda Mack, HSOC: The Impact on Individual Households
Krista Jeffries, Lead Organizer, YIMBY SLO County: The Social Impacts on the Community
Join us on Monday, May 8 at noon on Zoom.
This webinar is free to the public, but registration is required. Register here
| SPECIAL ELECTION CANDIDATES FORUM REPLAY | | The PRJUSD Special Election is on April 18.
Hear directly from the candidates - watch a replay of the March 22 Candidates Forum.
This forum was moderated by LWV SLOCO and sponsored by Paso Robles AAUW.
| | | NATIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK | |
April 16 – 22 is Volunteer Appreciation Week
LWV joins organizations across the country to honor our volunteers.
Without you we would be powerless.
You make the work of the League – protecting the right to vote and defending democracy -- happen.
Thank you! | | | UPCOMING EVENTS & WEBINARS |
Member Meeting on June 10
| |
The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County biennial meeting will be held at the Madonna Inn on June 10 at 10 am.
This is a members-only event. | | | Meeting highlights:
➤ Listen to keynote speaker: Dawn Addis, Assemblymember, CA District 30
➤ Socialize with fellow League members
➤ Enjoy a delicious Madonna Inn luncheon
➤ 25th Anniversary Presentation to the Community Foundation of SLO County
➤ Vote on the League's priority issues, biennial budget and elect League officers and board members
League members, watch for an email invitation later this month. We look forward to seeing you on June 10!
| Webinar: Offshore Wind Energy on California’s Central Coast
SLO County's Port Infrastructure Needs
| | What: A panel discussion of wind energy in SLO County
When: Thursday, May 4, 6:30 pm
Where: In person at the Morro Bay High School, 235 Atascadero Road, Morro Bay, CA RSVP here
| | | After an auction in December, three companies bid a collective $425.6 million to lease a total of 376 square miles of the Pacific Ocean off San Luis Obispo County’s coast for floating offshore wind energy development. The area, located about 20 miles off the coast of San Simeon and Cambria, could generate about 6 gigawatts of electricity at peak production, according to the three entities who won the leases: Central California Offshore Wind, Equinor Wind US and Invenergy California Offshore.
The massive floating wind energy developments will require certain port infrastructure to support the various ships servicing crews, materials and equipment. Does San Luis Obispo County have what it takes to support this new energy industry along its coast? How will it tie into the statewide port infrastructure to make this happen? What are the environmental impacts, economic costs and benefits, and regulatory hurdles involved with building out the county’s port infrastructure?
The San Luis Obispo Tribune will discuss this with a panel of experts on May 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Morro Bay High School’s auditorium. Tribune reporter Mackenzie Shuman will moderate the discussion. The panelists are:
- California State Senator John Laird, D-Santa Cruz
- California State Lands Commission staff member, Jennifer Mattox
- REACH Central Coast CEO Melissa James
The event is free to attend; RSVP here. This event will be live-streamed on The Tribune website, Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
| El Camino Homeless Organization Presents ECHO Empty Bowls
| Enjoy two opportunities to participate. It's sure to be a great time while supporting the mission of helping those facing homelessness in our community. More info here.
ATASCADERO LUNCHEON
Thursday, April 20th, 11 am - 2 pm
(Seatings at 11 am & 12:30 pm)
Atascadero Bible Church
PASO ROBLES EVENING RECEPTION
Thursday, April 27th, 5 pm - 7 pm
Studios on the Park
| | |
League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County
The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to people 16 years and older, of all gender identities. With over 100 years of experience, the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations.
| |