Thursday, August 16, 2012

A Better San Diego Coalition presents a No on Proposition 32 Community Discussion Forum


EVENT:         
A Better San Diego Breakfast Forum – No on Prop 32. Dubbed the Special Exemptions Act, Proposition 32 aims to give corporate interests exclusive access to big-money influence in politics and its proponents are relying on deception to sneak it past voters. Speakers, representing a wide range of organizations, will explain the truth behind Proposition 32, explore what's at stake, and discuss why it's important for our economy, environmental advocacy, and the push for good government to stop Proposition 32 in November 2012.

WHO:            
Willie Pelote, Assistant Director, Political Action Department, AFSCME International;
Diane Takvorian, Executive Director, Environmental Health Coalition;
Simon Mayeski, Board Member, Common Cause.
All will be available to speak with media.

WHEN:          
Friday, August 17, 2012
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:        
UFCW Local 135, 2001 Camino del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108

HIGHLIGHTS:         
San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer/CEO and event moderator Lorena Gonzalez, AFSCME International’s Willie Pelote, Environmental Health Coalition’s Diane Takvorian, and Common Cause’s Simon Mayeski will be available for interviews

Breakfast will be provided to attendees of this first-of-its kind public discussion for a recommended donation of $5

Opportunities for community reaction to California’s Proposition 32 Ballot Measure

Large crowd expected to attend this highly anticipated event  

CONTACT:    

Patrick Pierce
619-807-0850 Cell
ppierce@unionyes.org

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A Better San Diego
A coalition of labor, community, faith, environmental and civil rights organizations have joined together to imagine a better San Diego and start working to achieving it.
www.abettersandiego.org

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DeMaio's Landlord Endorsement Demonstrates His Opposition to Affordable Housing



Affordable Housing Advocates Say Apartment Association and DeMaio Both Worked Against San Diego's Middle Class


SAN DIEGO – (Wednesday, August 15, 2012) –  Carl DeMaio today announced the endorsement of the San Diego County Apartment Association, attempting to spin the landlord group’s endorsement to appeal to moderate voters. However, the record says otherwise -- mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio and the Apartment Association are wrong on affordable housing issues.

Carl DeMaio understandably hopes to whitewash his record of standing with developers and those profiting from the great recession at the expense of struggling San Diegans, but his new-found need to court moderate voters doesn't change the truth. While local families look for better opportunities to stay in San Diego and grow the middle class, Carl DeMaio stands with the developers and landlords who continue to push for more of the same policies that got us into an emergency housing crisis.

Affordable housing has reached a crisis level in San Diego. Rents have become increasingly unaffordable as home ownership has declined, and the landlord group has regularly resisted efforts like the Affordable Housing Linkage Fee program, Renters Rights rules that protect families from unfair renting policies, and lead paint protections that would promote safe and affordable housing.

DeMaio and the landlords have both opposed policies that help San Diego families afford housing at every turn, according to affordable housing advocates:

Betsy Morris, former CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission and currently an affordable housing advisor:
 "Carl DeMaio is not an advocate for more affordable housing,” explained Morris. “In high priced areas like San Diego, the gap between the cost of rent and wages for working families is too great to be bridged by phantom 'regulatory relief.' A prudent leader would recognize that the public has a stake in guiding investment to expand infrastructure in support of new housing and community benefits. Instead, Carl DeMaio has supported spending public funds to add low wage jobs that are insufficient to afford apartment rents. He also voted against raising funds for more affordable housing.”

Dr. Murtaza Baxamusa, Director of Planning and Development for the San Diego Building Trades Family Housing Corporation:
 "Why do San Diegan workers continue to struggle to make ends meet? The answer lies in the gap between what a job pays and what it costs to live in San Diego," said Baxamusa. "But all we see from the likes of Carl DeMaio is the same failed economic experiment that puts landlords, big business and developers above the interests of middle class San Diegans."
 
Dr. Nico Calavita, Professor Emeritus at San Diego State University's School of Public Affairs:

"Supporting affordable housing means ensuring that if you work in San Diego, you can afford to live in San Diego," Calavita said. "Mr. DeMaio has undermined policies and programs in support of that goal. Saying he is a supporter of affordable housing is preposterous."


For more information, contact San Diegans for Bob Filner for Mayor 2012 committee spokesman Evan McLaughlin at (619) 850-2790 or sandiegansforbobfilner@gmail.com.

San Diegans for Bob Filner for Mayor 2012 is a committee primarily formed to support Congressman Filner in the City of San Diego’s mayor race and does not coordinate with any candidate or candidate-controlled committee. ID # 1348840


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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Scott Peters for Congress



San Diego – August 14, 2012 – The Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest, the non-partisan legislative and electoral arm of Planned Parenthood, has endorsed Scott Peters’ campaign for California’s newly drawn 52nd Congressional District.

“Based on his 100 percent commitment to Planned Parenthood and to access to women's reproductive health services, our board is honored to endorse Scott Peters for Congress,” said Planned Parenthood Action Fund board chair Julie Bornstein. “When long-standing reproductive rights are in peril - even access to birth control - we are grateful for a candidate who is committed to protecting the health, safety and privacy of women and their families.”

Peters’ opponent, incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, by contrast, has been a reliable soldier in the extremists’ War on Women, voting to limit access to women’s preventive healthcare, contraception and reproductive health services.

In 2011, Bilbray voted to strip funding for Planned Parenthood, a safety net provider of reproductive and preventive healthcare for millions of women. He also supported extremists’ efforts to shut down the federal government over opposition to the program. This year, Bilbray voted to eliminate funding for clinics that provide reproductive and preventive health services to low-income women, including breast and cervical cancer screenings.

Bilbray’s dismal record on reproductive rights and women’s health has earned him a 9% rating from Planned Parenthood.

“Over the last two years, the extremists in Congress, including Brian Bilbray, have conducted an all-out assault on women’s healthcare and reproductive choice, including access to contraception.” Peters said.

“My wife and I both are extremely committed to Planned Parenthood,” said Peters, whose wife served on the local Planned Parenthood board of directors for years.  “I will always stand firmly in defense of the rights of all women to have access to affordable birth control and reproductive healthcare and will oppose any efforts to roll back these rights.”

For more information about Scott Peters’ campaign to bring common-sense change to Congress, go to www.scottpeters.com.

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