Assemblywoman Gonzalez’s Statement on State Agency’s Delay in Payment of Unemployment Insurance Claims

 

SACRAMENTO, CA – (Wednesday, November 6, 2013) – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, made the following statement after attending today’s oversight hearing of the Assembly Insurance Committee dealing with the Economic Development Department’s (EDD) delay in payment of continuing unemployment insurance claims.


“The delay in unemployment benefit payments that took place after Labor Day caused real harm to hundreds of thousands of California families who were missing out on their lifeline to pay for housing, food, medical care and other everyday expenses that don’t go away just because a paycheck is lost. The delay caused real anxiety and suffering among unemployed workers and their families. It’s unacceptable and it caused a real black eye for how Californians view their state government.

“This delay was triggered by a major malfunction that surfaced during an upgrade to the computer system at EDD, but it was compounded by an already-inefficient system that has for too long fallen short with untimely claims payments, draconian appeals processes, and a telephone call center that is too inaccessible to the public.

“I am disappointed in EDD’s slow response to the concerns of front-line employees as well as the lack of checks and balances in the handling of a vendor that has caused cost overruns and performance problems throughout the U.S. on similar projects. However, I’m grateful Governor Brown intervened to speed up payments to jobless families and I’m committed to ensuring that existing inefficiencies are fixed to prevent future delays and increase access to the benefits for which unemployed Californians are eligible.”

For background information on the unemployment insurance delays, read the Assembly Insurance Committee’s background report on the issue: http://ains.assembly.ca.gov/sites/ains.assembly.ca.gov/files/Final%20Background%20Paper.pdf.  

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez represents California’s 80th Assembly District, located in southern San Diego County and including the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista and National City. For more information, visit http://asmdc.org/members/a80/.

Polls, polls and more polls

We are coming down to the final weeks before E-Day and the polls from the various campaigns and IE committees are all basically showing the same thing, San Diego City Councilmember Kevin Faulconer is in the lead around the low 30's, and San Diego City Councilmember David Alvarez is running neck and neck with former California State Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher.  Depending on the time of the polls, Alvarez has passed Fletcher, but the margin of error still keeps them in a dead heat.  This information includes Fletcher's own internal poll, which he has not yet released.  The only poll that was different is the Survey USA poll.

There are two things that are very clear:
1) There will be a run-off
2) Faulconer will be in the run-off, unless he commits some major misstep.

Fletcher supporters fearing his loss are now running around claiming Faulconer could win it straight out in the primary, even when they said Nathan could have won it straight out in the primary or was so strong he would win it in a run-off.  Clearly, they were feeding people a fairy tale line and the next time these spin-not so masters tell you about another race, then you might want to tell them thank you, but no thank you.

These polls have shown Fletcher wasn't as strong as proposed by his early supporters either against Alvarez or Faulconer and the early polls were more about name identification, then anything else.  It shows that if the few unions and Democratic elected endorsements had followed the Labor Council and Democratic Party and gone with the lifelong Democrat, who had the proven progressive voting record Alvarez, then he would be in a dead heat with Faulconer and Fletcher would have folded even faster in the race and not place the possibility of Fletcher getting into the run-off to clearly loss it.

Alvarez tied with Fletcher in Second Place for San Diego Mayor

New poll also shows a run-off election extremely likely

In a new poll released by Working Families for a Better San Diego, an Independent Expenditure Committee sponsored by the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council , David Alvarez currently stands tied with Nathan Fletcher in second place in the special election for San Diego Mayor, and is in a competitive position to advance to the run-off.


"As the majority of voters begin to make their decisions about whom to elect as the next Mayor of San Diego, it is important that San Diegans understand that David Alvarez is an extremely viable candidate and has a great deal of momentum on his side.  David is the only candidate we can trust to stand up for all of us.  Nurses, teachers, and thousands of working families have already gotten behind David and this poll reconfirms what we’ve already been hearing from voters”, said Richard Barrera, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.

FROM THE POLL:

• In the mayoral trial heat, Kevin Faulconer now leads with 34% of the vote. David Alvarez (22%) and Nathan Fletcher (21%) are effectively tied for second position, and Mike Aguirre is a distant fourth with just 5% support.

• It is extremely likely that we are headed for a run-off election, as Faulconer is well below the 50% threshold needed to win outright on November 19.

The current state of the mayoral race shows voters settling into expected partisan divisions as they learn more about the candidates.

• Faulconer’s lead is largely due to his consolidation of Republican voters, among whom he receives 63% support.
• Alvarez holds an 11-point lead over Fletcher among registered Democrats, which makes sense given that Fletcher only recently abandoned his Republican roots.
• We also see Alvarez opening up an expected but important lead among the city’s Latino voters, 36% of whom support Councilman Alvarez, compared to 21% for Faulconer, 15% for Fletcher, and 8% for Aguirre.

Does the Knight Fall?

It was just about two months ago, when then San Diego City Mayor Bob Filner was going to resign and dialogue about an upcoming special mayoral election on the Democratic side was to put forward a candidate that could beat either former San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio or San Diego City Councilmember Kevin Faulconer.   

Former California State Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher, who had run and failed in the last mayoral election, was now being touted around town as the savior of the left by some state and federal elected officials, as well as big Democratic donors as the only one that could win the special mayoral election.  He was the one!  This banter was to take him even over a true tested Democrat elected with name id, fundraising ability, proven mayoral leadership and solid Democratic credentials, California State Assemblymember Toni Atkins.  Remember, Assemblymember Atkins steered the city the last time a mayor resigned.  The theory regarding former Assemblymember Fletcher was he had name identification, polls showed him ahead of “Dirty DeMaio” and “No Name ID Kevin”, as well as he had brought in big fundraising numbers in his last failed mayoral attempt and he was just swell on the stump.  Those points were regardless of the facts that former Assemblymember Fletcher had switched his party registration three times in about a year and half, lost most of his support from the right which he was still touting as him being able to be a consensus maker, while disavowing his previous held public policy positions and voting record.  Also, when he was truly tested in a heated campaign he crumbled or some would say never lived up to the hype in the last mayoral primary.  These new boosters of former Assemblymember Fletcher billed him as the savior on the left.  Funny, just in the 2012 mayoral election, he was billed as the true savior on the right from “Dirty DeMaio”.

The latest polls are coming out, after we have gotten into the thick of a real campaign.  Voters have been hearing the positives, the negatives, the endorsements of elected officials and organizations.  Big money has been spent and we can expect some more money still to come into play.  Under the pressure of a campaign, former Assemblymember Fletcher has shown yet again his well-developed image and the storyline of the campaign he and others touted does not stand-up.  There are various public and even internal polls, including his own I understand that all show former Assemblymember Fletcher dropping now below Councilmember Faulconer.  In fact, they all have him neck and neck with San Diego City Councilmember David Alvarez.  Those in the Fletcher campaign want to point fingers outside of their own campaign and cast blame onto others, but a true assessment is on his campaign and their supportive independent expenditures.  Nothing is a sure bet going into a campaign, but you need to make the best of what you have at hand.  The tails of endorsements, money, name identification and cross party appeal does not seem to be materializing for him.

The election is not over yet and polls are not always right at forecasting the election, but it seems like what the storyline of this knight riding a stallion in shining armor to rescue all of us on the left is looking more like after all the horn blowing, drummers and fanfare, he is just maybe a pimply guy on a colt with a spray-on tan missing the target and falling off his horse.  Only time will tell, the election results this election night!

After Washington Republicans Kill Immigration Reform, How Will DeMaio, Jorgensen, and Simon React?

 

House Republicans are following up their disastrous government shutdown by killing the prospects for immigration reform for 2013. According to a report from Politico, Republican leaders are planning to prevent a vote by the full House on immigration reform, despite years of discussions and bipartisan passage of a bill in the U.S. Senate.

As House Republicans let another national problem fester, congressional candidate and DREAM Act opponent Carl DeMaio will have more time to explain why his Washington allies are stopping reform, while Kirk Jorgensen and Dr. Fred Simon refuse to disown the dysfunction that is hurting regular Americans.

“Carl DeMaio’s closest allies in Washington are standing in the way of reasonable solutions to real problems with our immigration system, but that’s no surprise given DeMaio’s opposition to the DREAM Act and support for Arizona’s antagonistic immigration laws,” said Matt Inzeo of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “While Carl DeMaio and his Washington friends share a reckless approach to immigration, Kirk Jorgensen and Dr. Fred Simon refuse to speak up for reasonable solutions, and it makes all three of them wrong for San Diego.”

BACKGROUND

“House GOP Plans No Immigration Vote in 2013.” “House Republican leadership has no plans to vote on any immigration reform legislation before the end the year. The House has just 19 days in session before the end of 2013, and there are a number of reasons why immigration reform is stalled this year. Following the fiscal battles last month, the internal political dynamics are tenuous within the House Republican Conference. A growing chorus of GOP lawmakers and aides are intensely skeptical that any of the party’s preferred piecemeal immigration bills can garner the support 217 Republicans — they would need that if Democrats didn’t lend their votes. Republican leadership doesn’t see anyone coalescing around a single plan, according to sources across GOP leadership.” [Politico, 10/25/13]

DeMaio Opposed the DREAM Act Calling it a “Poorly Thought Out Program.” In 2012, at an Institute of Americas Debate, when asked whether he supported the DREAM Act, Carl DeMaio refused to say he supported it and called it an unfunded program, saying “Unfortunately, legislators passed the DREAM Act without providing the funding revenues, the funding source to support that program. And so my concern is that you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul. I think it’s a very poorly thought out program even though the intentions are well placed.” [Institute of the Americas Debate, uploaded 8/14/12]

DeMaio Supported Arizona’s Controversial Immigration Enforcement Law. In 2010, Carl DeMaio, as San Diego City Councilman, cast the lone dissenting vote on a resolution calling for the repeal of Arizona’s controversial SB 1070 immigration enforcement law. [Del Mar Times, 5/03/10]

San Diego Mayor Candidates Bob Filner and Carl DiMaio Debate at Institute of the Americas

Carl DeMaio’s Benefactors Face $1 Million Fine for Illegal Campaign Activity

While the Koch brothers use one of their partisan groups to attack Scott Peters, other elements in their network now face a $1 million fine from the California Fair Political Practices Commission and must pay $15 million to California’s general fund. The Commission identified two groups as “part of the ‘Koch Brothers Network’ of dark money nonprofit corporations.”

For years, DeMaio worked as a senior staff member of organizations where David Koch serves on the board of trustees. After his loss to disgraced ex-mayor Bob Filner, DeMaio went back to work for Koch’s Reason Foundation.

“With a Koch brothers ally attacking on Carl DeMaio’s behalf, it’s becoming increasingly clear that San Diego voters might have to live with the Koch’s infamous secret money attacks for the next year,” said Matt Inzeo of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “If the Koch brothers are willing to skirt California law to advance their Tea Party agenda, and they're already weighing in for their staffer Carl DeMaio, San Diego voters are in for a lot of politics-as-usual."

BACKGROUND
 
“Koch Brothers Network” Face $1 Million Fine for Illegal Campaign Activity.
“California's political watchdog agency on Thursday announced the largest fine in its history for campaign-reporting violations and ordered two political action committees involved in the 2012 elections to pay the state's general fund $15 million. The California Fair Political Practices Commission called the two groups that will pay the $1 million fine "part of the `Koch Brothers Network' of dark money political nonprofit corporations.’ The reference is to billionaire brothers Charles and David H. Koch, who have given millions of dollars to conservative causes across the country.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 10/24/13]

Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity Released TV Ad Targeting Scott Peters. 
“The conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity is wading into the 52nd Congressional District race more than a year before Election Day, funding a television ad calling for residents to call Rep. Scott Peters and demand the Affordable Care Act be replaced. […] David and Charles Koch of Koch Industries are the primary funders of Americans for Prosperity, which is spending at least $200,000 to air the 30-second spot on network affiliate and cable channels over the next three weeks.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 10/22/13]
 
2013: DeMaio is a Paid Consultant for Koch-Backed Foundation. 
In May 2013, Carl DeMaio announced that he was consulting for the right wing Reason Foundation, as chair of the California Reform Council. According to DeMaio’s personal financial disclosure, DeMaio received $37,500 from the Reason Foundation for his consulting work. David H. Koch serves on the Board of the Trustees of the Reason Foundation. [Carl DeMaio for Congress, 1/10/13; Federal Personal Financial Disclosure, 9/16/13; Reason.org, accessed 10/23/13]
 
·         1999-2003: DeMaio was Employed by Koch-Backed Foundation. 
From 1999-2003, Carl DeMaio worked for the Reason Foundation as a Director of Government Redesign. [Reason.org, web archive, 10/26/04; Voice of San Diego, 10/12/12]

When is campaigning, mudslinging?

There has always been debate; this special election cycle is no different, in the media and now amongst social media about dirty campaigning.  We are again abuzz and aghast with the campaign mail hitting homes, websites popping up, Facebook posts and parody twitter accounts from candidates, independent expenditures and political activists challenging certain things as crossing the line as attacks, going negative, slinging mud and dirty politics.  How dare you sir!

Going back to early United States history you see the mudslinging from some of our most distinguished and cherished elected officials.  It was never pretty.  My point is whether attacks are really mudslinging is in the eyes of the beholder.  For the attacker, they will claim they are only exposing the side of the candidate voters should be aware.  Just reaching back to our last mayoral election we hear from insiders and outsiders, “Why didn’t anyone tell us about former Mayor Bob Filner?”  Umm, that would be a charge of mudslinging, right?  What rises to the level of presenting the facts about a candidate or mudslinging?  The only answer I can see is depends from where you stand; making it or receiving it. 

Another interesting angle is when one slings mud claiming it is the guise of casting the light on another’s mudslinging.  A negative on a negative, classic!  I had to hand it to the independent expenditure supporting former Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher, they did the negative on the negative and went one step further, showed a photo of him and his family with mud splatters on them.  The mailer suggested the attacks they were defending were on the whole Fletcher family. No one has ever made any attacks on his family, but just the candidate.

In the end, the candidate needs to stand on their record, the good and the bad.  Those snarky comments by supporters of a candidate crying foul need to be judged on not how they respond to when their candidate is attacked, but how they respond when their candidate or the independent expenditure in support of their candidate attacks the others as well.  Mud will fly this election cycle, if you aren’t being hit, then you are throwing it. Splat!

What once is no longer, or was it ever really?

We have all read over the years about former Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher’s (R-75) ability to broker “The Deal” or bring sides together.  He was able to bring Republicans and Democrats together at the table to make “the deal”, break gridlock, create compromise in a broken down Sacramento world.  Looking at the repeated statements a little closer did then Republican Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher really make the deals possible?  Hmm

What really needs to be understood is the Democrats had almost a Super Majority and at minimum a majority.  In Sacramento, it didn’t take much to get something past, even when the Republicans stood in lock step opposition to it. You had a Democratic majority.  However, when you needed a few Republican votes they were usually around to be picked up.  It just needed for a deal to be made.  As former Speaker Willie Brown showed us when he kept his own speakership.  Remember, no one in Sacramento did anything for nothing; there was a deal and both sides gained something out of it.

This deal maker, the then Republican Assemblymember Fletcher was just selling something for something else and never really brought many Republicans, if any to the table from then his own party and as time rolled on, he had less success in bringing any other Republican to the table at all for a deal, besides himself.  Though, he got his from the deal, regardless.

Now, after the transformation from former Republican Assemblymember Fletcher, to Independent Assemblymember Fletcher in his loss in the last mayoral campaign, a year later he changed to a Democrat.   He is still making the claim, as well as his supporters; he can make the deal, bring people from opposing sides together and make the city work from its partisan gridlock. Not sure the partisan gridlock he speaks of, but let’s go with his narrative.  Sadly, since he is no longer a Republican, he no longer can bring any Republicans along.  You look at his current mayoral campaign and you don’t see any of his former Republican elected officials standing with him, you don’t see any of his former Republican big contributors standing with him, you don’t see any of his Republican endorsers, you don’t see any of his former Republican staffers standing with him, really you just don’t see him bringing anyone from his former Republican life to the campaign.  Rather, he is surrounded with the handful of swing voters from his last campaign, but mainly its all Democrats who he made deals with along the way.  He got something, they got something.  There is nothing wrong with people he made something happen for and they made something happen for him supporting each other.  My point is this, the image former Assemblymember Fletcher as the deal maker bringing people together was a great story, but like many stories it has come to an end and the more we re-read his story we see the errors in it.

The truth is if former Assemblymember Fletcher was not in the race, his support would have gone with Councilmember David Alvarez or they would have sat out of the race.  Maybe a few checks would have gone with Councilmember Kevin Faulconer, but just a handful at most. He isn’t drawing a middle of the road coalition and his storyline shows it.

The End

Nathan Fletcher Breaks Positive Campaign Pledge, Once Again Shifts Position

“And I’m here today to pledge to you today that my campaign will talk about me, my ideas, my vision for the future, and will not attack either of these other two gentlemen, who are fine men who care about our community. I’ll also call on every organization that’s endorsed me to do the same and I will publicly denounce any group affiliated with me that doesn’t do that because you deserve a campaign about the future of our city.” – Nathan Fletcher, September 27, 2013

October 25, 2013, SAN DIEGO – On September 27, 2013, during the Spirit of the Barrio debate in Barrio Logan, Nathan Fletcher pledged to run a campaign focused on issues and to denounce any attacks made by any group affiliated with him.

Less than one month later, Fletcher and his supporters have had another change of heart. Fletcher supporters sent out a political mailer attacking both his main opponents. The mailer goes after Councilmember David Alvarez for being a Democrat and Kevin Faulconer for being a Republican, yet Fletcher has not lived up to his pledge and denounced the attack. Fletcher used to be a conservative Republican and now he’s trying to run as a Democrat.

“He can’t even keep his own campaign pledges. It’s getting difficult to keep up with all of Fletcher’s position changes,” said Gabriel Solmer. “One thing is clear, Fletcher will say or do anything to get elected, including breaking his own word.”

What’s most interesting about the mailer is that it attacks Alvarez for being a Democrat. Ironically, Fletcher also sought the San Diego County Democratic Party’s endorsement, but Democratic Central Committee members couldn’t overlook his conservative record in the California State Assembly. The mailer in question was clearly not targeted to registered Democrats.

“I’m proud to be a Democrat and I’m proud to be supported by working families. If Nathan Fletcher believes supporting Democratic positions is a problem, he should stand up and let that be known to ALL voters. I will continue to run a campaign focused on the issues important to San Diego voters,” Alvarez said. "I promise to always keep my word and to not make any empty promises."

Alvarez has run a positive campaign highlighting his platform of creating jobs, investing in neighborhoods, and rebuilding the middle class. He’s been consistent on his platform since the campaign started and will continue to be throughout the remainder of the race.

For more information on Councilmember David Alvarez’s race for Mayor, visit: www.AlvarezforMayor.com

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Calls on El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis To Apologize For Divisive Comments

SAN DIEGO -- (Thursday, October 24, 2013) -- California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) made the following statement in response to news footage of El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis' comments about various ethnic communities in the San Diego region:

"San Diego County thrives on our vast cultural diversity. Mark Lewis' words reflect the ignorance and division that many of us grew up with but thought had been overcome in the last few decades. Mr. Lewis owes the public an apology and it's clearly time for a change of leadership in El Cajon."

To view Mayor Lewis' divisive comments, visit: http://www.10news.com/news/outrage-continues-over-comments-made-by-el-cajon-mayor-mark-lewis-10232013.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez represents California’s 80th Assembly District, located in southern San Diego County including the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista and National City. For more information, visit http://asmdc.org/members/a80/.http://asmdc.org/members/a80/

A Call for Respect and Representation in El Cajon

Community members rallied at El Cajon City Hall yesterday to protest Mayor Mark Lewis, whose recent comments about Chaldean schoolchildren were perceived by many residents to be racist and insensitive. San Diego County Democratic Party Chair Francine Busby has issued the following statement.

"Mayor Lewis recently said of his city's substantial Chaldean community -- many of whom are refugees from Iraq -- 'It doesn’t take them too long to learn where all the freebies are at.' That was in reference to children receiving free school lunches.

"In the same interview, he suggested that government programs that support 'minorities' are causing 'white flight' in El Cajon. The Mayor says he doesn't think his comments were offensive, but thousands of his constituents may feel differently.

"Too many Republican leaders like Mayor Lewis have an us-versus-them mentality, polarizing our society and generalizing those served by our government as 'takers.' I'm reminded of Mitt Romney's infamous '47 percent' speech last year, which essentially blamed students, veterans, the poor, and the elderly for a sense of 'entitlement.' The American people rejected that attitude, and I believe residents of El Cajon will too.

"We need elected leaders who not only better respect, but also better reflect, the whole community. El Cajon's Mayor and City Council are all white, yet almost half of their constituents are non-white. The city's elected officials are all men, though half of the population are women. All five of them are registered Republicans, but 63% of voters in the city are not. It's time for that to change.

"I call on Mayor Lewis to apologize for his needlessly divisive remarks. Further, I urge El Cajon residents to organize, register to vote, and turn out to elect public officials next year who will bring a fresh and more inclusive perspective to city government. For our part, the County Democratic Party will redouble our efforts to support candidates committed to advancing that important goal."

Follow the Leader: Carl DeMaio Campaigns on Scott Peters’ Ideas

After ducking basic questions for weeks about his Republican party’s shutdown of the government, Carl DeMaio has a few ideas about how Congress should do its job and agree to a budget. Those No Budget, No Pay ideas may look familiar to San Diego voters, because Scott Peters offered them last year and has been living up to them ever since.

“Carl DeMaio refused to show leadership and speak out against the irresponsible shutdown, and now he’s trying to repackage the ideas and work of others for himself,” said Matt Inzeo of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Whether he’s ducking the shutdown or using someone else’s ideas as his own, Carl DeMaio is proving he would rather put on a show than actually do the hard work of solving our challenges.”


BACKGROUND

LEADER: Peters Called for “No Budget, No Pay.” In 2012, Rep. Scott Peters launched a 30-second television ad calling for “No Budget, No Pay” as a way to hold representatives accountable for doing their jobs and passing a federal budget. In the ad, Peters says, “It’s time Congress worked for us. I say – no budget, no pay.  If Congress doesn’t do their job and balance the budget – they don’t get a paycheck.” [ScottPeters.com, 10/20/12]

LEADER: Peters Voted for No Budget, No Pay. In 2013, Rep. Scott Peters voted for HR 325, which adopts a version of “No Budget, No Pay,” an initiative Peters declared his support for prior to being elected to Congress. In addition Peters co-sponsored HR 310, the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would stop Congressional pay if Congress fails to pass a budget on time. [ScottPeters.com, 1/23/13]

- “Rep. Peters ‘Sequesters’ His Own Pay; Donates it to Feed Seniors in Need.”  “Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) applied the across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration to his own paycheck, stating that “any rules Congress imposes on federal employees and all Americans ought to apply to us, too.” He will take eight percent of his monthly salary, which equates to about $1,300 per month, and donate it to the Senior Community Center of San Diego to supplement meals for at-risk seniors.” [San Diego Free Press, 5/08/13]

LEADER: Peters Co-Sponsored the Stop Pay for Members Act. In 2013, Rep. Peters co-sponsored the Stop Pay for Members Act, which would ensure that Members of Congress would not get paid if the U.S. defaulted on its debt. [HR 1884, Cosponsors, 9/27/13]

FOLLOWER: DeMaio Proposed a “No Budget, No Pay” Law. In 2013, DeMaio called for a “No Budget, No Pay law” that would take way pay from every Member of Congress, the President, and Administration political appointees until a budget was passed. [CarlDeMaio.com, 9/30/13]

Paper tiger

The League of Conservation Voters has made their endorsement for mayor with a curious result.

The records for the candidates speak for themselves:

• Fletcher has a 48% lifetime score from the California League of Conservation Voters, 36% from the Sierra Club and the mailers from MEA only cite 2 bills to justify his commitment to the environment.
• Alvarez has an 88% from the San Diego League of Conservation Voters (the highest of any San Diego councilmember), has been endorsed by the Environmental Health Coalition, and is the Chair for the San Diego City Council’s Committee on Natural resources and Culture.

This should have been an easy endorsement for Alvarez had the decision been based on the facts about the environment. Instead, the San Diego League of Conservation Voters voted to endorse Fletcher based on speculation about electability. This decision, especially after giving Alvarez the highest environmental rating last year, immediately calls into question the legitimacy of the LCV.

Their website claims that they engage in election activities on behalf of the environment. The reality has been releasing an annual report card and maybe a single mailing per cycle. The chatter within the progressive communities is that the LCV has become a shell organization that exists to provide environmental credentials to candidates and campaigns that need it whether they deserve it or not.

And the odd thing is that the LCV doesn’t make its decision with the expectation of monies or favors. All it has is its brand. Which is why this de-legitimization is so baffling.

Ignoring their own research, as well as the environment, for political expediency makes sense when you look at who is on the board.  Supporters of Fletcher were successful in adding the LCV name to his mayoral campaign even though his environmental record pales next to Alvarez.

All this does is trash the LCV name within the circles where it would matter but those driving this effort don’t seem to care. What matters is the short term gain (if any) from an organization that’s willing to pay lip service to its cause if it can jumpstart a campaign that is spending money yet can’t get off the launching pad.

STATEMENT OF ASSEMBLY MAJORITY LEADER TONI ATKINS ON POSTAL SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HARVEY MILK STAMP

 

(San Diego)  Harvey Milk left an indelible mark on the history of the United States and the announcement that the United States Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp in his honor affirms his important place in our culture.  Last year, I was honored to carry HR 41, which was passed by the State Assembly, to urge the Postmaster General to issue a Harvey Milk stamp.

Postal commemorative stamps draw attention to important people who may not be familiar to all Americans.  Harvey Milk, who gave his life because he led the way for equality, is an ideal choice for this recognition.

I congratulate the sponsors of the campaign for a Harvey Milk stamp – the Harvey Milk Foundation, the International Court Council, and the GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego – on their success.