Public Comment

People have asked me which local candidates and ballot measures I am supporting. With the election just 2 days away, I want to share with you who I am supporting and why.

Here are my recommendations (please see explanation below): 

PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT: Barack Obama and Joe Biden 

U.S. CONGRESS: Barbara Lee 

BERKELEY MAYOR: Kriss Worthington (Rank First) 

Jacquelyn McCormick (Rank Second) 

BERKELEY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2: Denisha DeLane (Rank First) 

Adolfo Cabral (Rank Second) 

BERKELEY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3: Max Anderson 

BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5: Sophie Hahn 

BERKELEY RENT BOARD: Support the progressive pro-tenant slate – 

Alejandro Soto Vigil, Judy Shelton,  

Igor Tregub, Asa Dodsworth 

BERKELEY SCHOOL BOARD: Judy Appel and Beatriz Leyva-Cutler 

AC TRANSIT AT LARGE: Chris Peeples 

AC TRANSIT, WARD 1: Yelda Bartlett 

BART BOARD, DISTRICT 3: Rebecca Saltzman 

BART BOARD, DISTRICT 7: Maria Alegria 

BERKELEY MEASURES: 

Measure M (Street Repair Bond) – No Position 

Measure N (Pools Bond) – YES! 

Measure O (Pools Tax) – YES! 

Measure P (Reauthorize existing taxes) – YES 

Measure Q (Update Utility Users Tax) – YES 

Measure R (Redistricting) – YES 

Measure S (Ban on Sitting on Commercial Sidewalks) – NO! 

Measure T (West Berkeley rezoning) – NO! 

Measure U (Sunshine Ordinance) – No Position 

Measure V (Getting Needed Financial Reports) – YES! 

COUNTY MEASURES: 

Measure A1 (Zoo Tax) – No Position 

Measure B1 (Transportation Funding) – YES! 

STATE MEASURES: 

Prop 30 – YES! 

Prop 31 – NO 

Prop 32- NO! 

Prop 33 – NO 

Prop 34 – YES 

Prop 35 – YES 

Prop 36 – YES 

Prop 37 – YES 

Prop 38 – NO 

Prop 39 – YES 

Prop 40 - YES 

Background on my recommendations: 

This election is critical not only for the future of our country but also for Berkeley’s future. 

Wall Street, corporations, and SuperPACs have spent millions trying to get Mitt Romney elected. Unfortunately in Berkeley, the bastion of liberal politics, the same is happening. Tens of thousands of dollars have been spent by large landlords and corporate interests in local races. Berkeley is at a crossroads and this is an election that will define the future of the City. Will we move in a direction of transformative change guided by the needs and values of our citizens, or will it be defined by politicians and corporate interests? 

This is what is at stake. So its no wonder landlords, real estate interests and business are spending so much bankrolling campaigns. 

Who are they backing? They’re backing a deceptively named slate called “Tenants United For Fairness”, who is really a pro-landlord slate (two of the candidates are landlords, and only one is a rent controlled tenant). They are running on a platform of attacking the Rent Board using a discredited Grand Jury Report, claiming something is wrong with how the Rent Board is being run. Their platform of lowering registration fees will result in less enforcement and pave the way for more evictions and rent increases. We saw what happened when a landlord slate took control of the Board in 1990 - rents increased 33% in just one year! Big landlords and business interests have already pumped $40,000 into the TUFF slate with the goal of electing candidates who will undermine important protections for renters. 

Big developers, landlords and corporations have also given thousands of dollars in contributions to support City Council candidates Laurie Capitelli and Darryl Moore and have supported two divisive ballot measures. Measure S, the proposed ban on sitting on commercial sidewalks has been bankrolled by over $100,000 in contributions from commercial landlords, developers and businesses.Measure S would criminalize sitting on sidewalks, without providing any increase in shelter, services or Ambassadors. 

Measure T, the measure to rezone a large part of West Berkeley has been primarily funded by one developer who would like to change existing rules for his benefit. This illustrates what Measure T is all about - changing the rules allowing for out of scale development that will overwhelm Aquatic Park and harm existing residents and business - all for the benefit of a few corporate developers. 

We cannot let big business buy this election. We need to support candidates who will put the needs of residents first and defend Berkeley values. Please support these candidates and measures when you cast your absentee ballot or at the polls next Tuesday. For more information on my endorsements please email me at this address. 

Best, 

Jesse Arreguin 

*Not written or sent using government resources