The Antioch Community Center in Prewett Family Park is located at 4703 Lone Tree Way. To register visit http://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp.

Visit 13 art galleries in Contra Costa County and Benicia for a chance to win prizes

By Samantha McNally, Main Street Arts Gallery

The Second Annual East Bay Gallery Tour has added six Benicia Art Galleries to the Tour this year! We now have 13 Art Galleries for you to visit during the month of October. You have the whole month to visit them and get your Gallery Tour postcard stamped for a chance to win a prize worth $300!

There will be a couple of smaller prizes if you don’t get to visit all of them. The winners will be chosen at random, picked from the completed postcards. The winners will get a certificate to purchase any artwork at any of the galleries in the Tour! This event is free and open to anyone who’d like to participate.

Visit any of the galleries listed below at the end of September or in October to pick up your postcard with a map and addresses of all the Art Galleries. The galleries will start stamping postcards on October 1.

The participating galleries are:

aRt Cottage 2238 Mt. Diablo Street, Concord www.artcottage.info
Bedford Gallery 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek www.bedfordgallery.org/home-bedfordnew
Benicia Art Glass 309 1st Street, Benicia www.beniciaartglass.com
Benicia Plein Air Gallery 307 First Street, Benicia www.beniciapleinair.com
Blackhawk Gallery, ADAS 3416 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville www.adas4art.org
Gallery 621​ 920 First Street, Suite 203, Benicia https://gallery621.com
HQ Gallery 333-D First Street, Benicia www.hqgallery.net
JOR Clayton Gallery 1026 Oak Street Suite 102, Clayton https://jorfineartgallery.com
The Little Art Shop 129 First Street, Benicia www.thelittleartshop.com
Main Street Arts Gallery 613 Main Street, Martinez www.mainstreetarts.net
Moraga Art Gallery 432 Center Street, Moraga www.moragaartgallery.com
NY2CA Gallery 617 1st St, Benicia https://ny2cagallery.com
Valley Art Gallery 1661 Botelho Drive, Suite 110, Walnut Creek https://valleyartgallery.org

For more information visit www.mainstreetarts.net/east-bay-gallery-tour-2024.html.

By Katherine Piccinini

My pledge to the people of Contra Costa District 10 is to be Putting the People First. The incumbent has made it very clear, as Chevron prepares to leave San Ramon for Texas, he, the incumbent, is putting state and federal policies first. (See related article)

When we think of a large company moving away from its long-term home area, there are many challenges to be considered, such as: loss of revenue from the move, stress of relocating families, children’s emotional and educational issues and the strain on families having to start over. In the incumbents’ words, “I hope as Chevron relocates their corporate facilities, they will keep California’s climate goals in mind.” Really? With all the overwhelming human factors involved, the executives should keep our state’s climate goals in mind. Again, really?

Chevron’s achievements in pursuing and investing in alternative energy sources was have been well defined touching on areas of solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal and hydrogen. Have these pursuits been unacceptable? This is all part of reducing so-called “greenhouse emissions” as we continue to rely on naturally formed, carbon-based oil, often referred to as fossil fuels. Chevron has been at odds with California State regulators and politicians over fossil fuels and climate change for years. Because they want Chevron to be a diverse energy company investing in clean renewable energy does not mean that Chevron has not put forth great alternatives. California is considered to be one of the most progressive energy states but, we shouldn’t allow “cancel culture” to override reasonable considerations.

And that is the problem. It is California policies that are driving residents and companies elsewhere. This move was known since 2022. Chevron has been in California for 140 years and in San Ramon since 2002. Chevron cited that California policies have hurt consumers, and they feel this is not good for the economy so they will seek greener pastures. Also, there appears to be something more ominous on the horizon as California’s Energy Commission is considering taking over oil refineries and operations in the Golden State. May that be the bigger threat to Chevron and possibly other private industries?

We will miss this “oil giant” and all that it has brought to our district in stimulating the economy, jobs and stepping forward to pursue energy alternatives for our state.

Piccinini is a candidate for Congress in District 10 which includes the southern portion of Antioch and most of the cities and communities in Central and Eastern Contra Costa County.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/Bethel.Island.Chamber.

Police seek unknown suspect

By Lt. Desmond Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On August 16th, 2024, at approximately 7:26 am, Antioch police officers responded to the area of E. 8th Street and A Street on the report of a welfare check. The caller reported hearing gunshots in the area earlier in the morning and now suspected a neighbor may have been shot. When officers arrived, they located a 47-year-old adult male inside of a residence on E. 8th Street suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.

The incident occurred at 3:13 am.

The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit responded to take over the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.

Any tips or other information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Becerra at (925) 779-6937 or by email abecerra@antiochca.gov.

Three each vie for mayor, treasurer, council District 3, two each for council District 2, Trustee Areas 3 and 4, only one each for clerk, Trustee Area 1

By Allen D. Payton

With filing closing for some races last Friday and the rest yesterday, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, the list of candidates for Antioch mayor, city treasurer, clerk and council, and school board has been finalized. There are three candidates each for mayor, city treasurer and council District 3, two for District 2, and only one for city clerk. In the races for school board there are two candidates each in Areas 3 and 4, including the incumbent, and no one running in Area 1 against incumbent and current school board president, Antonio Hernandez.

Following is based on information provided by the City Clerk and the Contra Costa Elections Division:

Mayor

In the race for mayor, second-time candidate Rakesh Christian, who is listed as a Community Volunteer and placed fifth out of five in the 2020 race, was the first to file, on July 23rd, to run against incumbent, Lamar Hernández-Thorpe, who is running for a second term and listed simply as Mayor. He was the last to file on Friday, after challenger and former city manager Ron Bernal, listed as a Business Consultant and is a first-time candidate, filed the day before. (See related articles here, here, here and here)

City Treasurer

In the race for city treasurer, former Mayor, Councilman and appointed City Treasurer, Jim Davis, whose ballot designation is listed as Educator and Instructor Trainer and lost his election in 2022 to incumbent Lauren Posada by just 15 votes, will take on current District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock who is a real estate agent and listed as a Small Businessperson and can’t run for re-election (See Council District 3 below). They both face newcomer Jorge R. Rojas, Jr., listed as a Chief Financial Officer. But no company showing him in that position could be found through an internet search. An effort to reach him was unsuccessful prior to publication time. (See related articles here, here, here, here and here)

City Clerk

The only candidate to file for city clerk to replace incumbent Ellie Householder who chose to not run for re-election, is

Melissa Rhodes who is listed as a Deputy City Clerk. According to Transparent California, she held that position in Martinez in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and in San Pablo in 2020 and 2021. She faces no opponent unless someone enters the race and runs as a write-in candidate.

Council District 2

Although four people pulled papers to run for the District 2 City Council seat, only two filed. Retired Antioch High School Principal Louie Rocha will face Dominique King, who is listed as a Businesswoman, Educator and Consultant, and ran unsuccessfully against Rocha’s mother Mary, for the Antioch School Board in Trustee Area 5 in 2022. Jose Aceves-Guzman pulled papers on July 15th and Haque N. Khan pulled papers on Tuesday, but neither filed them. (See related articles here, here, here, here and here)

Council District 3

Three candidates will face off for the open District 3 Council seat left vacant due to Ogorchock being gerrymandered into District 4 by the council majority during the redistricting process in 2022. Former Mayor, Councilman and Contra Costa Water Board Director Donald “Don” Freitas, listed as a Community Volunteer, will face second-time candidate Antwon Ramon Webster, listed as Chief of Logistics. He works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They will both face newcomer and first-time candidate, Addison Peterson, who is listed as a California Policy Manager.

(See related articles, here, here and here)

School Board

Trustee Area 1

As mentioned, incumbent Antonio Hernandez will face no opposition in the race for Area 1 Trustee, as he seeks his second term on the Antioch School Board. That is unless someone files to run as a write-in candidate. (See related article)

Trustee Area 3

With incumbent Trustee Dr. Clyde Lewis not seeking re-election, two candidates filed for run for the Area 3 seat on the board. They are Dee Brown, listed as an Educational Program Director, and Scott Bergerhouse, listed as a Retired School Administrator. He is the former co-principal for Deer Valley High School, former principal for Dozier-Libbey Medical High School, as well as administrator for other schools in the district, and former Director of Student Support Services for the Antioch Unified School District. (See related articles here and here)

Trustee Area 4

In the race for Area 4 Trustee, incumbent Gary Hack, listed simply as Incumbent, is running for his fourth term on the board, having been elected in 2010, then lost in 2014, elected again in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. He will face challenger Olga Cobos-Smith, listed as a Pediatric Nurse and Entrepreneur. (See related articles here and here)

Write-In Candidates

According to the Contra Costa County General Election Candidate Guide for November 5, 2024, Any person interested in filing as a write-in candidate may file for office between September 9 and October 22, 2024. Any person who desires to be a write-in candidate and have any votes cast for them reported shall file a Statement of Write-In Candidacy. Forms are available at the Elections Office between the following dates: Write-In Filing Period: September 9 – October 22, 2024. They must file the same forms required of other candidates who have filed during the regular filing period.

Cities, East Bay Regional Park District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District require nomination signatures to be collected for a valid write-in candidacy. Signers of nomination papers for write-in candidates shall be voters in the political subdivision in which the candidate is to be voted on.

For more details see page 13 of the Guide.

Read more details later on each of the candidates in the various contested races in future articles. The election is November 5th.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Removed from all nine Bay Area counties after Contra Costa attorney opposed to measure filed lawsuit claiming ballot language was slanted, forced BAHFA to correct more than $240 million error

20 Billion Reasons opposition campaign responds

By Allen D. Payton

Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) Chair Alfredo Pedroza and Belia Ramos, president of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)’s Executive Board today, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, issued a joint statement following BAHFA’s decision this morning to remove a $20 billion general obligation bond measure for the production and preservation of affordable housing from the November 5 general election ballot in all nine Bay Area counties:

“The BAHFA Board’s decision to withdraw the affordable housing bond measure from this November’s ballot is not one that was taken lightly. The Bay Area’s housing affordability crisis has been decades in the making and is far too big for any one city or county to solve on its own. This is the reason the state Legislature established BAHFA. A robust source of funding for safe and affordable housing across our diverse, nine-county region is essential to the Bay Area’s economic and environmental health and to its residents’ quality of life. 

The decision followed the action of a group of Bay Area residents, known as Opportunity Now, who opposed the $20 billion regional housing bond measure and filed a court challenge on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, to Regional Measure 4’s (RM4) 75-word ballot question claiming it was slanted.

Following is the press release from the group announcing the lawsuit, entitled “BAHFA blunders on ballot language for Bay Area tax measure” and “Gets busted for wildly lowballing cost to taxpayers”:

“Talk about misinformation. The discredited Bay Area Housing Finance Authority yesterday admitted that they’d misrepresented in ballot language the annual cost to taxpayers of the mammoth bond by (hold on) more than $240 million (you read that right) per year.

“The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA), a recently created regional agency, placed RM4 on the November 5 ballot. The unprecedented size of the bond measure has already drawn opposition. 

The 20BillionReasons.com group helped pull together ballot arguments rebutting the claims for the measure. The lawsuit asserts that the ballot question is slanted to prejudice voters to vote in favor of the measure. 

BAHFA conducted multiple polls to test various phrases in relation to the measure and picked the most popular ones. The lawsuit asserts that the ballot question contains a series of phrases that are not found in the language of the measure. The legal standard is that the ballot question must be an accurate synopsis.

Opponents’ Attorney Jason Bezis sent BAHFA a letter last Friday demanding a series of nine language changes to remove prejudicial language. Opponents assert that the true annual cost of the measure is nearly 36% higher than the amount shown in the ballot question. 

The very name of the measure is deceptive: Bay Area Affordable Plan. This measure’s taxes will make the Bay Area even less affordable. In response, BAHFA held a special meeting of its Executive Committee this morning. 

The lawsuit has already had success: The Committee adopted General Counsel Kathleen Kane’s recommendation “to correct the Ballot Question for Regional Measure 4 by deleting ‘$670,000,000’ from the Ballot Question and replacing it with ‘$910,976,423’.” No other changes to the ballot question were adopted today. 

General Counsel Kane described this as a “mathematical error”. Plaintiff Marc Joffe retorted: “How can the public trust an agency that can’t do basic arithmetic with nearly $50 billion of its taxes? Ridiculous.”

“By law, Regional Measure 4 is coordinated by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, so the Santa Clara County Superior Court is where this challenge was filed. The final language of the RM4 ballot question will now be determined by the court. See www.NoOnRM4.com for further information.”

“This public body, MTC in the form BAHFA, they finally acknowledged the public is not willing to support more taxes. It’s completely new to them. They’ve never recognized it before. They exist in this world in which the public is there to give them all the resources they want to monkey around with,” said David Schonbrunn, paralegal for the lawsuit said after the measure was removed from the ballot. “The worst part is MTC, when it comes to their transportation decision making, they have a dismal record on outcomes. Their outcomes are horrible. What I see them doing is it’s all about political deal making and it’s not about delivering solutions to the public.”

The BAHFA statement continued, “The BAHFA Board has always understood that it would be a steep climb to establish this source of funding. Recent developments have led the Board to conclude that the wise choice is to look ahead to another election season for a regional housing measure when there is more certainty and the voters have weighed in affirmatively on Proposition 5.

“In the meantime, BAHFA will continue to work on increasing the production of housing at all income levels, to preserve existing affordable housing, and to protect current residents from displacement. This includes maintaining, refining and expanding pilot programs such as the online Doorway Housing portal that makes it easier for prospective tenants to find and apply for affordable housing throughout the region and easier for developers and property managers to lease up their apartments; working to move thousands of planned housing units through the predevelopment pipeline; and implementing innovative programs to preserve affordable housing and prevent homelessness.

“BAHFA’s commitment to a regional approach toward solving the Bay Area’s housing affordability problems is stronger than ever. When the climb toward passage of a regional revenue measure resumes, the Board looks forward to teaming with every one of the Bay Area’s nine counties and 101 cities; and with the hundreds of other public, private and nonprofit partners who already have invested so much energy into this effort. Their work to prepare for a November bond measure, and the relationships built along the way, have laid a strong foundation for future success. Each step brings us closer to the summit.”

BAHFA is jointly governed by the ABAG’s Executive Board and by the BAHFA Board, which is comprised of the same membership as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). BAHFA and MTC Chair Pedroza and ABAG Executive Board President Ramos both also serve as members of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. 

20 Billion Reasons Campaign Responds

In response to the withdrawal of the measure from the ballot, the opposition campaign, 20 Billion Reasons, responded with their own statement on Wednesday, August 14, 2024:

“This morning, the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) voted to pull Regional Measure 4, the $20 billion dollar regional bond measure, off the November ballot. Gus Mattammal, President of the 20 Billion Reasons campaign to defeat the bond measure in November, hailed the move.

Said Mattammal, “This decision is a win for Bay Area taxpayers, and a win for affordable housing. To address housing affordability in a meaningful way, we have to address root causes, not soak taxpayers for billions of dollars to pay bonds that would waste two thirds of their tax money on interest and overhead while barely making a dent in the issue.”

The 20 Billion Reasons campaign brought together Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Independents in a single campaign, a rarity in recent times, but a necessity.

“Actually, working on the root causes of the housing crisis in California – a crisis created by our legislature and the corporate interests to which they are beholden – is politically difficult. It’s much easier to simply raise taxes,” said Mattammal. “That’s why it’s so important for voters to say ‘no’ to deeply flawed proposals such as Regional Measure 4: every time we do say no, it helps create the political conditions to work on the problem in a meaningful way.”

Though Regional Measure 4 is off the ballot for November, many other expensive proposals remain on that ballot. The $20 Billion Reasons campaign team is excited to regroup and consider the best way forward to help ensure that Bay Area taxpayers are getting real solutions for the taxes they pay and that they have a real voice in what is done with their tax money.”

John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications, Rebecca Long, Director, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission contributed to this report.