By Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach/Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department

The Contra Costa Elections Division would like to remind residents that the Division is taking great steps to make sure that voting in the September 14th Recall Election is as safe as possible. Health officials have said that voting by mail is the safest option. Voters are encouraged to return their ballot by mail postmarked on or before Election Day or drop their ballot off at one of the County’s 36 official drop boxes.

“For everyone’s safety, we are urging voters to vote by mail and to reserve in-person voting for those that require in-person services,” said Clerk-Recorder-Registrar Deborah Cooper, the County’s top Elections Official. “Voting by mail protects voters, poll workers and our volunteers by limiting personal contact. In person voting locations will follow health protocols, which may cause delays and lines due to social distancing. The easiest and fastest way to vote in this election is to cast the ballot that we sent to you returning it by mail or into one of our official ballot boxes located throughout the County.”

In-Person Services

If you need in-person services to cast your ballot, Contra Costa County residents have early voting options at eight Regional Early Voting sites throughout the county as of Friday, September 10th.

All registered Contra Costa voters will be able to vote at any of the locations, which will be open Monday September 13 from 11 am to 7 pm.

The sites are:

• Ambrose Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Rd., Bay Point
• Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch
• Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St., Brentwood
• El Cerrito City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito
• Fair Oaks Church, 1925 Risdon Rd., Concord
• Hyatt House Pleasant Hill, 2611 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill
• Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
• San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church, 902 Danville Blvd., Alamo

Polling Places

Polling places will be open on Election Day, Tuesday September 14 from 7am to 8 pm.  Please check the back of your Voter Information Guide for your polling place or go to our website and check “My Voting Information”.

Additional Drop-off Options

In addition to the Official Drop Boxes and Regional Voting Center sites, vote-by-mail ballots can also be dropped off at the Elections Division “Pop-up” Trailer locations on Monday September 13 at the following sites during the following times:

• Monument Crisis Center, 1990 Market St., Concord 9 am-10:30 am
• Contra Costa College, 2600 Mission Bell Dr., San Pablo 11 am-1:30 pm
• Richmond Civic Center, 450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond 2 pm-3:30 pm

Drive through drop off will be available at the The Clerk-Recorder-Elections Offices on Saturday September 11th from 10 am-3 pm, Monday September 13th from 9 am-5pm and on Election day, September 14th from 7 am-8 pm.

Conditional Voter Registration

If you missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register and vote in person using Conditional Voter Registration. It is a one-stop opportunity to register and cast your ballot and is available at our office-555 Escobar Street in Martinez, Regional Early Voting sites, and all polling places on Election Day.

Accessible Voting Equipment and Additional Language Access

Official ballots and voting instructions are printed in English, Spanish and Chinese.  Voting equipment with accessible features are available at every in-person voting location for voters who may need assistance due to a disability.   Additional language resources are available through accessible vote by mail and ballot translation guides available online and at in person voting location.

Be Prepared

It helps to come prepared. Bring your Sample Ballot or Voter Information Guide to help you make your selections. Copies are also available at the polls and information is available online.

Leave the T-Shirts, Buttons, and Hats at Home

Please remember that voters have the right to cast a ballot free from intimidation or distraction. Electioneering, including wearing anything with a campaign slogan on it, is prohibited within 100 feet of any in-person voting location.  Anyone wearing such campaign slogans will be asked to remove or cover them while they are in the voting location.  Please help our poll workers by respecting the non-partisan nature of the voting locations.

Follow Safety Procedures

Protect your health and the health of other voters and election workers at voting locations by taking the following precautions:

VOTING LOCATION SAFETY CHECKLIST

For more information on voting options for the Recall Election, visit www.cocovote.us  or call 925.335.7800.

By Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach/Engagement Specialist Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department

Contra Costa County—Debi Cooper, County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters announced today that the close of registration for the upcoming September 14, 2021 Gubernatorial Recall election is fast approaching on August 30th^. 

“This is the deadline for voters to register to be sent an Official Ballot in the mail and be provided their assigned polling place information if they choose to vote in person on Election Day,” she said. “After this date, voters will be required to register and vote in person.”

Register to Vote:

Voters can register to vote most conveniently online at https://registertovote.ca.gov, or complete a voter registration card available at most post offices, city halls, and libraries throughout the county.  Online registration must be completed before midnight.  Paper registration cards must be postmarked by August 30^th. 

To be eligible to vote in this election, a registered voter must be a U.S. Citizen, at least 18 years of age by Election Day, a resident of the state, and not currently serving a federal or state prison term for the conviction of a felony.

You must update your registration if you have moved or changed your name (married, divorced, etc.).

You can check your voter registration status online at http://www.cocovote.us by clicking on the “My Voting Information” button.

After the August 30^th registration deadline, new voters will be required to register and vote in person at one of the County’s early voting sites, the Elections Division in Martinez, or at a polling place on Election Day. Cooper’s advice: “Register early so you will receive a ballot in the mail. If you choose to vote in-person, already being registered will speed up the process at your polling place on Election Day.”

SACRAMENTO, CA—On Thursday, June 10th, the 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) will launch the first in a series of Communities of Interest (COI) virtual hearings to capture community specific data that will help Commissioners to respect community boundaries to the best of their abilities when drawing district lines, as is mandated by California’s line drawing criteria.

When the Commission begins drawing maps using census data, they will need to follow this set of criteria, in this order, as outlined in the California Constitution.

1. Districts must be of nearly equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution.
2. Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have a fair opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
3. Districts must be drawn contiguously, so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.
4. Districts must minimize the division of counties, cities, neighborhoods, and communities of interest to the extent possible.
5. Districts should be geographically compact such that nearby areas of population are not bypassed for more distant populations.
6. Where practicable, each Senate District should consist of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts, and Board of Equalization districts should consist of ten complete and adjacent State Senate Districts. This is known as nesting.

We can obtain the city and county information from those jurisdictions, but we need the neighborhood and communities of interest information from Californians directly.

“The Commission is excited to hear directly from Californians about their Communities of Interest during our initial COI input meeting on Thursday, June 10th from 12 – 8 PM. Although we have been accepting Communities of Interest submissions online since March, these virtual input sessions are yet another opportunity for communities to share with the Commission about their Communities of Interest,” stated Commission Chair Isra Ahmad.

During these input meetings, participants will be asked to describe their community and will be encouraged to consider highlighting the following:

1. Begin with your county or city.
2. Mention the street names and significant locations in your neighborhood to help us identify the parameters of your community.
3. What are your shared interests?
4. What brings you together?
5. What is important to your community?
6. Are there nearby areas you want to be in a district with?
7. Nearby areas you don’t want to be in a district with? Why or why not?
8. Has your community come together to advocate for important services, better schools, roads, or health centers in your neighborhood?

Registration is not required to participate in these public input meetings. The call-in number for public input on the day of each event will be (877) 853-5247.

For more information regarding the June 10th event, please visit our website at: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/june_10_mtg. To view a full list of upcoming meetings, please visit: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/meetings. Additionally, Californians can skip the line and provide their input online by visiting: https://drawmycacommunity.org/. The online COI tool is available in fourteen languages and includes tutorials.

Every 10 years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its electoral districts so that the state’s population is evenly allocated among the new districts.

In 2008, California voters passed the Voters First Act, authorizing the creation of the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw new State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization district lines. In 2010, the Voters First Act for Congress gave the Commission the responsibility of drawing new Congressional districts following every census.

For more information, please visit WeDrawTheLinesCA.org.

 

Redistricting is required to comply with the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, ensuring “one person, one vote.” Every ten years local Contra Costa governmental bodies use the mandated Census to redraw districts’ lines to reflect population growth and shifts, affecting who will be elected to represent you.

Learn from a panel of current and former community leaders about what redistricting is, how the process works, how you can participate and how it affects you.

Date:  Thursday, May 27, 2021

Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Register for this zoom presentation:

https://ccclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6086ffd5b6f1714500ce77ed

Panelists

Helen Hutchinson, immediate past president LWV California

Board of Supervisors Chair Diane Burgis

David Twa, immediate past Administrator, Contra Costa County

Bobby Jordan, West Contra Costa Unified School District

Debi Cooper, Registrar of Voters, Contra Costa County

This panel discussion will help the community understand how local district boundaries are drawn and how community members can participate in creating equitable maps of Contra Costa districts. The new district lines will last for the next ten years, impacting our community into the future. Redistricting affects congressional, state senate, assembly, Board of Equalization and BART districts, as well as to the following local districts this year:

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, Districts 1-5

City Councils

• Antioch
• Brentwood
• Concord
• Martinez
• Richmond
• San Ramon

School Districts

• Contra Costa County Board of Education
• Contra Costa County Community College District
• Antioch Unified School District
• Martinez Unified School District
• Mt. Diablo Unified School District
• San Ramon Valley Unified School District
• West Contra Costa Unified School District

Special Districts

• Contra Costa Water District
• Diablo Water District
• Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection

This panel discussion will be livestreamed on the Contra Costa Library YouTube channel, and broadcast on CCTV. A recording of this meeting will be available on the Contra Costa Library and the League of Women Voters Diablo Valley YouTube channels, as well as rebroadcast on local CCTV channels.

The program is sponsored by the Contra Costa Libraries, the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley and the League of Women Voters of West Contra Costa County.

For more information contact Program@LWVDV.org.

Two Antioch residents appointed as alternates; Supervisors approve new board’s bylaws, but has COVID-19 put a dent in county’s finances?

By Daniel Borsuk

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors appointed 17 applicants to the Measure X Community Advisory Board on Tuesday that will oversee the disbursement of $81 million in new annual sales tax revenue county officials are counting on to fund vital operations.  NAACP East County Branch Past President Odessa Le Francois of Antioch and transitional housing agent David Cruise of Brentwood were named by District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis to serve on the advisory board.  The board chair also selected housing expert Sandro Trujillo of Antioch as an alternate.

District 5 Supervisor Glover picked work force specialist Michelle Stewart of Pittsburg and attorney Ali Saidi of Pinole to serve on the advisory panel. Antioch resident Gigi Crowder, a mental health professional, was selected by Glover as an alternate.

Passed by 58.45% of the vote of Contra Costa voters, last November, Measure X increased the county’s sales taxes from 8.25 percent to 8.75 percent on everything except food sales. The additional annual revenue aims to support county services intended for the regional hospital, community health centers, emergency response, childhood services and protective services of vulnerable populations. (See related articles here and here) CCC_2021MeasureX_FullText

There was no public comment aired for either the 17 appointments or the bylaws established for the Proposition X Community Advisory Board.

But this observer questions if the newly formed Measure X Advisory Board will be put to the test at a time the county’s economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  What if the panel learns that instead of the $80 million that the county counts on to be generated from the half-cent sales tax increase, that in the first year it might be only $50 million or $60 million because people are not spending like they used to?

The $80 million figure was generated before COVID-19 popped onto the global landscape and the county’s economy was in much better shape at a 3.2 percent unemployment rate compared to a 7.7 percent unemployment rate today.

The supervisors’ Finance Committee, comprised of District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill and District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, interviewed more than 130 applicants for the Measure X panel.

“We had a high number of high-quality people apply for this board,” said Gioia. “It wasn’t easy to choose candidates.”

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen concurred with Gioia commenting, “We had amazing candidates!”

Each supervisor selected two Community Advisory Board members and one alternate.  Seven at-large representatives were selected as well as five at-large seat alternatives.

Housing advocates Brenda Williams and Edith Pastrano, both of Richmond were selected by Supervisor Gioia to serve on the Community Advisory Board.  El Cerrito psychotherapist Cathy Hanville was selected to serve as an alternate by Gioia.

District 2 Supervisor Andersen selected real estate expert Kathryn Chiverton of Alamo and investment banker Jim Cervantes of Lafayette to serve on the Community Advisory Board.   Supervisor Andersen picked Walnut Creek retired housing consultant Donna Colombo as an alternate.

Supervisor Mitchoff selected to represent District IV, psychologist Dr. Michelle Hernandez of Concord and Meals on Wheels executive Sharon Quesada Jenkins of Concord.  Pello Walker of Concord was named an alternate. He is owner/organizer of the annual sustainable enterprise conferences in Contra Costa County.

Selected as at-large members are founder and executive director of RYSE Kimberly Aceves-Inguez of Oakland, Dr. Ruth Fernandez of Concord who is director of First 5, senior citizen advocate Debbie Toth of Fairfield, social service expert Sandra Wall of American Canyon, executive legal assistant at UnCommon Law Susan Kim of Berkeley, and Senior Director of Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa Mariana Moore of Benicia, and Rodeo Hercules Fire Captain and Local 1230 Vice President Jerry Short of El Sobrante.

Named as at large alternates are San Pablo Mayor Genovea Colloway, First 5 Association Executive Director Melissa Stafford Jones of Walnut Creek, pediatrician Dr. Diana Hong of Orinda, East Bay Leadership Council policy director Lindy Lavender of Pacheco and physician Dr. Peter Benson of Alamo.

According to the Community Advisory Board’s by-laws that supervisors also approved in tandem with the selection of board appointments, meetings are to be conducted publicly and in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and the Contra Costa County Better Governance Ordinance for Public Comment.

There is no compensation for serving on the Measure X Community Advisory Board. In addition, there is “no reimbursement to board members for any expenses incurred while conducting official business,” the bylaws state.

 

Violates state law known as SB330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019

Would have devalued property by over 99%, downzoning it from 2 homes per acre to 1 home per 80 acres

Cities and counties must approve new homes or face hefty fines which will fund low-income housing

By Allen Payton

As was reported in news articles and an editorial by the Herald during the 2020 fall election campaign, the state has issued an opinion letter confirming that the residential growth limitations in Measure T on the November ballot, “cannot permissibly be adopted, implemented or enforced.” That’s due to the passage of SB330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, also as previously reported. Known as the Let Antioch Voters Decide: The Sand Creek Protection Initiative, the measure passed by almost 79% of the vote.

SB330 added Section 66300 to California Government Code preventing cities and counties from reducing zoning of residential property by either council action or citizen initiative until Jan. 1, 2025.  Also, if a city council doesn’t approve new housing within existing allowable zoning, the new law requires a court to fine the city a minimum of $10,000 per housing unit denied and force the city to approve the new homes, and require they spend the funds from the fines on additional, low-income housing.

SB330 and State Housing Law

The language of SB330 reads, “(c) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, to do both of the following: (1) Suspend certain restrictions on the development of new housing during the period of the statewide emergency described in subdivisions (a) and (b). (2) Work with local governments to expedite the permitting of housing in regions suffering the worst housing shortages and highest rates of displacement.”

Furthermore, the act reads, “The Legislature finds and declares that the provision of adequate housing, in light of the severe shortage of housing at all income levels in this state, is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair…Therefore, the provisions of this act apply to all cities, including charter cities.”

In addition, the new law reads, “with respect to land where housing is an allowable use, an affected county or an affected city shall not enact a development policy… that would  have any of the following effects: Changing the general plan land use designation, specific plan land use designation, or zoning of a parcel or parcels of property to a less intensive use or reducing the intensity of land use within an existing general plan land use designation, specific plan land use designation, or zoning district below what was allowed under the land use designation and zoning ordinances of the affected county or affected city, as applicable, as in effect on January 1, 2018.”

Also, the new law amended Section 65589.5 of the Government Code that reads, “the court shall impose fines on a local agency… in a minimum amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per housing unit in the housing development project on the date the application was deemed complete.” Furthermore, the law requires, “the local agency shall commit and expend the money” from the fines “for the sole purpose of financing newly constructed housing units affordable to extremely low, very low, or low-income households.”

So, not only will the new homes in the development that was denied be built, but the city will be fined and the funds from the fines must be used to build additional, low-income housing.

Finally, According to the HCD, “Since 1969, California has required that all local governments (cities and counties) adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. California’s local governments meet this requirement by adopting housing plans as part of their ‘general plan’ (also required by the state). General plans serve as the local government’s ‘blueprint’ for how the city and/or county will grow and develop and include seven elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, and housing. The law mandating that housing be included as an element of each jurisdiction’s general plan is known as ‘housing-element law.’

California’s housing-element law acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address the housing needs and demand of Californians, local governments must adopt plans and regulatory systems that provide opportunities for (and do not unduly constrain), housing development. As a result, housing policy in California rests largely on the effective implementation of local general plans and, in particular, local housing elements.” Each of the regions in the state must develop a plan for their Regional Housing Needs Allocation and Housing Elements.

The Bay Area’s current Regional Housing Need Allocation Plan (RHNA) projected 187,990 units needed between Jan. 31, 2015 and Jan. 31, 2023 and another 441,176 units will be needed between 2023 and 2031, according to the HCD and the Association of Bay Area Governments. In the new RHNA, it requires Antioch to add 2,481 more housing units by 2030. (See related article)

City of Antioch Letter to HCD Regarding Measure T and SB330

A letter was sent on Jan. 8, 2021 from an attorney hired by the City of Antioch to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) seeking their advice and opinion on implementing Measure T. In that letter, attorney David Mehretu of Meyers Nave asked Paul McDougall, Housing Policy Manager for HCD to review Measure T for a determination of its “validity under SB 330 as follows: Letter to HCD Re Measure T (Antioch)

1. Whether Measure T’s housing development restrictions are proscribed under Section 66300(b)(1)(A) of the Government Code.
2. Whether, pursuant to Sections 66300(b)(1)(B)(i) and (ii) of the Government Code, Measure T’s housing development restrictions constitute “a moratorium or similar restriction or limitation on housing development . . . within [Sand Creek] . . . to specifically protect against an imminent threat to the health and safety of persons residing in, or within the immediate vicinity of [Sand Creek] . . . ”.
3. Whether Measure T acts as an impermissible cap on housing pursuant to Section 66300(b)(1)(D)(ii) of the Government Code; and
4. Whether Antioch may, consistently with SB 330, enforce Measure T’s housing development restrictions.”

Response Letter from HCD Explains Why Measure T Violates State Law

In a March 9th response letter entitled “Enforceability of Measure T’s Reduction in Land Use Intensity pursuant to Housing Crisis Act of 2019 – Letter of Technical Assistance,” McDougall wrote, “the City requested the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) opinion as to the enforceability of a reduction in the intensity of land use included in the City’s voter-approved initiative Measure T.” HCD Antioch SB 330 Letter 03.09.2021

“HCD’s opinion is based on the mandatory criteria established by the Legislature with the passage of Senate Bill 330 in 2019, known as the Housing Crisis Act of 2019,” McDougall wrote.

“HCD finds that the less intensive use provisions of Measure T are impermissible under Government Code section 66300,” and “Measure T effectively acts as a ‘…cap on the number of housing units that can be approved…’, a violation of Government Code section 66300…,” he wrote.

McDougall offered one caveat writing, “the City could enforce the reduction in intensity contemplated in Measure T, notwithstanding this opinion, if and when it concurrently changes the development standards, policies, and conditions applicable to other parcels within the jurisdiction to ensure that there is no net loss in residential capacity.” However, he further wrote, “nothing in Measure T provides for an equal increase in intensity of land use elsewhere in the jurisdiction, therefore, these provisions of Measure T cannot be permissibly adopted, implemented, or enforced consistent with Government Code section 66300.”

He concludes his letter offering the state’s opinion that Measure T is impermissible.

“Measure T appears to have been drafted to assure that housing development in the City is restricted in a manner that preserves agriculture and open spaces (Measure T, section 1). However, there is minimal analysis in Measure T to support this outcome. Measure T language more readily suggests it was passed primarily with the intent to restrict future housing development as opposed to accommodating future residential growth as intended in the City’s general plan,” the HCD Housing Policy Manager continues.

“In sum, the provisions of the voter-approved Measure T result in a lesser intensity of land use and create a development cap, resulting in a reduction in the total number of housing units that can be built within the Initiative Area than what is currently allowed in the City’s General Plan. Accordingly, HCD is of the opinion that such a reduction in the intensity of land use created by Measure T cannot permissibly be adopted, implemented, or enforced consistent with Government Code section 66300,” McDougall concluded.

Measure T is Moot, Council Must Approve New Homes

Therefore, as previously reported, the state has confirmed that Measure T, which would have devalued four privately owned parcels on the west side of Deer Valley Road by over 99% from two homes per acre to just one home per 80 acres, is moot and will have no impact on the development of new housing in Antioch. It would have affected less than 900 housing units remaining of the total 4,000 homes allowed in the City of Antioch’s Sand Creek Focus Area of the general plan. But now those housing projects will move forward in the planning process and can be expected to be approved.

That’s because the council must adopt all new housing projects in the Sand Creek area and anywhere else in the city, until Jan. 1, 2025, which don’t require any zoning changes or general plan amendments, or the city will face state fines of $10,000 per unit, at a minimum, and the homes will still be approved and allowed to be built, and the fines fund additional, low-income housing in the city, according to SB330.

 

 

“Together we will listen and act with integrity, transparency and accountability. Three things we haven’t had for a while.” – Tim Herode, candidate for Governor of California

By Allen Payton

On Thursday, March 18, 2021, Oakley resident Tim Herode announced the launch of his campaign to be the next governor of the Golden State with the theme “Restore California”. With about 50 people in attendance at Campos Family Vineyards in Byron, the candidate gave his reasons for running and why he should replace the incumbent, Gavin Newsom who is most likely facing a recall election, later this year. Herode vowed to return integrity, transparency and accountability to state government.

He was introduced by Michelle Campos, owner of the venue.

“We’re going to have an amazing night, tonight,” she said. “He is a man of faith. He wants you to know that he is not a politician. He’s a businessman. He’s a family man. He’s a pastor. He has a huge heart for we the people. He cares about you. He cares about this great state and he cares about restoring California back to a righteous government.”

“We can tell you with 100 percent assuredness, he operates his life with integrity, transparency and accountability and I think you can agree with me that’s what we need in our state, right now,” Campos said.

Before beginning prepared remarks, the 49-year-old internet technology professional was joined on the stage by his wife, Heather and their three children, Hannah, Mitchell and Nolan.

At one point during Herode’s speech he said, “If the truth hurts it’s going to be a painful night,” and “I’m not here to be your politician and if you think that you came to the wrong party. I’m here for we the people. We are going to restore California.”

Digital signs on the wall behind the stage where Herode spoke showed messages of “Restore California” and his campaign logo with the message at the bottom of “A Hero for California.”

Following are the prepared and live remarks from Herode’s campaign announcement speech: (see video)

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending this very important and exciting official announcement to launch my campaign for Governor of the State of California. I believe in ‘We The People of the State of California, grateful to the Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution,’ our pre-amble to this great state.

And We The People, need to take the power out of government and bring such power back into our hands.

What does that mean to me? What does that mean to us as a state of great people?  Is to encourage and protect the truth.

California citizens have been confined to their homes for over a year, their children under educated, small businesses have closed or moved, suffered loss of life and possessions from lack of forest management, the jobless have been deprived of unemployment insurance, while thousands and thousands of prisoners were released from prison in the name of COVID-19, and now our EDD has suffered a $30 billion loss.

While the lockdowns have been mandated by our current Governor and his administration, record executive orders have been made with the absence of legislative over site and most of all without the voice of We The People.  During this dire period, the current governor and fellow health advisors were dining in at one of the most expensive restaurants of the Napa Valley without masks. Our current governor and many others from his team, while mandating school closures causing many parents to quit their jobs.

In addition, homelessness grows, taxes and fuel costs continue to increase, wildfires have destroyed homes, businesses and family memories all while politicians fatten their wallets and boost their careers by answering to the “big donors” known as lobbyists.

Let’s talk about schools. Our current governor supports being indoctrinated instead of honest education and has proposed a $6.6 billion plan.  Schools should not open with political agendas.  With our current state funding, education and where a student attends school should be a parent’s preference.

We will work to develop a plan to reform California education that educates our children for their future rather than indoctrinating them for politically driven social correctness.

We will eliminate hidden agendas, the portals of evil, and stop the destructive redirection of our Delta water resources being re-routed to southern California lawns, through the process of desalination plants to not only produce water for consumption, but to also save the livelihood and lives of millions of Californians, including our first responders.

By utilizing the desalination plants as water resources for forest management, this process can contain fires before they reach our citizens.  We do not want another ‘Red Dawn’ do we?

We will begin a responsible, strategic and timely audit to end irresponsible government spending and fearlessly work to redirect those funds to offset unnecessary taxation of our citizens including our cities that are in desperate need of infrastructure upgrades.

We will implement a homelessness task force that will work with local non-profit organizations. This will help to restore the willing back to work yet, end government assisted drug use.  This will include cleaning up our homeless encampments that have turned the image of our state into that of a third world country.  In addition, we will create new and enforce effective laws to prevent panhandling and homeless citizens from infiltrating business districts.

We will create change and mandates to bring back law and order to illegal immigration, where thousands are crossing our California borders each day. And the cost, anger and despair we are paying in being a Sanctuary State.”

“Why should people be able to come into this country or this state and not live by the same laws we do?” Herode asked.

“We will have a new plan to support pro-life policies that will listen from the heart and preserve the importance of life to our future generations,” he continued. Regarding abortion and having a prolife position Herode asked, “How many amazing people are gone that we never knew?”

“And to include and with the utmost importance, to implement a ‘We The People’ committee that ensures your voices will be heard by organizing county by county, governor’s meetings to discuss the most relevant and important concerns,” he continued.

“When is the last time you got to sit down and talk with your governor?” Herode asked. “We’re going to make face to face encounters with you, from the heart. Not based on how much you donate to my campaign. I don’t care what color you are. I don’t care what your belief. I’m going to serve you.”

“Together we will listen and act with integrity, transparency and accountability. Three things we haven’t had for a while,” he added.

“In the words of our former Governor of California and eloquent President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, ‘We believe in work, family, religion and the freedom that God places in each of us.’”

“In closing, I am not here to be your politician, I am here for you, to be fully ordained by We The People. I’m not here to be a politician. I’m here to help people.” Herode said to cheers from the audience. “I’m not here to be your politician and if you think that you came to the wrong party. I’m here for we the people.”

“We are going to restore California,” he concluded. “Thank you and God bless each and every one of you for being with us, tonight.”

Herode then answered a few questions from the audience before spending the rest of the time speaking one-on-one with those who attended.

According to his LinkedIn page, Herode is a “dedicated, passionate and innovative Information Systems Strategist” and “has more than 20 years of experience in various roles in Information Technology” as a business owner, in project management, system maintenance, helpdesk management, multi-site network management, procedure implementation, and international security development [I.T.A.R].” A “methodical leader” Herode “has provided strategic consultation and IT services, successfully managed and executed IT projects; conducted system installations and configurations, and spear headed regional security policy development.” An “intrapreneurship-driven professional”. he “has built strong relationships throughout his career with the purpose of building trust and a life-giving business atmosphere.”

For more information about his campaign visit www.TimHerode.com or his campaign Facebook page.

By Allen Payton

In a post on the page of the Antioch Backs the Blue Facebook group on Wed., March 3, a question was asked if people had seen an online petition entitled Recall Lamar Thorpe Antioch ca city mayor. That was begun on Tuesday, March 2 on the Change.org website by an Andrew McKissick and shows a location of Pittsburg, CA. As of Friday, March 5, it shows there have been 597 people that had added their names, with a goal of reaching 1,000. The Facebook post shows that only 299 signatures were needed.

Several people offered their comments of why they’re supporting the online petition, including Roxana Routa who wrote, “In the 3 years we have lived in Antioch I have NEVER seen as many shootings in 1 week, never before, not until this guy took office!” Mindy Tanada who wrote, “The lack of support for law enforcement, increased crime, and unprofessional behaviors in our local government are issues being ignored by the current mayor.”  Retired Antioch Police Officer Mike Schneider added his reason for supporting the online petition writing, “His agenda will destroy the city.”

However, an online petition to recall an elected official in California, no matter how many people support it, is not how the process is actually done. Plus, it allows anyone anywhere to sign the petition. Only those who live within a district and are registered to vote can gather signatures for and/or sign a recall petition. Furthermore, according to the California Secretary of State’s guide to Procedures for Recalling State and Local Officials, “If an officer of a city, county, school district, county board of education, or resident voting district is sought to be recalled, the number of signatures must be equal in number to not less than the following percent of registered voters in the electoral jurisdiction: (a) Thirty percent (30%) if the registration is less than 1,000. (b) Twenty-five percent (25%) if the registration is less than 10,000 but at least 1,000. (c) Twenty percent (20%) if the registration is less than 50,000 but at least 10,000. (d) Fifteen percent (15%) if the registration is less than 100,000 but at least 50,000. (e) Ten percent (10%) if the registration is 100,000 or above”.

According to the Contra Costa Elections Division report, as of Election Day Nov. 3, 2020, there were 62,394 registered voters in Antioch. So, petitioners would have to gather the signatures of approximately 9,400 registered voters in the City to force a recall of the mayor or any other citywide official to the ballot. Petitioners would have 160 days to gather the needed number of signatures.

For the city council members, as of Nov. 3 in District 1 there were 12,637 registered voters; in District 2 there were 14,921; in District 3 there were 18,349 and in District 4 there were 16,487 registered voters. Petitioners would need signatures from 20% of the registered voters in each of the districts to force a recall election to the ballot. Petitioners would have 120 days to gather the needed signatures in each of the council districts.

Should a recall effort be successful in gathering the necessary signatures, following the verification of signatures by the City Clerk, the city council would have 14 days to call an election and “The election shall be held not less than 88 nor more than 125 days after” that.

An effort has been made to reach McKissick to ask his reasons for starting the online petition. In addition, efforts to reach Thorpe for his response were unsuccessful prior to publication time.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.