CALIFORNIA’S GENERAL ELECTION: PLAN TO VOTE YOUR VALUES

Opinion
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Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR

The Secretary of State Office (Alex Padilla), Elections Division has mailed “California General Election, Tuesday, November 6, 2018, OFFICIAL VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE to each registered voter’s residence; do share this official document. Also, each registered voter has already received via U.S. Postal Service his/her copy of the ‘COUNTY VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE-NOVEMBER 6, 2018 GENERAL ELECTION mailed by the Registrar of Voters, County of Santa Clara. On October 22 each voter should receive their ‘Vote by Mail ballot’ which enables making your 36 voting decisions at home and then mailing your ‘VOTE BY MAIL’ ballot (NO POSTAGE STAMPS NEEDED; postage costs are paid by the ‘County’).

The back page of this booklet will tell you the location of your polling place which will be open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Early voting is also possible at the County’s Office of the Registrar of Voters during October 9th to November 5th. The final day one may register to vote for this election is October 22, 2018.

These two pamphlets contain the ‘OFFICIAL INFORMATION’ about candidates, measures and propositions. Information received from other sources (TV, radio, newspapers, mailers, friends, etc.) is probably ‘tainted’ by ‘spin-meistering’ which is favorable to a candidate or special interest. If you really want to know the official information, do read what is presented in these two official documents. Any other source may be slanted towards a special interest or candidate.

Do make your voting efforts easier by using the “Quick Reference Guide” (page 6, State pamphlet) and the full paper ballot presented in the County’s pamphlet (page 005-017). A suggestion is to use this ‘paper ballot’ to record your voting decisions and then transcribe them to the official “Vote by Mail” ballot or take it to your precinct’s polling place to expedite voting.

Election analysts of the 2016 Presidential Election have documented the reality that Donald J. Trump was unexpectedly elected to the ‘Presidency’ by a minority of voters because many registered voters did not vote and by this lack of personal action, actually assisted Mr. Trump in becoming the President. FOR DEMOCRACY TO REALLY REFLECT THE WILL OF ‘WE, THE PEOPLE’ IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SPEAK UP WITH YOUR VOTE! For Democracy to work, each voter must participate by ensuring his/her 36 ballot choices are properly made and delivered by 8:00 PM, Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

All partisan candidates for every elected official are now ‘voter nominated. The “Top Two Open Primary Act (Proposition 14 passed 2010) now requires “The two candidates with the highest number of votes, in the primary election (held last June 2018), regardless of (political) party preference, to on to the general election ballot. There may be two candidates with the same party preference on your general election ballot. California Law authorizes political parties to endorse candidates running for ‘voter-nominated’ public offices. Those political parties which did not endorse any candidate by the deadline are listed (See page 016 of “County” pamphlet).

For this general election, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney-General, Insurance Commissioner, State Board of Equalization (District 2), U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, State Senate, State Assembly member are all ‘voter-nominated’ elected officials.

VOLUNTARY SPENDING LIMITS: Those candidates who accepted voluntary campaign spending limits (Pursuant to Proposition 34, adopted November 2000) are also listed. (See page 0l6, “County” pamphlet).

Two local elections are of great interest to the local Latino community: The Office of the Sheriff, County of Santa Clara and the election of new Alum Rock Elementary Union School District Board.

This County of Santa Clara community merits a new Sheriff. I recommend the election of John Hirokawa who is the retired Undersheriff, County of Santa Clara and not a ‘career politician’. Read his official statement (County pamphlet, page 022) and compare it to that of the incumbent who has forgotten that “We, the People” pay the taxes which underwrite all County operations. “We, The People” need to be kept fully informed so as to permit us to be fully engaged in development and maintenance of community safety. After 5 terms in office (25 years), it is time for change.

The ARUESD constituents need to elect new School Board members who will be dedicated to using those Measure I and Measure J School Bond monies for the purpose intended…which is to improve facilities and get deferred maintenance work accomplished. The Community for Better Alum Rock Schools (CFBARS) has endorsed candidates they support. Frank Chavez, former ARUESD board member and businessman (jewelry). His wife, LINDA CHAVEZ is a candidate; their children attended

ARUESD schools. In an email (June 23, 2018 1:06 PM) Frank stated, “Taking out both Tran and Herrera is a very high priority. In a crowded field (as it is shaping up), going negative on who you don’t want to win can be as important as supporting the ones you do.”

Do not vote for incumbents Tran and Herrera. It is best to vote for those candidates who are not allegedly beholden to any special interests. Andres Quintero, Ray Mueller, Linda Chavez, Ernesto Bejareno and Brenda Zendejas would all be effective ARUESD School Board members who know that the board’s role is to focus upon ‘policy decisions’, use the CA Education Code as their business practices guide (both personnel and contractual) and focus upon assisting ARUESD’s teaching staff with all instructional challenges be addressed. The basic educational mission is to prepare our kids for their competency and future in this world.

The City of San Jose and County of Santa Clara are addressing two very serious issues: One is the need to build affordable homes; the second is to deal with income disparities which lead to welfare support for the impoverished and homeless. Vote to support their proposals. The challenge of dealing with income disparity needs to include corporate leaders who must become informed about the impact of gentrification their business decisions impose. There is a social cost to destabilization of established communities when major corporations make plans to ‘bring in thousands of new employees’ without first considering the impacts upon rentals and home ownership. With modern IT communications how can corporate planners be encouraged to develop new corporate centers in smaller neighboring towns?

Especially those which have open spaces for urban development (more affordable homes). It seems that a regional approach needs to be considered by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group members. The ‘high number of corporate facilities expanding in Silicon Valley will result in definite reduction of “Quality of Life” factors. One such already being experienced is the extreme traffic congestion whose resolution is not being adequately anticipated by any public transit authority. Better regional planning is needed.

A micro-economic area has been created in which our children are not able to live close to ‘mom and dad’…with negative social costs not considered in ‘bottom line thinking’. How does business decision- makers get motivated to include ‘good Samaritan stewardship’ ideals which allow families to ‘live close by…thereby fostering family relationships and values. These considerations never make it to any ballot when only bottom-line decision making happens.

DO PLAN TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018. YOUR VALUES ARE REFLECTED BY YOUR VOTES.

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