Richmond District Democratic Club

General Membership Meeting Announcement

February 25th at 7:00pm at the Richmond District Police Station (461 - 6th Ave).

On the Agenda:

Treasurer’s Report

California Democracy Act

Statewide Constitutional Convention

Additionally we are planning an endorsement meeting for the March meeting, that means it will be very important to renew your membership and pay dues at the February meeting.

Reminders regarding the March endorsement meeting:

Who may vote on endorsements:

Continuing members who reside in Supervisorial District 1, and who have paid dues for the current year.

New members who have paid dues at least 1 month prior to the vote.

Continuing members may renew at the beginning of the meeting by paying dues.

Dues are $15 or 2 for $25 and can be paid at meeting:

August 27 at 7:00pm at the Richmond District Police Station (461 - 6th Ave).

We will be discussing the 5 measures and two offices on the November 3 Municipal Election ballot.

We expect to have representatives from both sides of the ballot measures as well as the candidates for the two offices present to represent their issue and take questions.

See Upcoming Events for more information.

RICHMOND DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CLUB ENDORSEMENTS for NOV 2008 ELECTION

Meeting on 9/25/08

U.S. President, Vice President: Barack Obama, Joe Biden

U.S. Representative, District 8: Nancy Pelosi

State Assembly District 12: Fiona Ma

Superior Court Judge Seat 12: Gerardo Sandoval

SAN FRANCISCO CITY BALLOT MEASURES

A — YES SF General Hospital Earthquake Safety Bonds

B — YES Establishing Affordable Housing Fund

C — NO Prohibiting City Employees Serving on Charter Boards & Commisions

D — YES Financing Pier 70 Waterfront Dist Development Plan w. Supervisors Approval

E — YES Increasing the Number of Signatures Required to Recall City Officials

F — YES Holding All Scheduled City Elections Only in Even-Numbered Years

G — YES Allowing Retirement System Credit for Unpaid Parental Leave

H — YES Setting Clean Energy Deadlines; Studying Options for Providing Energy

I — NO Creating Office of Independent Rate Payer Advocate

J — YES Creating Historic Preservation Commission

K — YES Changing the Enforcement of Laws Related to Prostitution and Sex Workers

L — Neutral Funding the Community Justice Center

M — YES Prohibiting Specific Acts of Harassment of Tenants by Landlords

N — YES Changing Real Property Transfer Tax Rates

O — YES Replacing Emergency Response Fee w. Access Line Tax, Revising Users Tax

P — NO Changing the Composition of S.F. County Transportation Authority Board

Q — YES Modifying the Payroll Expense Tax

R — NO Renaming Oceanside Water Treatment Plant

S — Neutral Policy Regarding Budget Set-Asides and Identification of Replacement Funds

T — YES Free & Low-Cost Substance Abuse Treatment

U — YES Policy Against Funding the Deployment of Armed Forces in Iraq

V — NO Policy Against Terminating JROTC in Public High Schools

S.F. BOARD OF EDUCATION

Sandra Fewer

Norman Yee

Jaynry Mak

Rachel P. Norton

S.F. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD

Chris Jackson

Milton Marks

Steve Ngo

Natalie Berg

CALIFORNIA STATE PROPOSITIONS

1A  —   YES   Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century

2    —   YES    Treatment of Farm Animals.  Statute

3    —   YES    Children’s Hospital Bond Act.  Grant Program.  Statute

4    —    NO    Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy

5    —    YES    Nonviolent Offenders, Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation.  Statute

6    —    NO    Criminal Penalties and Laws.  Public Safety Funding.  Statute

7    —    NO    Renewable Energy.  Statute

8    —    NO    Limit on Marriage.  Constitutional Amendment

9    —    NO    Victims’ Rights, Parole.  Constitutional Amendment

10  —  Neutral  Alternative Fuel Vehicles & Renewable Energy. Statute

11  —    YES    Redistricting.  Constitutional Amendment and Statute

12  —    YES    Veterans Bond Act of 2008

The RDDC Dinner was a cozy, but exuberant affair with plenty of crab and drink to go around and lots of special guests, including a special “stand-in”, the next President of the United States.

So fun was our dinner that nearby non RDDC diners decided to join us, especially when we had the charismatic candidate among us!

San Francisco Richmond District Democratic Club Resolution Opposing Development
of the Fisher Modern Art Museum and Hotel Near the Presidio Main Parade Ground

WHEREAS the Presidio of San Francisco is a National Park, and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and a National Historic Landmark managed by the Presidio Trust established by an act of Congress which made a finding that…

…”Preservation of the cultural and historic integrity of the Presidio for public use recognizes its significant role in the history of the United States”

…”As part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Presidio’s significant natural, historic, scenic, cultural, and recreational resources must be managed in a manner which is consistent with sound principles of land use planning and management, and which protects the Presidio from development and uses which would destroy the scenic beauty and historic and natural character of the area and cultural and recreational resources…”

WHEREAS Don and Doris Fisher have proposed a 100,000 square foot Contemporary Art Museum at the south end of the Main Parade Ground of the Presidio, adjacent to and looming over Pershing Square and the original Spanish El Presidio, which proposal has been selected by the Presidio Trust, rejecting an alternative proposal for a History Center at the Presidio and selecting in addition an 80,000 to 95,000 square foot hotel on the east side of the Main Parade Ground, both of these selections by the Trust vigorously opposed by numerous San Francisco neighborhood organizations and historic associations.

WHEREAS the National Park Service, in a letter dated April 14, 2008, makes the following statements about the Fisher project:

“…The projects as proposed in the current undertaking are not consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, nor are they in keeping with the Trust’s own planning guidelines and cultural landscape analysis for the Main Post…”

“…Locating any large-scale building at the head of the Main Parade Ground with the massive scale and materials of the proposed museum appears to be in direct conflict with all of the above cited PresidioTrust Master Plan (PTMP) guidelines, as well as the analysis and recommendations of the cultural landscape assessment…”

“…The end result of these projects and the others included in this undertaking, if they go forward as planned, would have an adverse effect and significant impact on the Presidio that would threaten the status of the district as a National Historic Landmark…”

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Richmond District Democratic Club does hereby express its complete opposition to all actions by the PresidioTrust to elect, negotiate, or otherwise encourage or develop the Fisher Contemporary Art Museum and hotel, or any similar projects, in the historic Main Post area of the Presidio, and that the Club’s opposition to the projects be conveyed to the Presidio Trust Board of Trustees and Federal, State and City representatives and other persons as deemed appropriate.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Richmond District Democratic Club recognizes the civic-mindedness of the Fisher family and urges the City and County of San Francisco to identify a suitable location for the modern art collection in the City of San Francisco where the vast numbers of tourists visiting the City, as well as its residents, may have suitable public access to it.