Election Day 2014

As I was voting today a couple of thoughts came to mind.  In reviewing the local papers over the last month I was struck by how the SF Chronicle and the SJ Mercury News have abandoned the mid-Peninsula.  They still deliver and collect their money, but you would be hard pressed to get any insight on any local races from either of them.  Perhaps that is a good thing since the Merc's contribution this morning was to note a "Record-low turnout total predicted for California" at 46.1%.  The headline read "Dems likely to lose Senate".  I guess "GOP likely to win Senate" could not get past the editorial guidelines.  The article, which belonged on the Opinion page rather than the front page, went on to suggest that if the Senate flips it would "leave Democrats to wield the filibuster and President Barack Obama to use his veto pen for the next two years".  Very constructive--NOT.

So perhaps it is best that the big city rags have abandoned us to the very capable hands of the Daily Journal and the Daily Post.  We get much better coverage year round, not just on Election Day.  If you have not voted yet, please do get out and try to prove the record-low turnout crowd wrong.  Here is one of the voting stations in B'game City Hall today at mid-afternoon.  Veteran's Day (Remembrance Day) is a week from today and that alone should get you out if you haven't already done so.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Early voters in the Burlingables Neighborhood were greeted at 7am by Kiki Arnaudo, who for has years proudly announced the opening of the polling place at the Lutheran Church on Burlingame Avenue, singing "Here ye, Here ye, the polls are now open!" Burlingame, what a great place to live......!

[Jennifer]

Whoops, misspell: "Hear ye, hear ye!" In any case, very special!

[Bruce Dickinson]

5 cowbell rings for Burlingame traditions! Also, Jennifer, one for the history books!

[Joe]

Kiki is in the running for a "Gems of B'game" citation.

In the couple of races we are paying attention to in B'game, here are some results:

Peninsula Health Care District sees no change (* = elected)

HELEN GALLIGAN (34.10%) *
LAWRENCE W. CAPPEL (26.14%) *
DENNIS ZELL (22.43%) *
DOUGLAS RADTKE (17.33%)

Community College District bonds needed 55% and got 64% to pass

BONDS YES (64.83%) *
BONDS NO (35.17%)

Burlingame Elementary Parcel Tax extension needed 66.6% and got 76% to pass as well

YES (76.82%) *
NO (23.18%)

On the national front, I think it is safe to say that California High-cost Rail money from the Feds is dead. Moonbeam may have been re-elected, but he is going to have to choke the local Golden Geese to fund his boondoggle.

[Joe]

And here is the real bummer of the evening

TOM TORLAKSON (63.91%) *
MARSHALL TUCK (36.09%)

[Doug Radtke]

To everyone from the bgame voice who voted for me, thank you for your vote.

I looked at some of the district by district data and I got very little votes from outliers like Foster City and the part of South San Francisco covered by PHCD because folks likely don't know who I am like around Millbrae and Burlingame.

I think it's up to Burlingame City Council at this point to get the "buy-in" and consent for the Trousdale. I hope more people will express their opinion about it.

It's going to cost a great deal of tax money, not provide a tremendous benefit to anyone, and take up parcels of land that I think would ideally be better used for housing. Just my two cents.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2014-11-07/letter-new-projects-to-support-seniors/1776425132919.html

I thought it was amusing a noted active political figure, donor, non-profit director, and grant recipient rushed to the defense of PHCD.

I wrote this to the SMDJ:

Editor,

Steve Nakajo recently wrote in a letter in support of the Peninsula Healthcare District.

The question of the district was never about net positive benefits, but the appropriateness of these activities without voter consent. Kimochi has undoubtedly done fantastic things for the Japanese American community with the resources they have received.

I wanted to point out however, that Google searches show that Steve Nakajo was appointed to commissions by both Mayor Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom in San Francisco. He has at a glance been a campaign contributor to the Fiona Ma campaign. He has endorsed many San Francisco political figures. The politicized information is out there.

I argue against the Peninsula Healthcare District giving out grants because it benefits the political clouts of the individuals sitting on the board and the recipients. The purpose of healthcare districts are not to increase political clout of the board members - it is to serve your constituency.

I am pleading that the healthcare districts choose a more transparent and consent driven approach to granting public funds to private organizations. Why can't we simply be given a choice and a vote?

Doug Radtke
Millbrae

[Joe]

From today's Daily Journal

The county’s chief elections officer is urging all jurisdictions with scheduled elections this November to participate in a pilot program to have all ballots cast by mail rather than at the polls.

The program will hopefully increase voter turnout, produce faster results, reduce risk of error and decrease elections costs, Mark Church, San Mateo County’s chief elections officer and assessor-county clerk-recorder, told the San Carlos City Council Monday night.

The council then voted 4-0 to join the pilot program, which is an effort by the state Legislature to provide “a complete picture of the effects of all-mail ballot elections,” Church said.

Yolo and San Mateo counties are participating in the pilot, which was approved by state lawmakers in August with the passage of Assembly Bill 2028, authored by Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco. It gives San Mateo County the authority to conduct up to three all-mail ballot elections until the end of 2017. Presidential elections, however, are excluded from the pilot.

Under AB 2028, every voter gets a ballot in the mail; return envelopes are postage paid; voters can still vote in person; and the county provides a report the state on the outcome.

There will be a limited number of polling places open on Election Day for those who prefer to vote in person, Church said Monday.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2015-05-13/vote-by-mail-gets-push-by-election-chief-all-jurisdictions-must-approve-participation-in-pilot-program/1776425143254.html