Miles Kurland for Central Committee

Background:

I'm the founding President of Sonoma County Democracy for America. We've organized a number of successful public events to empower citizens to engage with their local, state and federal elected representatives and learn about the positions of candidates running for office.

I'm a delegate to the California Democratic Party representing the 7th Assembly District, and I'm a founding member of the California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus.

Though not currently a member of the Democratic Central Committee, I've served as a volunteer working on its behalf. The annual Crab Feed is the largest fundraising event for the Sonoma County Democratic Party, and I was co-chair of the 2006 Crab Feed committee. I'm also a member of the central committee's new Web Development Task Force.

Goals:

I'm running for central committee because I want to help build a permanent precinct operation, a year-round Democratic headquarters, and a more effective local fundraising organization.

Issues:

Establishing a permanent precinct organization that will exist on an ongoing basis throughout Sonoma County.

Establishment of a permanent office: a place where the local Democratic party can conduct its business, hold meetings, and be a central point for the distribution of materials that support and promote the Democratic Party and its allies. The Republican Party has a full-time office in Santa Rosa: we need one too.

Finally, in order to support these endeavors, the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee needs to be more proactive in fundraising. We should be capable of financing our own efforts.

Sonoma is a prosperous county with a large Democratic base - I want to see us step up to the plate to meet the challenge of becoming a Democratic party funding source. We don't need to be a recipient.

Grassroots Support:

It's the whole enchilada. At the relatiely low level of this kind of race, no one's raising big sums. No one's buying media. It's all shoe leather and mousepads.

DFA Values:

I'm socially progressive insofar as I strongly believe that government has no place in regulating the most personal and intimate of choices, such as family planning... and who one chooses to marry. I believe in the role of goverment in providing equal opportunity, a level playing field, and a social safety net. It is government's proper role to act as regulatory and legal force to promote the public interest and defend the rights of the individual against large corporate and moneyed interests.

I'm fiscally responsible in that I believe in "pay as you go" government. I think it's morally wrong to burden future generations with our debts. I think it's shortsighted to eschew taxes in preference to bond measures that cost the taxpayer far more in the long run. No one loves taxes, but there has to be some kind of a balance between income and expenses... and having something put aside for a rainy day is desirable, too.