PDS in June - Issues and Endorsements

Written by: Katherine Wallace on Jul 24, 2006 12:46 AM EDT

June had lots of issues of interest to PDS members getting attention in Somerville. We endorsed a few candidates at our monthly meeting and held our Budget Forum.

It's almost time for our PDS JULY Meeting on Tuesday July 25 at VNA on Lowell Street, but before I send the agenda out for that let's catch up on June.

PDS met on Tuesday June 27 at the Church at Chapel and College Ave. The following is a combination of notes from our Secretary Paula Stuart and me (mostly Paula with some editing and additions by me).

1) Endorsements
We started off with a recap of the recent Endorsement Committee meeting and discussed the endorsement processes we would be using this summer for various races.

Governor

PDS endorsed Deval Patrick early this year.

Lt Governor

In May, candidates for Lt. Governor Andrea Silbert and Deborah Goldberg met with a large and lively PDS meeting just prior to the Democratic State Convention. Earlier this year we met with Sam Kelley before he dropped out of the race. The only Lt. Gov candidate from whom we have not yet heard is Tim Murray. Candidate Murray is not able to make it to our meetings due to scheduling conflicts, but his campaign manager will speak at our July meeting. Prior to the meeting information on all three candidates will be sent to the list and then we will vote for endorsement during our July 25th meeting.

Secretary of State

Bill Galvin was invited to address PDS meeting or send a representative and his campaign declined to respond. We had already heard from the campaign manager for John Bonifaz at our May meeting, and there are a number of PDS members who had been actively working on John's campaign. Prior to the June meeting information on both candidates was distributed to the list and we scheduled an endorsement vote for the Secretary of State race this June 27th meeting.

Endorsement Vote for Secretary of State:
Prior to taking a vote on the Secretary of State race, there was a general discussion about the job and what it entailed, as well as the merits of the two candidates, the incumbent William Galvin and the challenger John Bonifaz.

Bonifaz supporters spoke fervently about his work in voter's rights and clean elections issues and the importance of this as a progressive issue. Bonifaz has an impressive record on voter's rights issues.

Melissa McWhinney also raised the public records laws as another key role the Secretary of State plays and that she thought it important to have someone in the office that would enforce the public's right to access information.

Paula pointed out that much of the Secretary's job is about making the trains run on time, and that although Bonifaz may have an impressive record with voting rights, there were other aspects of the job that he had no apparent experience with, including being responsible for monitoring securities firms, registering and overseeing corporations, etc.

Mike Grunko expressed the feeling that the Governor's race was crucially important to win in November and concern that PDS not dilute its efforts too much - especially as it seems unlikely that Bonifaz can win.

Katie reminded members the PDS endorsement could trigger an endorsement from DFA - which would generate some press and some resources for the campaign.

Following a lively discussion, a vote was taken to endorse for Secretary of State. John Bonifaz won the endorsement with exactly the 66% (two thirds) vote required.

Uncontested Races

Pat Jehlen, Jarrett Barrios, Denise Provost, Carl Sciortino, and Tim Toomey, are all unopposed in this November's state election. We discussed whether PDS should endorse in the uncontested races. There was clear support for endorsing candidates that PDS worked hard to get elected in the many many special elections last year and in 2004.

There was a more mixed reaction to Tim Toomey due to past history. Katie gave a quick synopsis of this for new members. Two years ago PDS endorsed Avi Green instead of incumbent Tim Toomey. Representative Toomey won the election by a narrow margin in Cambridge precincts, although the PDS endorsed candidate won in every Somerville precinct in the district. Toomey requested the PDS endorsement, and when he did not receive it chose to challenge the legitimacy of the organization and to demand - through the press--a list of members and a breakdown of how members voted.

Joe Beckmann reminded members that it was important to open a dialog with Representative Toomey and pointed out that the proposed jail was being targeted in his district. Ron Newman then made a motion that was duly seconded and voted unanimously to table and endorsement for Tim Toomey and to invite him to attend a future PDS meeting.

Senator Jarrett Barrios attended this meeting to talk about the proposed jail. After he left we discussed voted on his endorsement.

Endorsement Votes for uncontested races. In four separate votes, the members present:

Voted unanimously to endorse Senator Patricia Jehlen
Voted unanimously to endorse State Representative Carl Sciortino
Voted unanimously to endorse State Representative Denise Provost
Voted to endorse Senator Barrios by 83% in favor

2) Budget Forum:

Fred did an overview of the budget forum scheduled for Thursday June 29. A number of interesting presentations are scheduled, including an opportunity for those present to distribute budget jelly beans as they think appropriate. Newton CFO and Somerville resident will show how Newton puts its budget together; Stephanie Hirsh from the Somerstat program will talk about Somerville's budget process. Paula Stuart will outline federal funds and the role they play in Somerville. Paul Bockelman and Jim Thomas will present an overview of Somerville's budget trends.

Lawrence noted that this budget forum was the beginning of an effort to get community members more involved in and aware of the city budget process and how it will affect them.

By now you should have read Fred's summary of the forum.

3) Issues Committee:

The committee is discussing how PDS should deal with the various issues about which we are concerned and which other groups ask us to take a position on. There will be a further discussion at the next general meeting. Issues used as an example include the Condo Conversion Ordinance, the possibility of a jail in Somerville, and the ongoing debate about Assembly Square.

Fred Berman framed the question about how the issues committee would work. He used the Condo Conversion Ordinance as an example, saying that he hoped PDS would take a position on the ordinance in the future. He said it does not appear that any action will be taken by the BOA until the fall. He stated that the debate is larger than the specific issue of the ordinance -- impacting on tenant and landlord rights as an example. Marty noted that it was important to understand the existing law in order to compare it to the proposed ordinance.

4) A Somerville Jail?

Melissa McWhinney reported on a recent meeting that was held to raise awareness of the proposal by Middlesex County Sheriff James DePaulo about combining the badly needed new Somerville police station with a new jail to be located in Somerville, replacing the overcrowded Cambridge facility about to close for asbestos remediation.

The Cambridge facility will be closed for three years. This means that the 500 + prisoners (these are people being held prior to trial). Apparently there are plans to add 300 new cells at the Billerica House of Correction and the Sheriff is proposing a 600 bed facility in Somerville. She noted that Framingham was also suggested but has already said "hell no" to the idea.

Melissa believes that DePaulo has proposed a Bond Bill that she think she wants approved before the end of the fiscal year, although that would be in just a few days.

Jarrett Barrios joined the meeting and was asked to comment on the jail issue. He said that it was important to understand what kind of a facility it would be and weigh the benefits. He noted that a facility would have to be cited somewhere in the county and that Somerville was close to the original location and to the Courthouse itself (for when it reopens). Unlike others in the Somerville delegation, he did not come out against locating the proposed jail in Somerville. He did say that the matter was not going to go through the Public Safety Committee, upon which he serves, but through another process or committee.

5) Committee Openings

Katie Wallace noted that the co-chair positions for the committees on Membership and Endorsements were both open and suggested that anyone interested in either of these positions talk with the current co-chairs to see what is involved.

6) Other June Happenings
June was a busy month. Many PDS'ers were involved in various hearings on topics such as Condo Ordinance, Assembly Square, MBTA, McGrath Highway Street Crossing, and School Issues. Fun was had at Rebekah Gewirtz' fundraiser, blogging events, Gay Pride Flag Raising at City Hall, Marching in the Gay Pride Parade and the Somerville Fireworks.

7) PDS JULY Meeting on Tuesday July 25 at VNA on Lowell Street
Agenda coming soon!

Tags:
Location: Somerville, MA 02144