housing navigation center! Attend the City Council meeting on June 3rd.

Action – Mark your calendar! Come out on June 3rd and show our city council our support for a year-round shelter/housing solution!

At the Monday, June 3, meeting at 6pm, the Ventura City Council (at City Hall – California & Poli) will be taking four very important actions regarding the opening and operation of the year-round shelter/housing navigation center. The agreements with the County, city of Oxnard and with Mercy House (the center’s proposed operator) are on the agenda to be approved.

It’s important that you come!!!!!

We want to fill the room as a visual symbol of the importance of this shelter to the community in addressing our homelessness issues.

Wear BLUE if you can.

We’ll provide matching signs for you to use in thanking our council for their positive actions.

This time, we’re not asking for speakers, just for an enthusiastic group of supporters to be seen and be counted. Kevin and I will arrange for no more than 3 speakers to address the council.

There is now real data and there are real solutions for homelessness. For more information to share with friends, here are 3 significant talking points on housing, including the benefits of affordable rental housing, the state’s proposed budget impact, and how supportive housing reduces homelessness.

Thank you for your support!

Judy and Kevin
Co-Directors of Ventura Social Services Task Force

Tues 5/28: The CA-Indivisible coalition is working together to push these environmental votes through! Pick up your phone & help! 5 minutes!

Action – Take five minutes to help save our planet!

This week, six bills that will have a big impact on the Climate Crisis will come to a floor vote in the CA Senate or Assembly.

Join the call-in day TODAY by calling 760-891-CALI and press 3 to be connected to both your Senator and Assemblymember. It’s easy and will take no more than five minutes or use the Sacramento contacts of your people below.

Contacts:
State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (SD-19):SAC (916) 651-4019, email
State Assemblymember Monique Limón (CA-37): SAC (916) 319-2037, email
Not your people?:findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Note: You won’t need to get into the details of each bill. Just stick to the short script!

Minimal Script for State Senator: Hello, I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Sen. [___] to know that I am very concerned about the extremely urgent climate crisis affecting our planet. I ask that [she/he] support SB 210 to reduce emissions from medium and heavy duty trucks. I also ask that he/she oppose SB 386 which would gut the progress on clean energy goals made by last year’s SB 100 and SB 772 which could result in a hydropower project that would harm Joshua Tree National Park. Thank you for relaying my requests to the Senator!

Script for Assemblymember: Hello, Hello, I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Assemblymember. [___] to know that I am very concerned about the extremely urgent climate crisis affecting our planet. I ask that [she/he] support AB 857 which would increase public banks and thereby increase investments in sustainable community projects, and AB 1046 which would increase zero emission vehicles by key target dates. I also ask that he/she oppose AB 56 which would take away the mandated authority of Community Choice Aggregation programs (CCAs.)

Thank you for fighting to save our planet!!

Tues 5/28: He’s coming to frack CA. Got 5 minutes? Try the new EASY comment generator! Deadline 6/10!

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Kern County is the most-fracked county in California by a wide margin. This region also has the worst air quality in the nation, as well as highly elevated rates of cancer and respiratory illness. For the people that live here, fracking means more oil extraction, more crippling climate impacts, and more impacts on their health.

Trump had to delay his plans to give offshore drilling leases to his favorite donors, due to a court decision blocking fossil fuel activity in parts of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. So he and his EnergyDominance™ team (fossil-fuel-lobbyists-now-getting-government-paychecks) are concentrating on striking back at coastal states who oppose him and turning America into one big corporate-owned Superfund site.

Action : Start making comments! Public comment open from 4/26 to 6/10. – NEW EASY METHOD

How to comment – 2 ways – one way is REALLY EASY!:

Option 1 – “Really Easy” 5-minute comment generator.

The folks at Los Padres Forest Watch have created this nifty system to help you create an original (VERY IMPORTANT!) public comment on this issue.

Simply go here and follow their instructions. 5 minutes, one click and you’re done!

In fact, it’s so easy, please share on all your social media platforms and do one at lunch time every day until the deadline!

Continue reading “Tues 5/28: He’s coming to frack CA. Got 5 minutes? Try the new EASY comment generator! Deadline 6/10!” →

Tues – 5/28: It’s today! The Fair board is voting on 3 more gun shows! Come out and show them it’s no longer business as usual…

Action #1 – Come support a ban on gun shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. DAA Board Meeting – TUESDAY, May 28th at 9 am.

“In these times of horrific gun violence, no state agency should be promoting and profiting from the proliferation of firearms and ammunition in our community,”- Ruth Borenstein, a leader of the San Francisco chapter of Brady United Against Gun Violence.

PLEASE COME! Tuesday, May 28th, the Ventura County Fair Board plans to vote on a proposal from Crossroads Of The West for three more gun shows at the fairgrounds this year: in August, October & December (the weekend before Christmas). We have been arguing for months that the Fair Board should follow the example of the Cow Palace. in San Francisco and the Del Mar fairgrounds — both publicly owned facilities like our own — and stop hosting gun shows on taxpayer-supported property. WE MUST show up and forcefully make the argument against continuing to hold gun shows at the fairgrounds.

Continue reading “Tues – 5/28: It’s today! The Fair board is voting on 3 more gun shows! Come out and show them it’s no longer business as usual…” →

Fri 5/24: Skin in the Game for Everyone! – Part 3 of 2 – UPDATES & Actions!

Yep. Part 3 of 2!

It’s been a busy week!
Part 1 of 2 here: a modest proposal for states who enact an abortion ban, a great video, a list of pregnancy and birth injuries, & a reading list.

Part 2 of 2 here: H.R.1692/ S.758 – EACH Woman Act, ~~SB-24 – Public university student health centers~~ (updated below), where to donate, June 20th local activity to write voters in states affected by bans, videos to watch, free graphics..

Action #1 – “YES” on SB-24 – PASSED THE STATE SENATE!

Our Senator Jackson co-authored SB-24, a bill that allows student health care services clinics on CSU or UC campuses to offer abortion by medication techniques. This allows the over 400,000 female students who may decide they want abortion services to obtain access to that care as easily and as early in pregnancy as possible. The bill was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown last year. The re-introduced bill has PASSED through the State Senate and has been read the 1st time in the Assembly. It is sponsored by ACCESS Women’s Health Justice, ACT for Women and Girls, ACLU of California, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, NARAL Pro-Choice California, Students United for Reproductive Justice at Berkeley, Women’s Foundation of California/Women’s Policy Institute.

Action #2 – “YES” on SB-464 – PASSED THE STATE SENATE!

Continue reading “Fri 5/24: Skin in the Game for Everyone! – Part 3 of 2 – UPDATES & Actions!” →

Fri – 5/24: Yes on AB 1217. Stop allowing deceptive political ads to sway elections.

Action – “YES” on AB 1217 Issue Ad DISCLOSE Act! It’s up for a full Assembly vote!

The infamous “Harry and Louise” ads that helped kill national health care proposals in 1993-1994 were paid for by insurance companies, without viewers ever knowing.

AB 1217 – Issue Ad DISCLOSE Act will require “issue” ads to list their top 3 funders like other political ads do. It also closes the loophole that allows attack ads on candidates to avoid disclosure if they don’t “expressly advocate” for the defeat or election of a candidate (the so-called “sham issue ads” loophole). Over $26 million has been spent on electioneering communications since 2010! AB 1217 will also require them to show their top 3 funders, if they even name or depict a candidate during the 120-day period before the election.

Legislation on every issue you care about is vulnerable to these deceptive “issue” ads that often make false claims, and can fool the voters and pressure the legislature. And they do it while hiding the real names of the funders behind good sounding and misleading names. Here’s some examples you may remember…

“Progressive Bag Alliance“, funded by out of state plastic bag manufacturers, attacked a bill to ban single-use plastic bags!
“California Drivers Alliance“, funded by Big Oil, attacked a carbon-reduction bill.
“CALInnovates“, funded by Big Cable and Telecom, attacked 2018’s net neutrality bill.

Continue reading “Fri – 5/24: Yes on AB 1217. Stop allowing deceptive political ads to sway elections.” →

This Sunday 5/26: “Swap Meet Justice!” citizenship fair! Come join us, rain or shine!

RAIN OR SHINE, FOLKS! WE HAVE WORK TO DO!

Action – THIS Sunday, 5/26 – Come join us at “Swap Meet Justice!” and help spread the word!

You do not need to be a lawyer. You do not need to speak another language. However, all volunteers with bilingual skills are appreciated.

Every last Sunday of the month! Take a couple of hours out of your 3-day weekend and have a great time!

When: 8am-3pm, 5/26, 6/30, 7/28, 8/25, 9/29, 10/27, 11/24, and 12/29. You may come for a shorter amount of time, but please come at 8:30 for new volunteer orientation. We also don’t start new applications after 1:30 or 2:00, so we can finish in time for the marketplace’s closing.

Where: Oxnard College Marketplace & Swap Meet (Map below)

FAQ’s, downloadable posters and handouts: here

Where is the Oxnard College Swap Meet? And when I get there, where do I go?

Continue reading “This Sunday 5/26: “Swap Meet Justice!” citizenship fair! Come join us, rain or shine!” →

Thurs 5/23: SB 200 / AB 217 – Drinking Water – “Nearly every Californian is exposed to unsafe drinking water.”

Quote from Sacbee.com. To pack the biggest punch, ALL of the CA Indivisible coalition are working together to drive calls to our legislators to push important bills through their house. Today, we’re focusing on water.

Not only were Governor Newsom’s remarks true but the number of Californians affected by water pollution is probably higher than 1 million and the contaminants found have serious associated health risks including cancer. There are almost 400 small rural water systems and schools are unable to provide safe drinking water and the problem could effect everyone.

Existing CA state law already established that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water. SB 200 (which has already passed the State Senate and goes to the Assembly) and AB 217 (still in the Assembly) establishes a “long-term sustainable funding source” – the Safe Drinking Water Fund – to maintain and supply clean water to certain communities with general fund dollars and fees on agriculture. CA is already spending $10 billion on water pollution control every year. This makes it official and sets the stage for new solutions to help keep our water sources cleaner.

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Assemblymember [___] to support SB 200 and AB 217 to ensure that all Californians, including me and my family, have access to clean, safe drinking water. Continue reading “Thurs 5/23: SB 200 / AB 217 – Drinking Water – “Nearly every Californian is exposed to unsafe drinking water.”” →

Thurs 5/23: It’s long past time our kids got the #1 education they need for the 21st century. Call and help get these bills through.

Compilation of CA educational quality scores for 2018 from various sources: 38th, 32nd, 35th, 37th, 35th.

Money doesn’t solve all problems, but it will certainly solve some.

The scores shown above are actually an improvement! (See video in the “Background” section). We were once #1, and then fell to the bottom. Still, many schools don’t have full-time nurses, counselors or library access and there’s remains huge inequalities between school districts. “…researchers aim to put a price tag on what it would cost to provide an adequate education in the state. … the state would need to add another $22.1 billion “for all students to have had the opportunity to meet the goals set by the State Board of Education” and bring spending up to about $16,800 per student, which is still less than what states in the Northeast spend, the report says. Addressing the needs of low-income students and English learners would take roughly $3,000 to $4,000 more.”

Yesterday, May 22nd, was California Educators Day. A bunch of our hard-working teachers thought it important enough to make their way to Sacramento to talk to their legislators. Let’s help push their message over the line and re-fund our school system!

Action – Make these calls!

Continue reading “Thurs 5/23: It’s long past time our kids got the #1 education they need for the 21st century. Call and help get these bills through.” →

Wed. 5/22: “YES” on AB 32 – End Private Prisons now!

Action – “YES” on AB 32. CA needs to cut taxpayers’ ties to the corrupt, cruel and incompetent private prison system.

“There is no place in our country for corporations that profit from incarcerating folks, tearing apart families or putting children in cages….” – Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego)

“Private prisons are a practice that should have never been permitted in California, and it’s time we end their presence, “For-profit prisons do not serve the best interests of Californians nor are they in line with our values. No one should profit off human incarceration, especially after we have refocused our corrections system away from incarceration and towards rehabilitation.” – Assemblymember Todd Gloria.

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I’m calling (optional: “as a member of Indivisible”) to ask Assemblymember [___] to support AB -32 to prohibit for-profit prisons in California.

More script if you want it: No one should profit from human incarceration, especially as our state has refocused our corrections system towards rehabilitation.

Contact -Call the number in the title graphic OR use the info. below.
State Assemblymember Monique Limón: (CA-37): SAC (916) 319-2037, SB (805) 564-1649, VTA (805) 641-3700 email
Not your people?: findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
Co-sponsors: Bonta, Chiu, Gloria, Gonzalez, Kamlager-Dove, Santiago