DRAFT: Agenda, GPLAC County Council meeting, April 11, 2021

DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Agenda, Sunday, April 11, 2021
Teleconference information shared via County Council email list
Check in/socializing: 1:30pm to 2pm
Business meeting: 2pm to 5pm

Facilitators: Timeka Drew, Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Linda Piera-Avila
Vibes Watcher: Ava Kermani

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees (ten minutes)
Very brief introductions, including role w/GPLAC County Council or otherwise with Green Party, or as outside observer

2. Reviewing our process (two minutes)
Presenter: Facilitators
• Relevant Bylaw: Section 9.3 Participation
9.3.1 Open Meetings: With the consent of the Council, all members of the Green Party of Los Angeles County may participate in the 'Consensus-seeking Process' but only Council members may hold any 'unresolved concerns' and participate in any vote, should one become necessary.
9.3.2 County Council members shall receive priority in discussions, to ensure that they have time to a) seek clarifications. b) express their concerns and affirmations, and c) take a vote, if necessary. At the discretion of the facilitation

3. Decision: Opportunity to amend agenda and/or add emergency items (five minutes)
Presenter: Facilitators

• Relevant By-Law 7.5.2.3
The agenda may be amended by a 3/5 vote of County Councilmember present. Emergency and/or late items may be added to the agenda by a 2/3 vote of County Councilmembers (in the interest of time, suggested amendments and their rationale should be offered on-line before the meeting)

Proposal (Feinstein): Add the items below with an *, in the order presented below.

Propsal (Feinstein): That the County Council consider adding an agenda item in respose to a request sent by Shannel Pittman from Martha Camacho-Rodriguez about AB 1195 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202....  Note this would be a follow up from the GPLAC's position opposing SB 625 in 2020 http://losangeles.cagreens.org/legislation/oppose-sb625/.

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Doug Barnett, GPLAC Treasurer

5. Discussion: Preserving GPCA ballot status strategy and recruiting for 2022 races (thirty minutes) *
Sponsors: Timeka Drew, Mike Feinstein 

Background:  This item will provide an opportunity to hear from Greens considering running in 2022 statewide races. 

6. Discussion: Conducting poll of GPLAC members on Newsom recall (thirty minutes) *
Sponsors: Mike Feinstein 

Background: The signature are being validaded, but every expection is that the recall of Governor Newsom will qualify for the 2021 ballot.

The GPCA is likely to attempt to take a position on the recall in upcoming months.  Should the GPLAC poll its members beforehand? It could incluee an email blast to the approximately 13,000 GPLAC Greens (out of a total of approximately 22,000 in the county) that we the GPLAC has email addresses for.

First question:
- Endorse the recall
- Oppose the recall
- Be neutral

Second quesiton

- Run and endorse a Green in the replacement election 
- Run and endorse a Green in the replacement election only if there is a strong candiate
- Don't endorse a Green in the replacment elextion 

What information should be included?

(1) Process information 

For example, links to
- CA Secretary of State page explaining 2021 recall timeline and process 
Not yet published 
- CA election code on recall
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayexpandedbranch.xhtml?tocCode=ELEC&division=11.&title=&part=&chapter=&article=&nodetreepath=13
- GPCA process and timeline for taking a position
Not yet published - can ask GPCA to publish one, or GPLAC could publish one with GPCA info, if GPCA doesn’t do it
- What else?
Ballotpedia? https://ballotpedia.org/Gavin_Newsom_recall,_Governor_of_California_(2019-2021)
Wikipedia? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_California_gubernatorial_recall_election

(2) More subjective information 

- Public Policy Institute Poll on recall
https://www.ppic.org/blog/five-takeaways-on-the-2021-governors-recall/
- Links to major media coverage?
https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/03/22/signatures-are-in-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-gavin-newsom-recall-effort/
https://calmatters.org/explainers/recalling-california-governor-explained/
https://calmatters.org/politics/2021/03/recall-rules-gavin-newsom-trouble/
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/politics/gavin-newsom-california-recall/index.html
- Synopsis of GPCA action on 2003 recall 
GPCA endorsed Peter Camejo, but did not take a position on the recall itself 
https://web.archive.org/web/20030926221846/http://www.cagreens.org/press/pr030814.htm

Proposal:  Approve of doing a poll

7. Decision: Sign On Letter: Climate Justice for LA (ten minutes)*
Sponsor/Presenter: Drew

Background: From Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action: Later this year, Los Angeles City Council will be making a major decision – mapping out the City’s long-term plan to transition to 100% renewable energy. The City’s decision is not simply about climate – how we move forward will have significant ramifications on public health, utility affordability, clean energy jobs, and the equitable distribution of city resources in our communities. As the Council considers the results of LADWP’s LA100 Study, we must demand real solutions that address the roots of the city’s compounding crisis’s – by putting the health and wellbeing of the public first. We are asking our allies to sign onto a letter to the City Council that demands the following:

• 100% Clean Energy by 2030.
• No false solutions that harm environmental justice communities: No biogas, No renewable energy credits / cap-and-trade.
• Greater investment in transformative solutions like energy efficiency, demand response, distributed solar + battery, the key to ensuring a localized, resilient, and affordable energy system.
• A Fair and Just Transition for workers, along with worker protections for the new green jobs that stand to be created in energy efficiency and building modernization.
• Deep partnership / engagement with Environmental Justice communities, renters and grassroots organizations in ensuring an equitable expansion of LADWP’s clean energy initiatives that includes debt relief, bill stabilization, expanded enrollment, and increased investment in the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office – which aims to serve as the forum for coordinating an equitable strategy for how we respond to this moment.

Proposal (Drew): That the GPLAC sign onto this letter https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIVLlA1CBMsDJyTbOScMnzgpjVqPGQRIo1vsp8judtHVlitw/viewform

8. Decision: Sign-on letter: Abolish the Federal & Military Death Penalty (ten minutes)*
Sponsors/Presenters: Piera-Avila

Background: Sign on letter  in support of H.R. 262/S.B. 582, Rep. Pressley's & Senator Durbin's Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021. (Rep. Espaillat has a similar bill in H.B. 97.)

Proposal (Piera-Avila): That the GPCA sign onto letter https://actionnetwork.org/letters/congress-abolish-the-federal-military-death-penalty and put a call for emails on our web page and include in email blasts to members going out for other reasons. 

9. Discussion: Update on Greens in Neighborhood Council 2021 elections  (fifteen minutes) *
Sponsors/Presenters: Danielle Mead, David Rockello, Mike Feinstein

Background: GPLAC outreach has included multi-emails outreaching to registered Greens in the City of Los Angeles (for whom the GPLAC has email addresses) since last November/December and promoting via GPLAC social media  https://losangeles.cagreens.org/elections/2021-la-nc-elections.  At least two Green incumbents have filed for re-election and been re-elected. These are the candidates that have filed so far for all races https://clerkappsele.lacity.org/NCElection/nccandidates.  , which appear to include at least five Green and perhaps another four pending verification. These are the results for all races so far: https://clerk.lacity.org/elections/neighborhood-council-elections/2021-n...

10. Discussion: GPLAC and non-partisan races in Los Angeles in 2022 (fifteen minutes) *
Sponsors: Timeka Drew, Mike Feinstein 

Background:  How will the GPLAC receive requests for support/endorsement from non-registered Greens running in Los Angeles in 2022.  

11. ​Discussion: Hearing from Greens interested in joining the County Council (fifteen minutes)*