DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Agenda, Sunday, May 16, 2021

DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Agenda, Sunday, May 16, 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.

Proposal (Feinstein): That the County Council add all items marked * as late items in the order below.

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

5. Decision: Endorse Public Bank LA (ten minutes)
Sponsors: Timeka Drew, Mike Feinstein

Background: In November 2018, the GPLAC endorsed Charter Amendment B: Municipal Financial Institution, a ballot measure to create a public bank in the City of Los Angeles (http://losangeles.cagreens.org/issues/voter-guide-fall-2018).

That process is moving ahead, as decribed in this Public Bank Los Angeles - Organizational Endorsement Form:

     "The Los Angeles Public Bank provides a public option for handling the City’s finances. Right now, Los Angeles taxpayers pay Wall Street banks over $200 million in fees and over $1.1 billion in interest yearly. This money could instead be reinvested in communities rather than being siphoned by big banks who receive billions in city deposits virtually interest-free. Legally, the banks own and control this money which they have used to finance industries harmful to Angelenos including fossil fuel extraction, private prisons, detention centers, and weapons manufacturing."

     "The LA Public Bank, capitalized with the deposits that the city now parks in Wall Street banks, will be a key engine for economic recovery—helping people and small businesses rebuild post-pandemic. Public banks, like all banks, are able to multiply the impact of their capital by leveraging it up to ten times in loans. They provide the most efficient means for deploying funds quickly to help recovery efforts, such as the low-interest loans to small- and medium-sized businesses, and reinvestments in historically marginalized frontline communities."

     "As a wholesale, or “banker’s bank,” the public bank would not have physical branches, ATMs, or any of the associated brick-and-mortar costs of traditional retail banks. A municipal bank would create partnerships with community banks and credit unions to provide services to businesses and consumers. Through this type of public bank, we can cut our borrowing costs in half while doubling our power to invest in our communities."

    "Support Public Bank Los Angeles and the creation of a city-owned public bank accountable to Los Angeles communities—answerable to the people, not Wall Street. By reconceptualizing banking as a public utility rather than private interest, a public bank provides a rare opportunity for the public sector to cut costs while simultaneously providing social benefits, support investments in low-income housing, critical infrastructure projects, clean energy, and community-centered economic development."

Proposal (Feinstein):  That the GPLAC Endorse Public Bank LA

6: Discussion:  Update on GPLAC lobbying efforts on AB 446 (five minutes)(
Sponsor: Mike Feinstein

Background:  In April, the GPLAC took the position of support with amendments on AB 446 http://losangeles.cagreens.org/legislation/endorse-ab446-with-amendments.

GPLAC member Mike Feinstein gave the following testimony to the State Assembly Elections Commitee on this bill.  

     Dear Chair Berman and committee members

     My name is Michael Feinstein. I’m a co-founder of the Green Party of California, a former Mayor and City Councilmember in Santa Monica and a 2018 candidate for Secretary of State.

     The Green Parties of Los Angeles and Sacramento counties support AB 446 with amendments. 

     We applaud Assembly member Mayes in his effort to provide a more reasonable petition signature route to qualify for state party ballot status, as the existing threshold is among the most onerous in the nation. This is a primary reason we support AB 446.

     Ironically, at the same time it can be easier for parties to qualify for ballot status, it will remain virtually impossible for them to actually run candidates.

     Top two election requirements have made it de facto impossible for smaller party candidates to advance to the general election; and extremely difficult to even appear in the primary. 

     Before top two, California’s four legacy smaller parties averaged 127 candidates on each primary ballot. Ever since, only 39 of their candidates in total have qualified - eight an election - making California a multi-party democracy in name only. 

     That’s why AB 446 should be amended to substantially lower our state’s out-of-date filling fee & signature-in-lieu threshold that was created when it was mostly only major parties on the ballot. 

     Before 2002, voter guide candidate statements were free. Since then, they have been raised to a prohibitive cost for these same candidates, meaning voters receive almost no information about many of the choices before them. For that reason, AB 446 should be amended to make that cost de minimus. 

     Greens support a full range of parties on the ballot that reflect the diversity of political viewpoints within California — and an electoral system that allows them all to run candidates and win seats in proportion to their percentage of the popular vote. 

     For this reason, you should convene a deep public process to review the top two experiment and alternatives to it, including proportional representation for the state legislature and ranked choice voting for single-seat, statewide office. 

The bill will next be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 19.  What should be the GPLAC's next steps?

7. Decision: Preserving GPCA ballot status strategy and recruiting for 2022 races (twenty minutes) *

Sponsors: Timeka Drew, Mike Feinstein 

Background:  An update on Greens considering running in 2022 statewide races and how this matter is being handled by the GPCA. 

Proposal: That the GPLAC send a letter to the GPCA State Meeting Planning Commitee and Coordinating Commitee expressing concern about the lack of time dedicated to 2022 candidates and the failure to plan for an endorsement proccess for them.

8. Decision: Conducting poll of GPLAC members on Newsom recall and potential Green candidates in the recall (twenty minutes) *
Sponsors: Mike Feinstein 

Background: At its April 11 meeting, the County Council authorized a poll to GPLAC members about the Governor Newsom recall, should the recall qualify.  The recall has not yet officially qualified.  This item is to provide an update on this matter.  Additionally Green Veronika Fimbres seems primed to enter the race if the recall does qualify.  How should the GPLAC respond?

Proposal: That the GPLAC send a letter to the GPCA State Meeting Planning Commitee and Coordinating Commitee expressing concern about the lack of time dedicated to the 2021 recall, the failure at this point to produce a detailed agenda item, the lack of any planning to hear from Veronika Fimbres and  the failure to plan for an endorsement proccess for the race and to take a postion on the recall itself.

9. Decision: GPCA General Assembly agenda items and GPLAC delegates (twenty minutes)
Sponsors: Mike Feinstein, Ajay Rai

Background: The next GPCA General Assembly will occur June 19-20.  On the agenda https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wlSPMtMPZoOrtCRQK_69utmkI33HxffOonzzVUVTKwM/edit are two platform planks up for an SGA vote during June 

Eco-Socialism: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rlFHmG6ErBLa8GfSJXpVANBYMTt_8nsAwFPv...
Health Care: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AmH4gZpsLchAHJu4MnAjtXhzmJNZuOnF9Svm...

and this strategic item on electoral reform https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rKVhzB3goqK7mo_dbht0QjepKESTUmfg/view. 

Proposal: That the GPLAC post a call for delegates to the GPLAC Forum email list.

10. 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.  

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...

Feinstein will report on the results so far.

11. Discussion:  County Councilmembership (fifteen minutes) *
Sponsors: Mike Feinstein, Ajay Rai

Background: The membership of the County Council is in flux. What steps should the County Council take?

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