[SFGP] San Francisco Green Party Weekly

[ErikaSF at aol.com]

Hello Fellow Greens,

Congratulations to our own Ross Mirkarimi, who won a national award from 
Campaigns and Elections magazine!  Read more below in the news section.

In other important news, Green Party Congressional candidate Terry Baum will 
finally get her day in court on June 15, and the Campaigns and Issues Working 
Group is looking for new co-chairs.  Details are below.

The agenda for our next SFGP general meeting, to be held Wednesday June 16, 
is posted at the bottom of this email.  It is recommend that members read the 
agenda before coming to the meeting.

Don't forget the party tonight at 848 Community Space!  Details in event 
section.

In this update:
1. News
2. Job Opportunity: Green Party of California Seeks Press Secretary
3. Events
4. SFGP General Meeting Agenda

NEWS:
In the US, Greens have won 44% of elections in which they have run so far 
this year; the party has grown by 30% since 2000; Greens hold more than 200 
elected offices across the country.

Our own Ross Mirkarimi, Co-Founder of the Green Party of California and 
current candidate for District 5 Supervisor, was named one of 15 national "rising 
stars", and won an award for "General Excellence" from the Campaigns & 
Elections magazine.  

The Campaigns and Issues Working Group is seeking co-chairs.  All Greens are 
welcome to inquire about this position.  Responsibilities include 
collaborating with working group members to do the following:
*Develop and distribute questionnaires for local candidates
*Research candidate and initiative information and report to the membership
*Organize candidate and issue forums.
Those interested need to come to the July 12 Campaigns and Issues Working 
Group meeting at the SFGP headquarters, 1028 Howard Street, at 7 PM.  For more 
information email Kimberley Knox at kimberleyknox at hotmail.com.

The Green Party of California met last the weekend to discuss issues 
regarding the Presidential Nominating Convention.  Read about it at 
www.sfgreenparty.org. 

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA SEEKS PRESS SECRETARY
The Green Party is the fastest growing third party in the United States, with 
California being the largest member state. The Green Party of California 
seeks a Media Relations Staff Member with a history in progressive politics, good 
writing, editing, and speaking skills, as well as a keen entrepreneurial 
ability to increase media exposure for the Green Party of California. The ideal 
candidate should be well organized and detail-oriented, comfortable with tight 
deadline pressure, possess strong computer skills and have a minimum of 3 years 
of experience working
primarily in the news media, but those working in publicity or media 
relations also are urged to apply. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of this 
position, the Green Party of California's personnel policy requires that the 
eventual hire be a member of the Green Party of California.

This is a paid part-time contract position.
Please submit your completed responses to the requested information below to 
highdesertgreens at verizon.net. Deadline for applications is June 16, 2004.
Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
-- Writing and sending press releases and other media advisories in a timely 
manner.
-- Organizing and implementing press conferences on behalf of the party.
-- Maintaining a positive working relationship between the party and the 
media.
-- Maintenance and upkeep of the party's media lists.
-- Offer media assistance to local groups on a case-by-case basis, when 
needed.
-- Perform media tasks and duties assigned by the party's Media Work Group.
-- Work closely with and under the supervision of the Media Committee.

In your application, please outline the following:

1. Please describe your past and current experiences in working with the 
media.
2. Provide up to three references familiar with your media relations work.
3. Provide at least three writing samples such as press releases, press clips 
resulting from press releases, or published stories.
4. Describe your experience in formulating an organizational budget plan, in 
particular for media operations.
5. Describe your political or non-profit advocacy work -- and any associated 
media experience.
6. Suggest any ideas or actions to further the media exposure of the Green 
Party.
7. Describe your ability in maintaining a media database -- and your rapport 
with the media.
8. This paid, part-time contract position pays $6,000 per year, in monthly 
payments of $500, and a work place available in Sacramento if needed.

EVENTS:
Saturday, June 12 
Join Matt Gonzalez and the Green Party for a party at the 848 Community 
Space, located at 848 Divisadero Street near Fulton in San Francisco. (For MUNI 
riders, take either the 24 Divisadero or the 5 Fulton bus lines.) The party will 
be held from 8 - 11:30 PM, and will include food, wine, music, beer and fun, 
with a $5 suggested donation at the door, but no one turned away for lack of 
funds. 
Matt will discuss his latest perspective, "The American City: A Tool for 
Progressive Change in the 21st Century", which will be featured at a future 
Housing and Land Use seminar workshop. Dave Snyder will give a short talk about the 
relationship of land use and bicycling. DJ's mx:d(Tranquility Base, Opel, 26 
Mix) and Platypus(Greensparty) spin the tunes, and we hope to have a few other 
surprises. 
If you'd like to volunteer to work on the party, contact Tanja Pink at 
tpink at gmx.net. 

Sunday, June 13
Join us for the Haight Street Fair: 11 AM - 5:30 PM!
The Green Party will have a booth on Haight between Cole and Belvedere.  We 
will be getting the word out for Baum for Congress.  We also need to register 
voters, promote our endorsements and obtain signatures on Housing Preservation 
Initiative to protect rent-controlled housing.  Come and help us out for a 
couple of hours and then enjoy the fair.  We need volunteer to help with setup at 
10 AM.  Contact mark at terrybaum.com for more information.  Check with your 
preferred Green candidate for supervisor in D5 regarding their needs. 
www.haightstreetfair.org

Tuesday, June 15
At 9:30 AM in Superior Court, Room 302, 400 McAllister at Polk, Terry Baum 
will finally get her day in court.
Judge Quidachay is scheduled to preside, and Terry is inviting her supporters 
to show up in court to show support.  Please get there early; we need 
observers there at 8:45 AM.  Terry Baum is the Green Party's Congressional candidate 
for District 8, the seat currently held by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. 
 After winning a historic write-in campaign, Terry is still fighting to get 
on the ballot.  Read the news release about the court date at 
www.sfgreenparty.org.

Wednesday, June 16
SFGP General Meeting will be held at the SFGP office at 1028 A Howard Street, 
between 6th and 7th Streets in San Francisco.  Meeting starts at 7:30 PM.  
Please see agenda below.

Saturday, June 19
Mark Sanchez, incumbent Green Party candidate for school board, is having his 
fundraiser kick-off.  It will be held at the Mint Kareoke Lounge at 1942 
Market Street at 2 PM. 

SFGP GENERAL MEETING AGENDA FOR JUNE 16, 2004
Please read the procedures and written proposals immediately following the 
agenda!

Facilitators: Susan King, Marc Salomon (all but item 5),
Erika McDonald (item 5)
Minutes: John-Marc Chandonia

1) Intros, agenda approval, accredidation - Susan, Marc (5 minutes)
2) Presentation from Mixed Greens on non-citizen voting, Berta Hernandez and 
Ana Maria Loya presenting (15 minutes, no decision)
3) Consent calendar, 1 minute.
a) Endorse non citizens voting legislation (Matt Gonzalez initiative)
b) Endorse NO on Wesley initiative (a description follows agenda)
4) Endorsement of letter from Mixed Greens (letter follows agenda) on 
commission appointments affecting communities of color. Kimm Killebrew presenting (5 
min)
5) Decision on early endorsement of Green Candidates in D9 (60 minutes)
a) Presentation of process - JMC (5 minutes, no decision)
b) Early endorsement decision - Erika and Susan facilitating, Kim Knox 
presenting (55 minutes total:
5 minutes for straw poll, 45 minute consensus process, 5 minutes on vote if 
needed)
During the discussion, facilitators are asked to limit people to a total of 
1.5 minutes each until everybody who wants to speak gets a chance. DETAILED 
PROCESS FOLLOWS AGENDA!
6) Confirmation of CC nominees to Mediation and Arbitration board: Erika 
McDonald, Nancy Marmol, Sujung Kim (process follows agenda).  Michael Alterman (5 
minutes)
7) Campaigns and Issues: Co chair election announcement (1 minute, no 
decision)
8) Mixed Greens: new co chair announcement (1 minute, no decision)
9) Transportation: Presentation of proposed transportation plank for SFGP 
platform (13 minutes, no decision)
10) Announcements

Processes:

1) Agenda changes require consensus or 2/3 vote.

Accredidation will be handled by same team as last month; get your voting 
card as you come in. Anybody who's not on the active member list but thinks they 
should be can make a brief statement followed by a vote of the active members 
- 2/3 required to be added to active list.

3) Consent calendar items are given below. There is no time allocated for 
questions. Concerns mean the item is pulled and rescheduled at a future meeting.

4) Consensus or an 80% threshold is required to send the letter.  Text of the 
letter is given at the end.

5) Early endorsement process: we will only consider early endorsement of ONE 
Green candidate in D9 at this meeting. D5 endorsements and strategy will not 
be considered at this meeting! We will first take a straw poll to see which 
candidate to consider. Only Green candidates who have filed, answered or 
questionnaire, and asked for
our endorsement qualify. So far, that's just Lucrecia Bermudez and Renee 
Saucedo. If another candidate qualifies by Wednesday, the straw poll will include 
a runoff if no candidate gets 50%+1. We'll poll active members which of the 2 
candidates to consider endorsing.  You can vote only for one candidate, or not 
at all; abstentions do
not count in this straw poll.

We'll then go into a full consensus proposal on the leading candidate. 
(Clarifying questions, Concerns & Affirmations, Concerns may propose friendly 
amendments or be asked to stand aside, possible vote).
If we vote, the threshold for endorsements is 75% of the yes and no votes. 
People can also abstain, but the proposal fails if the number of abstentions is 
greater than 25% of the total yes and no votes. People can also choose not to 
vote or abstain, in which case they aren't counted.

Clarification of what an early endorsement means: The endorsement will allow 
for use of GP resources, including: non-fundraising lists, use of website, 
access to office and equipment (rent for use of office as campaign office), 
inclusion in all outreach to voters (slate cards, phonebanking, etc.). We will do 
another consideration of D9
candidates including non-Greens and do IRV ranking following the August 6th 
filing deadline.

6) We'll consider all 3 at once, with consensus or a 2/3 vote required to 
confirm. If this fails, all 3 will be considered individually.

9) Transportation will present a plank; concerns may be raised over the next 
month, but the decision will be made at the next GM.

Consent calendar items (item 3):

a) This would allow non-citizens with parents in the SF schools to vote in 
school board elections. Mixed Greens recommends endorsing this.

b) This legislation would create an "open primary" for all statewide offices. 
Only the top 2 candidates, regardless of party, would advance to the general 
election. This would effectively prevent Greens from running candidates in 
these races, and it's the same system by which David Duke made a runoff in 
Louisiana. The GPCA
CC and Electoral Reform WG recommend endorsing NO on this.

Letter from Mixed Greens (item 4):

To: San Francisco Board of Supervisors
From: Mixed Greens
RE: Appointments to Commissions

Given the controversy of recent appointments to City Commissions, the Mixed 
Greens, the people of color
caucus of the San Francisco Green Party, urges the Board of Supervisors to 
adopt the following procedures
for appointments affecting communities of color and immigrants:

1. When appointments for City Commissions impacting the lives and interests 
of communities of color and immigrants are up for discussion and vote the BOS 
will do everything in its power to consult and receive
input from the communities affected by the appointments.

2. We strongly support the BOS convening public hearings and town hall 
meetings in communities of color and immigrant communities to discuss and receive 
the input of those affected communities.

3. Public hearings and town hall meetings should be organized with sufficient 
outreach to community
organizations, churches, etc., to guarantee full participation from the 
community. Community-based
and faith-based organizations that already have established relationships in 
the community and other
outreach tools should be used to ensure attendance at these events. These 
hearings should be organized at
times and dates to allow for full public participation, i.e. not during 
typical work day hours.
Budgets for these meetings should include child care providers, translation 
services and audio-visual
recording.

4. Supervisors should make every effort to attend meetings the community has 
already established.
This is an opportunity to reach voters who may otherwise not participate in 
any political forum.
Meetings are organized by various groups throughout each district and afford 
an opportunity to discuss
open seats and possible appointments.

We hope these suggestions are earnestly considered and implemented in a 
timely manner. We acknowledge
there are existing time and budget constraints; however, we believe engaging 
the community in
determining its civic leadership is a significant responsibility of a 
district supervisor.

We appreciate the service you are providing to our beautiful city and are 
available to provide any
assistance should it be needed or requested.

Sincerely,
Berta Hernandez Kimm Killebrew
Co-Chairs, Mixed Greens

Thanks to all of our members for your continued support! 

Warm Regards, 
Erika McDonald 
To have an item included in this newsletter, send email to erikasf at aol.com. 
No attachments please. 



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