Iranian-American Democrats of California

2022 Primary Recommended Measures

2022 June Primaries Measures and Propositions Across the State of California

IADC’s mission is to engage, educate, and empower the Iranian American community to be active participants in our democratic process as such information provided below is intended to help voters make informed decisions.

List of IADC’s Recommendations
IADC’s Recommendation
Explanation
No on Measure B in Newport Beach IADC recommends voting No on Measure B in the city of Newport Beach, which continues to be one of the best managed, most financially stable cities in California. We believe it is important to raise awareness among our fellow Iranian Americans regarding the negative consequences of proposed Measure B in Newport Beach (NB):

1. The only reason that proponents want this change is to gain power over city hall and Newport Beach. This will bring more politics and politicians to the city. Newport Beach will become a good target for any office-seeking individual with money and name recognition. This is NOT democracy. This is an autocratic takeover of Newport Beach. NB will become the city that money can buy. Presently, power is shared among the Council members and no one person dominates. No outside interests control the Council by aligning with a single all-powerful mayor.

2. NB city council has term limits. Our current system allows any one individual to serve up to two four-year terms. Measure B doubles that and allows one person to remain on Council for up to sixteen years (two four-year terms as a Council Member and two four- year terms as Mayor).

3. Each Council district has one vote. By adopting a system where we have an elected mayor, the Council district where the mayor resides would have two votes, thus diluting the other districts’ decision-making authority and creating a power imbalance with a ripple effect across the city. This proposal eliminates one council district, triggering an expensive redistricting process.

4. The elected mayor would be far too powerful, more so than any mayor of Newport Beach in our nearly 70-year City Council history and more so than any elected mayor in Orange County. The elected mayor would have near complete control over the city’s agenda with singular decision-making power over every matter that needs Council approval. With a few friendly allies on the Council, the elected mayor would dictate all city policies, hiring decisions and budgetary actions. If the mayor doesn’t want debate on an agenda item, it disappears, never to be seen again. There will be no check and balances.

For these reasons, IADC strongly opposes Measure B in Newport Beach, and encourages all our fellow Iranian Americans to oppose it as well.
No on Measure D in Santa Cruz IADC recommends voting No on Measure D/Greenway in Santa Cruz, which prematurely eliminates the option for use of public transit on the rail corridor. We believe it is important to raise awareness among our fellow Iranian Americans regarding the negative consequences of proposed Measure D in Santa Cruz and why we believe Iranian Americans should vote against it:

As stated on IADC Values, we believe that it is our critical responsibility to ensure that we give to the future generations a better earth and environment than when we found it. We recognize that climate change threatens the effective enjoyment of a range of human rights including those to life, water and sanitation, food, health, housing, self-determination, culture and development, and we believe it is our duty to advocate for clean air, clean water, and green infrastructure in every community. Building our public transportation infrastructure is incredibly important in supporting that mission.

As stated by our endorsed candidate, Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, ” A rail transit option would help us take cars off the roads and decrease the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions. Santa Cruz County has a tremendous asset, its rail corridor. In 2016, over ⅔ of Santa Cruz voters approved a comprehensive and inclusive package for transportation improvement, which included use of the rail corridor for passenger rail. Building out the rail and trail was also unanimously approved by the Regional Transportation Commission at that time. Measure D is a deceptive effort aimed at undermining the will of the voters and changing the plan, which is why IADC strongly opposes it and encourages all our fellow Iranian Americans to do the same.”
Yes on Proposition C San Francisco Change in recall process will reduce incentive for disrupters and opponents to initiate the recall. While IADC believes in democratic process and holding officials accountable, the very lenient recall process and low thresholds in California has been abused in recent years and we agree that it needs to be revised.
Yes on Proposition D San Francisco IADC firmly believes that equality for all is only possible by uprooting racism, sexism, xenophobia, patriarchy, and all other forms of oppression, and that no one should live in fear, or be subject to trauma or violence. The proposition supports establishing an Office of Victim and Witness Rights; which foster justice, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Learn more about it here https://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/20220225_VictimsRights.pdf
Yes on Proposition E San Francisco An anti corruption effort, preventing Board of Supervisors (Board) members from seeking behested payments from contractors who received Board approval and thttps://sfelections.sfgov.org/sites/default/files/20220225_VictimsRights.pdfo allow further changes to this law only if the City’s Ethics Commission and two-thirds of the Board approve those amendments. Under California’s transparency laws, an elected official who fundraises or otherwise solicits payments from one individual or organization to be given to another individual or organization may be required to report the payment. Generally, a payment is considered “behested” and subject to reporting,
Yes on Proposition G San Francisco IADC believes all people deserve the opportunity at upwards mobility and a fair economy that works for all of us. We view it as critical to this mission that we support the right of workers to unionize, receive a living wage, adequate paid family leave, and have access to resources and social services that provide them with a vital safety net. This proposition requires paid health emergency leave for employees in SF up to 80 hrs/year in companies with 100+ employees.
No on Proposition H San Francisco IADC believes that the key to safety and justice is to decriminalize addiction and mental illness, and move toward replacing systems of policing with community-based systems that uplift restorative justice and reduce recidivism. As such we oppose the recall of Chesa Boudin who is a strong advocate for our values.

What to watch out for on the ballots for June primaries?
9-1-1 Funding This year, there are at least half-a-dozen measures across California attempting to secure continued funding for the local 9-1-1 operations. At IADC, we believe that the key to safety and justice is to decriminalize addiction and mental health, and move toward replacing systems of policing with community-based systems that uplift restorative justice and reduce recidivism. The single most accurate predictor of police violence is police encounters, unfortunately 911 response is the way most police encounters begin. As such, it is the belief of IADC that any measures that increase or continue funding for police should be objected to and revisited. We believe there are better ways to spend our taxpayers’ funds and ensure community safety, and we encourage our fellow Iranian Americans to be hyper vigilant about arbitrary measures seeking to continue status quo of excessive funding for the police, rather supporting funding for community based services.
Election vs. Appointment – City Clerk If Measure does not approved, the City Clerk will continue to be an elective position and the candidate receiving a majority of votes of those voting in the November 8, 2022 election will be elected to a four-year term. The City Clerk serves as the city’s elections official; collects and maintains all candidate campaign finance forms; coordinates, records and retains city officials’ and city staff’s statements of economic interests; and helps ensure compliance with the state’s open meeting laws. As such our concern is that appointment of such critical role may lead to favoritism or corruption and believe the person holding this position should be elected by the people.
Environment There are several measures across the state to provide funding that addresses treat of fire, safeguards drinking water, sewage system, and preserving green open spaces. IADC believes that it is our critical responsibility to ensure that we give to the future generations a better earth and environment than when we found it. We recognize that climate change threatens the effective enjoyment of a range of human rights including those to life, water and sanitation, food, health, housing, self-determination, culture and development, and we believe it is our duty to advocate for clean air, clean water, and green infrastructure in every community. We support policies that foster sustainable food supply chain, and preservation and humane treatment of animals, while we will push for policies that prevent the foreseeable adverse effects of climate change, and ensure that those affected by it, particularly those in vulnerable situations, have access to effective remedies and means of adaptation to enjoy lives of human dignity.
Mayoral Term Limits IADC believes it is our duty to fight for a democracy in which all voices are heard. As a community too familiar with the real threat that is posed by undermining the power of voting and democracy, we will propose and defend policies that protect the right to vote and civic engagement for all. As such we believe it is important that no one figure remains in a position of power and decision making beyond the 2 four-year terms, as seen in the Executive branch of the government. This benefits the community by promoting the opportunity for new voices to be heard and new innovative solutions to surface. Some of these measures suggest up to 3 or 4 four-years terms which means someone could stay in their position up to 16 years.
School Bonds This year, there are also several measures across California pursuing school bonds to update the state’s waning school infrastructure. IADC strongly supports these measures. California’s school infrastructure is vastly in need of additional funding to update its infrastructure. In January, the CA State Auditor’s office determined that California will need $7.4 billion in funding to meet existing and anticipated modernization funding requests and K-12 school repairs over the next five years. Many of these backlogs include critical projects such as seismic retrofit as well as safety and technological upgrades to classrooms and outdated school buildings. Given the gravity and urgency of funding need for school infrastructure in California, IADC strongly recommends Iranian Americans to vote in support of school bond measures across California this June.

June Primaries 2022 Complete List of Measures by Region and County

2022 Primaries Local Ballot Measures