Dec. 18, Newsletter from the Fresno County Democratic Party

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Newsletter: December 18, 2021
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** In This Newsletter:
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Mask Mandate (#Mask)

Changes to California Solar Subsidies (#Solar)

Safety and Holiday Travel (#Holiday-Travel)

Covid-19 Booster Shot Phone Bank (#Booster-Phone-Bank)

Electric Vehicle Charger Meeting (#Electric-Vehicles)

Trivia Night Thursday (#Trivia-Night)

Goodbye Nunes! (#Bye-Nunes)

Potential Democratic Candidates, Look Here (#Candidates)

Next Year with the Fresno Dems (#2022-Dems)
Happy Holidays (#Happy-Holidays)
Democratic Party Website and HQ (#Dem-HQ)

The state ismandating ([link removed]) that masks be worn in all indoor public settings—regardless of Covid-19 vaccination status—for the next four weeks, through Jan. 15, 2022.

Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said, “Frankly, hospital capacity is still pressed and challenged. We see that in parts of Southern California, Riverside, San Bernardino, Mono, Inyo County, we see it around the Central Valley and San Joaquin Valley, and in the northernmost parts of our state.”

“Even a 10% increase in indoor masking can reduce case transmission significantly,” Ghaly said.

The California Public Utilities Commission has crafted a plan that will phase out the policy of paying rooftop solar owners for the excess electricity they feed back into the grid during optimum conditions.

The plan will encourage new and existing solar customers to add battery storage systems that can bank clean energy for after dark.

Among other provisions, a new “storage evolution fund” would offer payments for homes that already have solar panels to add storage.

The program would slash the payments that newly enrolled solar customers receive for the electricity they send to the power grid when their systems generate more than they need. This transition is cushioned somewhat by a small tax credit for the next four years.

Other elements of the proposal would prompt Californians to switch from gasoline to electric vehicles, and from natural gas furnaces and stoves to electric appliances fueled by solar and wind energy—key pieces of California’s war on climate change.

For instance, homes and businesses that add solar panels would be allowed to build much bigger systems than are currently allowed under net metering to support lifestyles that are increasingly powered by electricity.

Proponents of this new scheme say net metering subsidizes richer households that can afford rooftop solar at the expense of lower-income households that can’t. The utilities estimate that “cost shift” at $3.4 billion annually, a figure hotly disputed by the solar industry and some climate activists.

Solar customers would pay a monthly “grid participation charge” of $8 per kilowatt of solar power per month to help cover the costs of maintaining the grid, a cost currently shouldered entirely by those who cannot afford to convert to solar.

Net metering was a policy that made sense before California had built enough solar capacity to meet our needs during optimum sunny days. However, the time when it made sense is swiftly ending and that is a consequence of our initial success.

If, now, the state were to spend the same amount building large solar farms in the desert or on retired farmland—which generate electricity more cheaply than rooftop systems because of economies of scale—it could triple its solar capacity, a comparison that helps illustrate “how much we’re spending and how much we’re getting” from the rooftop program, Guzman Aceves said.

This December, many people will be traveling to visit family or welcoming family into their homes here in Fresno. However, there are health and safety policies to keep in mind when it comes to watching out for general safety.

Those coming into the United States from another country must show proof of a negative Covid test and results must be within one day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our state will also recommend those who travel in or out of California get tested for Covid within 3–5 days.
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The Fresno County Democratic Party will be having phone banks to help people schedule appointments for their booster shot or help them find their nearest walk-in vaccination site.

According to the CDC, among all fully vaccinated adults 18 and older in California, nearly 14% have received a booster shot. Join us to phone bank and help schedule our community for booster shots. We will have a short training before the event to get you ready!

Sign up at www.mobilize.us/fresnocountydemocraticparty/event/427493/. ([link removed].)

On Dec. 21, the Clean Shared Mobility Network will be meeting to discuss improving electric vehicle charging access and other transportation improvements and solutions needed to help cut our region’s contribution to damaging the atmosphere while making people’s lives easier.

All meetings are 5:30 p.m.–7 p.m. Agendas will be provided prior to the meetings.

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This upcoming meeting will be covering what might be called Electric Vehicles 101. And there will also be a raffle, but you have to be present to win!

Meetings will be held virtually until CDC-compliant in-person meetings can be held.

For any question, e-mail [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

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The Clean Shared Mobility Network is supported by the California Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities program with funds from California Climate Investments—cap-and-trade dollars at work.
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Join the Fresno County Democrats for a fun night of Trivia! Bring your competitive spirit and let's see who the Trivia Night Winner is! We will be having this as both an in-person and virtual event, at the headquarters and online.
Register at: [link removed]

Fresno County Democratic Party Organizer Bianca Orejel, will reach out and see if you will join us in person or online!

In the darkest season, it is always nice to get a bit of good news, and the Central Valley got just that when Rep. Devin Nunes (R–Tulare) announced he will be leaving the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of 2021 and will not serve his full term.

The redistricting process looks as if it would not be kind to Nunes hopes for reelection so he has taken the first chance to flee his job rather than see it through to the end. However, in this case it is possible his constituents will be better served by an empty chair than by the man currently in it.

Known for frivolous defamation lawsuits against anonymous Twitter handles, unhinged conspiracy theories and funneling in millions of dollars in out-of-state campaign funding, Nunes has now declared his intention to be the CEO of Donald Trump’s newest media company. Of what will become of all his campaign, $11.3 million as of last spring, no such declaration has been made.
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FEC commissioners and staff will participate in the San Diego Regional Conference Feb. 8–9 at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley. The conference will offer in-depth training on the federal campaign finance rules relevant to candidates, party committees and corporate/labor/member/trade PACs.

Through large group sessions and smaller breakout workshops, you’ll learn about committee operations, how to report different types of financial activity, best practices, recent developments in the law and more.

This will be the only in-person conference of the 2021–2022 election cycle, and space is limited, so register today to reserve a spot. For all the details (including an agenda and hotel reservations), visit the conference website. ([link removed])


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News and events will alway arise faster than this newsletter can come out. That is why the Fresno County Democratic Party website is the best place to get regular updates on upcoming events in the area, as well as information on ways to get involved. There is also information on scheduled meetings from the many Democratic clubs in Fresno County, so you can find one that most suits you and your interests.

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The Democratic Party HQ (1033 U St ([link removed]) .) is open 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday–Friday. Call 559-495-0606 (tel:559-495-0606) or e-mail [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20Newsletter-12-18-21%20) for information or to volunteer.

Support your local Democratic Party by donation viaActBlue ([link removed]) or by mailing a check to Fresno County Democratic Party, P.O. Box 5795, Fresno, CA 93755.


Our newsletter is prepared by Francis Horan.

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