In This Newsletter:

Tower Theatre Purchase
Democratic Women’s Club Celebration
California’s Carbon Capture Program
NWPC Honors Howard Watkins
Clovis Democratic Club Scholarship Award Brunch
Dyer’s Housing Plan
Is California Willing to Pay to Kick Drilling Addiction?
Volunteers Needed to Help with Campaign Signs
Precinct Captains
Fellowship Program
Democratic Party Website and HQ

Tower Theatre Purchase

The attempted sale of the iconic Tower Theatre to Adventure Church sparked rounds of protest from Fresnans who feared such a transformation would be a wound to the artistic atmosphere of this key neighborhood. Nearby businesses worried potential zoning changes would alter the character of the area known for its nightlife, the arts and support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Adventure Church does not allow same-sex marraiges and has issued a ban on the church hiring gay ministers. Despite the growing public resistance following the revelation of the initial deal, the church has already begun holding some services in the theater space during the pandemic.

The money to fund the $6.5 million price tag will largely come out of Measure P funds, as supporting arts and community engagement was always half of the mission statement. Fresno’s sprawling expanse has suffered from a lack of cultural centers, and responsible stewardship of the Tower could certainly help rescue that.

Adventure Church has threatened to sue the City if it moves forward with buying the building. Lawyers representing the theater owners in court said the deal to sell the theater to the church has expired, but the church leadership denies that. The City’s buyout proposal would involve fighting the church’s lawyers in court, but the associated cost to the City is hard to predict as it depends on exactly how long the Adventure Church congregation is willing to draw out the battle.  

Democratic Women’s Club Celebration

The Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club was founded in 1932, making it the oldest continuously operating Democratic club in California. Club president Kimberly Tapscott-Munson invites you to the annual “Democrats in Action” luncheon on May 7 at 11 a.m. at Pardini’s (2257 W. Shaw Ave.). 

New Beginnings: Expect the New in 2022: What’s New in Labor, Health, Education

Master of Ceremonies: Fresno City Council Member Nelson Esparza

Presenters:

Labor Specialist Pat Barr

Assembly Member Dr. Joaquin Arambula

State Center Community College District Chancellor Carole Goldsmith

Luncheon Cost: $50 per person

Sponsor Cost: $100 per person

Tables of 8: $400

Sponsors will be recognized.

Silent and live auctions

Please RSVP and submit payment now. Seating is limited.

California’s Carbon Capture Program

Part of the daunting prospect of combating global climate change is that so much of the harm has already been done. Even an impossible immediate stop to all carbon fuel exploitation would still leave us with a heated planet that is less hospitable to human life than it was three centuries ago. This is why any plan to improve the future of humanity must include measures to undo pollution already spilled. California is now looking at adding those tactics to the state’s repertoire.

State Senator Anna Caballero introduced SB 1101 to Establish a Carbon Capture Sequestration and Utilization (CCUS) program at the California Air Resources Board, in pursuit of the state’s 2045 goal to achieve carbon neutrality statewide. This measure will establish a program for developing the commercial technologies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing facilities.

In addition, the bill will address the lack of land ownership for pore space, where carbon is physically sequestered, to conform to requirements under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

The global warming we have already inflicted on ourselves has unfortunately robbed California of some of the easiest measures of carbon sequestration. Many of the carbon trapping forests we cut down now cannot regrow in this hotter, drier climate. But while hardwood is the simplest way to lock carbon out of the air, California’s status as a worldwide technology hub offers us many avenues to devise new ingenious ways. Across the world, those areas that cannot regrow forests need new ways to salvage our air, and our state can help provide them.

NWPC Honors Howard Watkins

The National Women’s Political Caucus will honor Howard K. Watkins for his lifetime commitment to feminism and social justice.

The event will be held on May 15 at p.m. at Pat Wolk’s Garden (661 N. Forkner Ave.). Tickets are available for a $40 donation. Refreshments will be served.

Purchase tickets at

 https://nwpcfresno.brownpapertickets.com

Or pay at the event. RSVP to [email protected].

For more information, contact Joanne Bazarian at 449-645-2591.

======>Download Flyer<======

Dyer’s Housing Plan

Fresno County, like much of California, is suffering from a lack of housing. This problem is particularly acute for young, working-class renters who can’t afford the buy-in and the schlep to access the tracts of single-family homes built out in Clovis or in Central Unified west of the 99. Mayor Dyer has put out his plan to ameliorate this issue, but it is still largely a road map rather than a means and progressives who were hoping for a lean toward rent control are out of luck.

Dyer’s plan relies most on incentivizing private construction through grants, loans and loosened regulation toward companies building all types of housing. There is an increase to the City’s housing trust fund, pushing it up to $1.5 million a year, which should net the region about 100 new homes.

Dyer’s goal numbers are padded a bit by including preserving and rehabilitating affordable homes, which while good does not increase the stock. By his own numbers, 4,695 affordable homes should be added to Fresno’s supply in the next three years, but with the cost of living spiraling that remains a challenge against even our natural population growth. And it does not do enough to direct the growth of Fresno as an urban ecosystem.

Fresno County’s sprawling civic design spills indistinguishable between Fresno, Clovis and other small communities to the tune of almost a million people. But this giant freestanding suburb is not set up like the city its numbers say it is and we suffer for that.

The latest forecasts for how our region will spend the Measure C transportation money cuts public transportation funding by 44% to enhance the high-volume roads connecting the valuable undeveloped lands at the fringes.

To make things worse, our plans give less than 3% to electrification of those crowded roads, undercutting the state’s electric car commitments and ensuring more pollution for choking valley residents.

Is California Willing to Pay to Kick Drilling Addiction?

Southern California is concerned, with good reason, about the health and environmental harms of offshore oil drilling causes. These worries have been highlighted recently by high-profile oil spills possibly caused by shipping traffic from the Port of Long Beach trawling over pipelines to offshore platforms. For residents of our coast, the immediate health hazard and environmental devastation is not worth the tiny impact such rigs have on our globalized oil prices. 

However, decommissioning these towering health hazards is expensive. California has had to foot such bills before when the responsible company went belly up, and now many balk about the proposed closures of several still operating offshore drill rigs.

Even the staunchest environmental advocates have been warning for decades that transition away from our oil-based economy will hurt. However, it is also true that the associated costs and pain have only continued to increase while our civilization dawdled.

Our constant use of gasoline, natural gas and plastics is constantly poisoning us as it steadily makes the world of tomorrow a worse and harsher place to live.

Volunteers Needed to Help with Campaign Signs

It’s an unfortunate reality that the general voter has a short memory and a strong herd instinct. Political signs fulfill a valuable function of increasing name recognition and swaying the public perception of levels of support. Democrats across Fresno County need volunteers to help place and install high-visibility signs. 

Locations will be provided along with training and everything needed to place the sign. A pickup or SUV is recommended, and your schedule can be accommodated. As little as a few signs a week is appreciated. Once you’re shown the method, it takes moments and provides a visible mark in the world of your efforts to improve our region.

Precinct Captains!

Want to help us win in 2022? Be a precinct captain! Join and become a part of our team! Sign up here!

Fellowship Program!

We are helping create the next generation of Democrats in the Central Valley! Are you a student interested in getting involved and learning more about the political world? You would be ideal for our fellowship program!

For more information, e-mail  [email protected]

Democratic Party Website and HQ

Visit Your Democratic Headquarters! Our office is now open, and we can’t wait to see you again! Help us register people to vote or change to vote by mail. Pass out candidate or issue literature and pick up candidate swag! Sign up to help us around the office!

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 of the many Democratic clubs in Fresno County, so you can find one that most suits you and your interests

https://fresnocountydemocrats.org/

The Democratic Party HQ (1033 U St.) is open 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday–Friday. Call 559-495-0606 or e-mail [email protected] for information or to volunteer.

Support your local Democratic Party by donation via ActBlue or by mailing a check to Fresno County Democratic Party, P.O. Box 5795, Fresno, CA 93755.

Our newsletter is prepared by Francis Horan.

Democratic Party Headquarters: 1033 U Street, Fresno, CA 93721

[email protected]
559-495-0606

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