Governor – Luis Rodriguez
Lt. Governor – Jena Goodman
Attorney General – Kamala Harris
Controller – John Perez
Secretary of State – Derek Cressman
Insurance Commissioner – Nathalie Hrizi
Treasurer – John Chiang
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Tom Torlakson
Board of Equalization, District 2 - nobody or write in.
US, House of Representatives, district 13 – Barbara Lee
US, House of Representatives, district 14 – Jackie Speier
SF Judges (all are fine)
Prop 41: $600 million bond to provide multifamily housing to veterans - YES (soft)
Prop 42: Force counties to comply with the California Public Records Act — Yes (soft)
Measure AA: Healthcare Safety Net Reauthorization — Alameda County – YES
Governor – Luis Rodriguez
In the general, I will vote for Jerry Brown. For sure, no waffles. He does some frustrating things but the guy is a good governer for a practically ungovernable state. I’m voting for Luis Rodriguez largely because we the general will be the “top two vote getters” one will be Jerry Brown, and because people vote on party lines the other one will be one of the Republicans. Almost certainly Neel Kashkari, who will lose. I’d love for it to be an actual debate of ideas though…. so! My vote goes third party.
Lt. governor – Jena Goodman
Exactly the same thing as Governor. You think Gavin Newsom doesn’t take this? You’re tripping. It’ll be him and one of these Republicans though. So again: third party.
Attorney General – Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is an Attorney General who is against the death penalty, and pro medical marijuana (at least on paper.) sounds ok to me! She hasn’t really stepped it up on the latter, letting the US Justice department walk all over the dispenseries and growers (which, HINT! HINT! *WAS* one of the primary sources or revenue for Oakland). She has been exactly as brave as you would expect somebody that could “GO ALL THE WAY(tm)” higher office style, but she is a good AG. And remember people, she got in on a very small margin before.
Controller – John Perez
He’s the first openly gay speaker in the CA assembly and he would be the first LGBT person elected to statewide office. He’s really smart about pension fund investment and local tax laws… Betty Yee would also be fine, but Perez is better.
Secretary of State – Derek Cressman
That Alex Padilla character isn’t bad either, but it is annoying that so many people use SoS as a jumping off board for other offices. Cressman is a voting rights advocate that works for a non-profit that focuses on electoral reform. OK!
Insurance Commissioner – Nathalie Hrizi
Dave Jones will win this in a walk. Which is fine, but yeah… voting third partu on this one. Nathalie is a sassy public school teacher with a (literal) megaphone.
Treasurer – John Chiang
John Chiang was a pretty darn good Controller, he’ll be a pretty darn good Treasurer.
Superintendent of Public Instruction – Tom Torlakson
I’m honestly a little conflicted about this one, but Torlakson is a former teacher and the incumbent has done ok. His opponent is really into charter schools and private schools, and while it may sound counterintuitive having worked for a charter school system. Many of them are bad (not all! many)
Board of Equalization, District 2 - nobody or write in.
Fiona Ma kind of sucks as does her opponent. Disappointing that somebody good didn’t run for this.
US, House of Representatives, district 13 – Barbara Lee
Barbara Lee speaks for me. She is getting on in years, but she is a damn fine representative.
US, House of Representatives, district 14 – Jackie Speier
SF Judges (all are fine)
There are a bunch of people running unopposed in Alameda county… whic his always annoying. But none of them are that odious. Still, what the heck man? I hate unopposed elections.
County Superintendent of Schools; Alameda County Board of Education – Naomi Eason
Relatively tough choice, but again… a teacher, principal and then district administrator.
good by me!
Prop 41: $600 million bond to provide multifamily housing to veterans - YES (soft)
I came *THIS CLOSE* to voting NO on this, because i’m sick of seeing all of these feel good propositions but in front of the people who don’t understand the ramifications of what these votes mean.
That said, we treat our veterans terribly in this country. So if there is a chance to rectify that. I’m for it. I totally understand if others aren’t willing to support this though,.
Prop 42: Force counties to comply with the California Public Records Act — Yes (soft)
Again, you’d think this would be a no brainer right? Transparency is always good right? Weeeeeeeell… it also invalidates a law that says the state has to imburse municipalities for their expenses. This may not sound like much, and in fact some places already do that. But some of the smaller communities may well suffer. I’ve *SEEN* this law, in action get in the way of otherwise helpful projects because some busy body decided to throw a wrench in the works because of some personal axe to grind. That said, that is more rare than not.
so Yes… but a soft yes.
Man, I get sick of saying that, give me something to vote *FOR* people!
Measure AA: Healthcare Safety Net Reauthorization — Alameda County – YES
vote no and sales tax drops half a cent. If it is that important to you, fine… otherwise that money goes to essential health services to provide trauma and emergency medical services for low-income and uninsured familes, kids and seniors. Have you been to an ER lately? Yeah, if you have you know that this has to be yes.
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