Following Contra Costa County’s semi-official Election Night final results (which showed RPA-backed candidates winning by margins of 13 to 20 percent), BK Williams, Chair of the Richmond Progressive Alliance, offered this statement:

The Richmond Progressive Alliance acknowledges and thanks all the candidates who ran for City Council. Although every vote must still be counted, we extend our warm congratulations to Melvin Willis, Gayle McLaughlin and Claudia Jimenez, who each are on track to winning a majority of the votes. 

These electoral victories belong to everyone who shares and collectively worked towards a progressive vision for our City -- a healthy, inclusive Richmond where everyone thrives. We express our heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who donated their time and resources to help elect these corporate-free candidates to office. Again, we showed that grassroots, people-powered movements can overcome great odds.

RPA 2020 Voter Guide

Richmond City Council Endorsements

District 1: Melvin Willis

District 5: Gayle McLaughlin

District 6: Claudia Jimenez

WCCUSD Board Endorsements

Area 1: Jamela Smith-Folds

Area 2: Otheree Christian

Area 4: Demetrio Gonzales-Hoy

Area 5: Leslie Reckler

Other Endorsements for Local Races

AC Transit Board Ward 1: Jovanka Beckles

Contra Costa Board of Education Area 1: Consuelo Lara

East Bay Regional Parks District Ward 1: Norman La Force

City of Richmond Ballot Initiatives

Measure U: Vote Yes

If this passes, Richmond will increase business tax revenue by calculating tax based on gross receipts rather than the number of people on payroll. This would ensure that large industrial facilities that don’t employ many people and rely heavily on city services pay their fair share.

Contra Costa County Ballot Initiatives

Measure X: Vote Yes

This would impose a half-cent sales tax across Contra Costa for 20 years, raising about $81 million per year for public health, emergency response and safety net programs that are more critical than ever due to COVID-19. Sales taxes are not progressive, but this was the best the Board of Supervisors would do to support these vital services. (They at least exempted food sales from the final version.) Vote yes, with reservations, on Measure X.

State Ballot Initiatives

Proposition 14: Stem Cell Research - No recommendation

This measure would authorize $5.5 billion in bonds for stem cell research. The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, created in 2004 when the Bush administration refused to provide federal funds for stem cell research, has yielded valuable cutting-edge research on cancer and other diseases. However, with federal restrictions now lifted, it’s not clear that California taxpayers should continue to bear that cost.

Proposition 15: Schools & Communities First - Vote Yes

Prop 15 is one of the most important measures on the ballot this year. By closing corporate loopholes in Prop 13, it will ensure that wealthy corporations such as Chevron finally pay property tax based on the value of their property, instead of having their taxes frozen in time at 1970’s levels. Protections for homes, small businesses and farms would remain in place. This simple change would yield an estimated $86 million for Contra Costa County, $21 million for the city of Richmond and $19 million for WCCUSD. 

Proposition 16: Affirmative Action - Vote Yes

By repealing 1996’s Proposition 209, this measure would once again allow the use of affirmative action in state functions. That’s an important step toward overcoming gender and racial inequities at state institutions such as the UC system.

Proposition 17: Voting Rights for Parolees - Vote Yes

This measure would extend voting rights to people who are on parole for felony convictions, rather than making them wait until they complete parole. Nineteen other states already allow people to vote while on parole for felonies. California should too.

Proposition 18: Voting Rights for 17 Year Olds - Vote Yes

This measure would allow 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the next general election to vote in primaries and special elections. This could only make it easier to engage young voters. Vote yes and help California join nearly 20 other states that already offer this privilege.

Proposition 19: Property Taxes for Seniors - Vote Yes

This measure would tweak Prop 13 to allow homeowners who are disabled or 55+ years old to carry the taxable value of their home to a new home. It would also close a loophole that allows people to keep the taxable value of vacation homes, rental properties and homes worth more than $1 million that they inherit. It doesn't go as far as is needed to overhaul Prop 13, but on balance, the measure is expected to increase tax revenue and make property tax rules work better for seniors, so we support it.

Proposition 20: Increased Sentencing - Vote No

This typical “tough on crime” measure would increase penalties for an array of offenses, swelling prison populations at a time when COVID-19 makes that a worse idea than ever. The measure is funded by police interests and supermarket chains such as Albertsons and Safeway, which see it as a way to fight shoplifting. Fight the prison-industrial complex and vote no.

Proposition 21: Rent Control - Vote Yes

By replacing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, this measure would allow rent control on buildings that were first occupied after 1995, as long as they have been occupied for more than 15 years. Vote yes to lift an unfair state restriction on the power of local governments and allow progressive municipalities such as Richmond to expand rent control.

Proposition 22: Gig Economy - Vote No

California lawmakers tried to help gig economy workers by passing AB 5 in 2019, but Uber, Lyft and DoorDash fought the law tooth and nail, arguing that making drivers employees would prevent them from offering flexible work. They’re planning to spend $100 million to pass Prop 22 and that must be rejected on principle. Corporations should not be allowed to spend unlimited sums of money to overturn democratically enacted laws. That is not how democracy works.

Proposition 23: Dialysis Regulations - Vote Yes

This measure would impose new regulations on dialysis clinics, such as requiring a doctor on site and requiring consent from state health regulators before a clinic can be closed. It’s backed by SEIU, which has worked for years to organize workers at the two largest dialysis providers, DaVita and Fresenius, and says that workers support the changes.

Proposition 24: Online Privacy - Vote No 

This measure would tweak the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) with the goal of strengthening online privacy. Privacy advocates are divided, and ultimately this just isn’t a good use of the ballot initiative process. Data privacy is a complex technical issue that should be handled through a legislative body with committee hearings and testimony from experts, or through rulemaking by expert regulators -- not through a simple up-or-down vote by the public. 

Proposition 25: Ending Cash Bail - No recommendation

Voting yes on Prop 25 would uphold SB 10, a 2019 law that replaced cash bail with a risk assessment for people awaiting trial. Democrats mostly favored the bill and Republicans mostly opposed it, but progressive criminal justice advocates were split on the final version because of concerns about racial bias in risk assessments. Cash bail is deeply unjust and it needs to end, but we aren’t confident that voting yes on Prop 25 to keep SB 10 is the right solution.

Vote for: Bernie Sanders

For many folks, voting for Bernie for the Democratic nomination may be the most exciting vote you’ll cast this March.

Months ago, the RPA membership voted to endorse Bernie Sanders (for those voting in the Democratic primary), for all the reasons you know: he is the strongest progressive in the field, and is also the only person running for President who is a real movement candidate.

What does this mean? It means that Bernie knows we need to build a real multiracial, working class movement for the long term. And that change comes from the bottom up, not the top down. His Presidential bids have never been about himself and his ego. They haven’t even been about winning an election. His campaigns have been about winning a political revolution through mass mobilization and long-term organizing.

That’s why many of us still count his 2016 Democratic presidential bid as a victory – because of the spark it lit for progressive politics across this country. This spark gave us inspiring progressive leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, The Squad, and the dozens of electeds endorsed by Our Revolution (of which the RPA is an affiliate).

Vote yes: Proposition 13

Proposition 13 (don’t get confused, it’s not that Prop 13) would authorize the issuance of up to $15 billion in state school bonds for facility repair, construction and modernization.

About $9 billion would go to K-12 schools, with most of that going toward repairing and renovating schools rather than building new ones.

Funds from state school bonds, such as the ones that would be approved by this measure, are used to provide matching funds to individual school districts to construct or upgrade school buildings. In the past, some larger wealthier school districts were able to raise funds faster (via issuing their own local bonds), thus taking a disproportionate share of the state monies.

In contrast, this ballot measure would make it a priority for low-income school districts (such as West Contra Costa) to get access to the funds. It creates a sliding scale for fund-matching, so that disadvantaged schools would receive a higher percentage of state money.

According to an OpEd by California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, funds would also prioritize those school facilities that are in serious disrepair or suffer from unsafe contamination – including lead contamination, mold and asbestos.

Vote yes: Measure R

Measure R is a West Contra Costa Unified School District $575 million bond measure for classroom modernization and safety updates. Past WCCUSD bond measures have benefited schools throughout the district, but unfortunately many of our Richmond schools have been among the last on the list. Richmond voters need to really get behind this measure to receive our share.

The maximum estimated property tax is $.06 per $100 assessed value (which comes out to $240 annually for a house with a $400,000 assessed value).

The following are excerpts from an Op-Ed signed by Consuelo Lara, West Contra Costa Trustee; Leslie Reckler, President Bayside Council PTA’s; Jose De Leon, Principal Richmond High School; and Demetrio Gonzalez, President United Teachers of Richmond.

Over the last 20-plus years, our community has been generous and has made incredible investments in WCCUSD. The District has used previous bonds to rebuild and modernize many of the schools in our neighborhoods – 44 of 53 schools in the District have been rebuilt or had some renovation – but the work is unfinished…

Independent experts have indicated that over $1 billion in improvements are required at District schools. And, many of these schools are located in very underserved areas – especially Richmond. In our diverse district, this is a major equity issue. Now, it is time for schools like Stege, Fairmont, Valley View, Kennedy High and Richmond High (which are on the priority list) to be rebuilt…

The effects of climate change can be seen on a regular basis with more hot days causing the need for air conditioning in places where it wasn’t previously needed. Measure R could provide air conditioning to our hottest schools where the need is serious. Every year, we see a growing number of students, teachers, and staff hurt by the dangerously hot temperatures in their classrooms to the level where this year alone three teachers had to go to the hospital over heat exhaustion. Technology has advanced, so school buildings need robust wireless infrastructure to support the devices students and teachers need for instruction. These things are expensive and cannot be paid for out of the normal school district budget…

This year we are also asked to support a complementary bond (Prop 13) for statewide facilities funds.  The passage of Prop 13 will increase available matching funds from the state for school construction. Over the years, because of voter support of our building program, West Contra Costa taxpayers have received over $166 Million Dollars in matching state funds — the passage of both Prop 13 and Measure R will ensure that our partnership with the state for school building funds will continue.  If Measure R fails, we will be leaving potential matching funds on the table – forfeiting our share.

Vote yes: Measure J

Measure J is a transportation plan that would raise $103 million annually through a ½ cent sales tax for 35 years. It ultimately would provide $1.9 billion dollars of new transit operations funding, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programs, and investments in sustainable travel modes.

Our friends at TransForm, a local transportation justice organization, calls Measure J “the most equitable and sustainable transportation funding measure the county has ever seen.”

An excerpt from their blog post follows:

Unlike most transportation funding schemes, Measure J is not a grab-bag of pet projects. It lays out the goals and outcomes by which potential projects will be judged in order to receive funding, like emissions reductions, benefits for low-income residents and underserved communities, open space protection, and congestion reduction. 

The measure will help some of the most vulnerable residents of the County by:

• Ensuring that investments provide a disproportionately greater benefit for low-income residents and Communities of Concern;
• Requiring cities to adopt anti-displacement and affordable housing policies in order to receive measure money, tying housing production and tenants rights to transportation funding (we hope this can be a model for other measures);
• Providing more free and reduced fares for students, seniors, and people with disabilities;

There’s even more to like about the substance of Measure J. It will:

• Prioritize projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) in accordance with state climate mandates;
• Establish an exciting new program for reducing driving, called a “VMT mitigation bank” — the first of its kind in California. Any measure-funded project that does not decrease VMT will have to offset its impacts by funding VMT-reducing projects such as transit, walking, and biking improvements. If this passes in Contra Costa, we believe it will help spur other similar programs across the state;
• Prioritize safety and access for people who walk, bike, and use public transportation by requiring all roadway funding to abide by new transit, Complete Streets and road safety policies;
• Create a strong Public Oversight Committee to ensure more accountability and public involvement in the measure’s implementation, including adding four seats for representatives of people with disabilities, transit riders, low-income communities, and climate advocates;
• Allow Contra Costa County to participate in a state program that will direct millions of dollars in development impact fees to priority conservation projects.

Vote for: Bernie Sanders

For many folks, voting for Bernie for the Democratic nomination may be the most exciting vote you’ll cast this March.

Months ago, the RPA membership voted to endorse Bernie Sanders (for those voting in the Democratic primary), for all the reasons you know: he is the strongest progressive in the field, and is also the only person running for President who is a real movement candidate.

What does this mean? It means that Bernie knows we need to build a real multiracial, working class movement for the long term. And that change comes from the bottom up, not the top down. His Presidential bids have never been about himself and his ego. They haven’t even been about winning an election. His campaigns have been about winning a political revolution through mass mobilization and long-term organizing.

That’s why many of us still count his 2016 Democratic presidential bid as a victory – because of the spark it lit for progressive politics across this country. This spark gave us inspiring progressive leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, The Squad, and the dozens of electeds endorsed by Our Revolution (of which the RPA is an affiliate).

Vote yes: Proposition 13

Proposition 13 (don’t get confused, it’s not that Prop 13) would authorize the issuance of up to $15 billion in state school bonds for facility repair, construction and modernization.

About $9 billion would go to K-12 schools, with most of that going toward repairing and renovating schools rather than building new ones.

Funds from state school bonds, such as the ones that would be approved by this measure, are used to provide matching funds to individual school districts to construct or upgrade school buildings. In the past, some larger wealthier school districts were able to raise funds faster (via issuing their own local bonds), thus taking a disproportionate share of the state monies.

In contrast, this ballot measure would make it a priority for low-income school districts (such as West Contra Costa) to get access to the funds. It creates a sliding scale for fund-matching, so that disadvantaged schools would receive a higher percentage of state money.

According to an OpEd by California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, funds would also prioritize those school facilities that are in serious disrepair or suffer from unsafe contamination – including lead contamination, mold and asbestos.

Vote yes: Measure R

Measure R is a West Contra Costa Unified School District $575 million bond measure for classroom modernization and safety updates. Past WCCUSD bond measures have benefited schools throughout the district, but unfortunately many of our Richmond schools have been among the last on the list. Richmond voters need to really get behind this measure to receive our share.

The maximum estimated property tax is $.06 per $100 assessed value (which comes out to $240 annually for a house with a $400,000 assessed value).

The following are excerpts from an Op-Ed signed by Consuelo Lara, West Contra Costa Trustee; Leslie Reckler, President Bayside Council PTA’s; Jose De Leon, Principal Richmond High School; and Demetrio Gonzalez, President United Teachers of Richmond.

Over the last 20-plus years, our community has been generous and has made incredible investments in WCCUSD. The District has used previous bonds to rebuild and modernize many of the schools in our neighborhoods – 44 of 53 schools in the District have been rebuilt or had some renovation – but the work is unfinished…

Independent experts have indicated that over $1 billion in improvements are required at District schools. And, many of these schools are located in very underserved areas – especially Richmond. In our diverse district, this is a major equity issue. Now, it is time for schools like Stege, Fairmont, Valley View, Kennedy High and Richmond High (which are on the priority list) to be rebuilt…

The effects of climate change can be seen on a regular basis with more hot days causing the need for air conditioning in places where it wasn’t previously needed. Measure R could provide air conditioning to our hottest schools where the need is serious. Every year, we see a growing number of students, teachers, and staff hurt by the dangerously hot temperatures in their classrooms to the level where this year alone three teachers had to go to the hospital over heat exhaustion. Technology has advanced, so school buildings need robust wireless infrastructure to support the devices students and teachers need for instruction. These things are expensive and cannot be paid for out of the normal school district budget…

This year we are also asked to support a complementary bond (Prop 13) for statewide facilities funds.  The passage of Prop 13 will increase available matching funds from the state for school construction. Over the years, because of voter support of our building program, West Contra Costa taxpayers have received over $166 Million Dollars in matching state funds — the passage of both Prop 13 and Measure R will ensure that our partnership with the state for school building funds will continue.  If Measure R fails, we will be leaving potential matching funds on the table – forfeiting our share.

Vote yes: Measure J

Measure J is a transportation plan that would raise $103 million annually through a ½ cent sales tax for 35 years. It ultimately would provide $1.9 billion dollars of new transit operations funding, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programs, and investments in sustainable travel modes.

Our friends at TransForm, a local transportation justice organization, calls Measure J “the most equitable and sustainable transportation funding measure the county has ever seen.”

An excerpt from their blog post follows:

Unlike most transportation funding schemes, Measure J is not a grab-bag of pet projects. It lays out the goals and outcomes by which potential projects will be judged in order to receive funding, like emissions reductions, benefits for low-income residents and underserved communities, open space protection, and congestion reduction. 

The measure will help some of the most vulnerable residents of the County by:

• Ensuring that investments provide a disproportionately greater benefit for low-income residents and Communities of Concern;
• Requiring cities to adopt anti-displacement and affordable housing policies in order to receive measure money, tying housing production and tenants rights to transportation funding (we hope this can be a model for other measures);
• Providing more free and reduced fares for students, seniors, and people with disabilities;

There’s even more to like about the substance of Measure J. It will:

• Prioritize projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) in accordance with state climate mandates;
• Establish an exciting new program for reducing driving, called a “VMT mitigation bank” — the first of its kind in California. Any measure-funded project that does not decrease VMT will have to offset its impacts by funding VMT-reducing projects such as transit, walking, and biking improvements. If this passes in Contra Costa, we believe it will help spur other similar programs across the state;
• Prioritize safety and access for people who walk, bike, and use public transportation by requiring all roadway funding to abide by new transit, Complete Streets and road safety policies;
• Create a strong Public Oversight Committee to ensure more accountability and public involvement in the measure’s implementation, including adding four seats for representatives of people with disabilities, transit riders, low-income communities, and climate advocates;
• Allow Contra Costa County to participate in a state program that will direct millions of dollars in development impact fees to priority conservation projects.