MARCH 3, 2020 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION
Thankfully, there is only one statewide ballot measure this election. Here are my recommendations for that, the presidential race, and the local items on my ballot. Explanations follow below the list.
As usual, I urge you to take my advice with plenty of salt, and research the issues and candidates on your own. There are two websites I find particularly helpful: Voter’s Edge, sponsored by MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund, and Ballotpedia. Both sites enable you to look up your own ballot and find information about the various candidates and issues on the ballot.
Whatever you do, make sure you vote!
Thankfully, there is only one statewide ballot measure this election. Here are my recommendations for that, the presidential race, and the local items on my ballot. Explanations follow below the list.
As usual, I urge you to take my advice with plenty of salt, and research the issues and candidates on your own. There are two websites I find particularly helpful: Voter’s Edge, sponsored by MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund, and Ballotpedia. Both sites enable you to look up your own ballot and find information about the various candidates and issues on the ballot.
Whatever you do, make sure you vote!
President of the United States
ELIZABETH WARREN
United States Representative, District 2
JARED HUFFMAN
Member of the State Assembly, District 10
MARC LEVINE
Marin County Supervisor, District 2
KATIE RICE
State Proposition 13: School Facilities
YES
Tamalpais Union High School District - Measure B
YES
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority - Measure C
YES
San Geronimo Valley Golf Course - Measure D
NO
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District - Measure I
YES
ELIZABETH WARREN
United States Representative, District 2
JARED HUFFMAN
Member of the State Assembly, District 10
MARC LEVINE
Marin County Supervisor, District 2
KATIE RICE
State Proposition 13: School Facilities
YES
Tamalpais Union High School District - Measure B
YES
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority - Measure C
YES
San Geronimo Valley Golf Course - Measure D
NO
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District - Measure I
YES
Explanations:
President of the United States
Like so many concerned citizens, I believe it is of utmost importance that we defeat Donald Trump in November. I’m convinced that he poses an existential threat to our nation and our democracy, for a whole host of reasons.
I pledge to wholeheartedly support whoever ends up getting the Democratic nomination, and I urge you to do the same. THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY FROM MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS ELECTION!
EVEN IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, PLEASE TAKE THIS PLEDGE!
I’m sure people everywhere are making their own personal calculations about who they think has the best chance of winning in November and deciding whether they will vote for that person over their preferred candidate (if the two are different people) in the primary.
It’s tricky because so much can happen in the course of a campaign. Someone who is now considered the most likely to be able to beat Trump may well stumble and lose badly.
I see strengths and weaknesses in all the candidates — reasons to support them and reasons to believe they might be vulnerable.
Frankly, the person I feel would be the best candidate, Stacey Abrams of Georgia, is unfortunately one of the few people who did not enter the Democratic primary. She has been mentioned as a possible nominee for Vice President, and I strongly endorse that idea.
In the presidential field, I originally endorsed Pete Buttigieg, and, since I voted absentee, I voted for him. So much for early voting, at least in a primary election!
With Mayor Pete gone, I now endorse Elizabeth Warren. I admire the fact that she's been working on issues of economic fairness much longer than she's been in politics. I was impressed with her performance at the Las Vegas debate. I thought it was a good indication that she would be effective debating against the orange menace.
For me, one of the most memorable and telling moments of the whole campaign involved Warren's habit of staying for hours after campaign appearances to pose for selfies with anyone and everyone who wants one. After one such event, a reporter asked if it was a hardship for her to stay for so many hours (it was either three or four in that case; let's err on the side of caution and say three). Warren replied, "The last person in line waited three hours too!"
That speaks volumes about what kind of person she is.
From what I can tell, the only two candidates who are really energizing people are Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (and it's clearly much more the case for Bernie).
That said, I realize the likelihood of Warren winning the nomination is slim. So here's my list of candidates in order of preference, in consultation with both my head and my heart:
1) Elizabeth Warren
2) Bernie Sanders
3) Joe Biden
4) Amy Klobuchar
5) Mike Bloomberg
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR ELIZABETH WARREN.
(But, as I said above, that is far less important than committing to strongly supporting the eventual Democratic nominee, regardless of whether or not he or she is your first choice candidate!)
==============================
United States Representative, District 2
Incumbent Jared Huffman is doing an excellent job representing us in Washington. I also appreciate his continued efforts to reach out to the district with town hall meetings and other gatherings.
VOTE FOR JARED HUFFMAN.
==============================
Member of the State Assembly, District 10
I have always been somewhat skeptical of Marc Levine, however when I look at his voting record in the State Assembly, it’s actually quite good. He gets scores mostly in the 90-100% range from progressive organizations (83% from Courage Campaign) and very low scores from groups such as the National Rifle Association, the American Conservative Union, and the California Pro-Life Council.
Levine is being challenged from the left by two fellow Democrats. Neither one seems to be ready for prime time.
Roni Jacoby has run against Levine twice before. Her heart is definitely in the right place, but, as I said in 2016 after watching her stumble her way through a debate, I don’t see her as a potential leader and I’m afraid she would not be able to deliver for the district.
Ted Cabral didn’t bother to submit a candidate statement for the Voter Information Guide and Sample Ballot (maybe he did in some parts of the district, but he didn’t in mine). I checked out his website and it was very sloppy. Among other errors I noticed, he misspelled our governor’s name. Not a good way to start out!
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR MARC LEVINE.
==============================
Marin County Supervisor, District 2
An easy choice here: Katie Rice is running unopposed for reelection.
VOTE FOR KATIE RICE.
==============================
State Proposition 13: School Facilities
Proposition 13 would authorize bonds for public education facilities, mostly for renovation of existing facilities but also for some new construction.
In addition to addressing serious needs, Prop. 13 improves the way projects are prioritized. Instead of “first come, first served,” which is how it was handled in the past, preference would be given to projects that involve health and life-safety, such as earthquake retrofitting.
This measure also includes an incentive for new housing projects along public transit corridors and an incentive for school districts to use union labor on their projects.
Proposition 13 passed the state legislature overwhelmingly: 35-4 in the State Senate and 78-1 in the State Assembly. Most major California newspapers support this measure.
Predictably, the main opposition to Prop. 13 comes from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which doesn’t like to pay for anything.
VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 13.
==============================
Tamalpais Union High School District - Measure B
No need to reinvent the wheel here. Check out the Marin IJ’s endorsement of Measure B.
I do want to say something about the senior exemption. This is designed for seniors on fixed incomes for whom a substantial tax increase would truly be a financial hardship. For seniors who are not in that situation, I encourage you to join me in NOT applying for the exemption.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE B.
==============================
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority - Measure C
We all know that fire danger throughout California has increased dramatically in recent years. We in Marin are extremely lucky that so far we have escaped a horrible tragedy like the ones we have witnessed in Paradise, Santa Rosa, and other nearby areas.
It’s going to take more than luck to continue to keep us safe.
Measure C would fund a coordinated effort of wildfire prevention measures and evacuation plans.
It’s well thought out, and, as a result, it has virtually no organized opposition. Even the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, Marin’s version of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, is supporting Measure C!
The lone person who signed the argument against Measure C represents something called the Marin Public Policy Institute. It sounds like a think tank, but if you look at their website, you’ll see that there doesn’t seem to be much thinking going on.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE C.
==============================
San Geronimo Valley Golf Course - Measure D
Proponents of Measure D believe they can bring back golf to San Geronimo, but it’s just not going to happen. D is a badly written measure that could have negative impacts beyond this issue.
The Marin IJ’s editorial goes into much more detail.
VOTE NO ON MEASURE D.
==============================
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District - Measure I
This is the only ballot measure that I’ve had trouble deciding on. In fact, I’m still making up my mind as I write this!
I opposed the SMART train initially, even though I am normally a huge supporter (and user) of public transportation, and I’m a fan of trains. I even live in a former train station! I worried that this train wouldn’t attract significant enough ridership.
Now that we have the SMART train, I’m still concerned about the ridership, but I love the train. It is a beautiful ride. If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to check it out.
I hope the recent opening of the station in Larkspur Landing will attract more commuters, who can now take the train to the ferry.
Measure I would extend the existing 1/4¢ sales tax for 30 more years.
The tax as originally passed is due to expire in 2029. The very legitimate question is: why are they asking for an extension so soon after the train began operating and with so many years left to go before the current expiration date?
I’m disappointed in the lack of transparency and the lack of community engagement by the SMART train board. I’m also disappointed that they’re not farther along in building the promised bike path alongside the train’s route.
Part of me wants to wait and see how the train is doing a couple of years down the road, or perhaps I should say down the tracks, before supporting an extension of the tax.
Part of me wants to just support the extension now and spare them and us another election battle later.
And part of me is so pissed off that one person has put more than a million dollars into defeating this measure that I want to support the extension just to discourage such behavior.
I realize the latter is no way to choose a position. I’ve decided to support Measure I, but not because of that.
The bottom line for me is that without the extension, the train would have to spend much more money every year for debt repayment, leaving less for operating expenses, etc.
I’m not crazy about how it got to this point, but, despite my initial opposition to the SMART train, I really want to see the train succeed. I think it has a better chance of doing so if Measure I passes.
I RECOMMEND A YES VOTE ON MEASURE I.
President of the United States
Like so many concerned citizens, I believe it is of utmost importance that we defeat Donald Trump in November. I’m convinced that he poses an existential threat to our nation and our democracy, for a whole host of reasons.
I pledge to wholeheartedly support whoever ends up getting the Democratic nomination, and I urge you to do the same. THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY FROM MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS ELECTION!
EVEN IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, PLEASE TAKE THIS PLEDGE!
I’m sure people everywhere are making their own personal calculations about who they think has the best chance of winning in November and deciding whether they will vote for that person over their preferred candidate (if the two are different people) in the primary.
It’s tricky because so much can happen in the course of a campaign. Someone who is now considered the most likely to be able to beat Trump may well stumble and lose badly.
I see strengths and weaknesses in all the candidates — reasons to support them and reasons to believe they might be vulnerable.
Frankly, the person I feel would be the best candidate, Stacey Abrams of Georgia, is unfortunately one of the few people who did not enter the Democratic primary. She has been mentioned as a possible nominee for Vice President, and I strongly endorse that idea.
In the presidential field, I originally endorsed Pete Buttigieg, and, since I voted absentee, I voted for him. So much for early voting, at least in a primary election!
With Mayor Pete gone, I now endorse Elizabeth Warren. I admire the fact that she's been working on issues of economic fairness much longer than she's been in politics. I was impressed with her performance at the Las Vegas debate. I thought it was a good indication that she would be effective debating against the orange menace.
For me, one of the most memorable and telling moments of the whole campaign involved Warren's habit of staying for hours after campaign appearances to pose for selfies with anyone and everyone who wants one. After one such event, a reporter asked if it was a hardship for her to stay for so many hours (it was either three or four in that case; let's err on the side of caution and say three). Warren replied, "The last person in line waited three hours too!"
That speaks volumes about what kind of person she is.
From what I can tell, the only two candidates who are really energizing people are Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (and it's clearly much more the case for Bernie).
That said, I realize the likelihood of Warren winning the nomination is slim. So here's my list of candidates in order of preference, in consultation with both my head and my heart:
1) Elizabeth Warren
2) Bernie Sanders
3) Joe Biden
4) Amy Klobuchar
5) Mike Bloomberg
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR ELIZABETH WARREN.
(But, as I said above, that is far less important than committing to strongly supporting the eventual Democratic nominee, regardless of whether or not he or she is your first choice candidate!)
==============================
United States Representative, District 2
Incumbent Jared Huffman is doing an excellent job representing us in Washington. I also appreciate his continued efforts to reach out to the district with town hall meetings and other gatherings.
VOTE FOR JARED HUFFMAN.
==============================
Member of the State Assembly, District 10
I have always been somewhat skeptical of Marc Levine, however when I look at his voting record in the State Assembly, it’s actually quite good. He gets scores mostly in the 90-100% range from progressive organizations (83% from Courage Campaign) and very low scores from groups such as the National Rifle Association, the American Conservative Union, and the California Pro-Life Council.
Levine is being challenged from the left by two fellow Democrats. Neither one seems to be ready for prime time.
Roni Jacoby has run against Levine twice before. Her heart is definitely in the right place, but, as I said in 2016 after watching her stumble her way through a debate, I don’t see her as a potential leader and I’m afraid she would not be able to deliver for the district.
Ted Cabral didn’t bother to submit a candidate statement for the Voter Information Guide and Sample Ballot (maybe he did in some parts of the district, but he didn’t in mine). I checked out his website and it was very sloppy. Among other errors I noticed, he misspelled our governor’s name. Not a good way to start out!
I RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR MARC LEVINE.
==============================
Marin County Supervisor, District 2
An easy choice here: Katie Rice is running unopposed for reelection.
VOTE FOR KATIE RICE.
==============================
State Proposition 13: School Facilities
Proposition 13 would authorize bonds for public education facilities, mostly for renovation of existing facilities but also for some new construction.
In addition to addressing serious needs, Prop. 13 improves the way projects are prioritized. Instead of “first come, first served,” which is how it was handled in the past, preference would be given to projects that involve health and life-safety, such as earthquake retrofitting.
This measure also includes an incentive for new housing projects along public transit corridors and an incentive for school districts to use union labor on their projects.
Proposition 13 passed the state legislature overwhelmingly: 35-4 in the State Senate and 78-1 in the State Assembly. Most major California newspapers support this measure.
Predictably, the main opposition to Prop. 13 comes from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which doesn’t like to pay for anything.
VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 13.
==============================
Tamalpais Union High School District - Measure B
No need to reinvent the wheel here. Check out the Marin IJ’s endorsement of Measure B.
I do want to say something about the senior exemption. This is designed for seniors on fixed incomes for whom a substantial tax increase would truly be a financial hardship. For seniors who are not in that situation, I encourage you to join me in NOT applying for the exemption.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE B.
==============================
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority - Measure C
We all know that fire danger throughout California has increased dramatically in recent years. We in Marin are extremely lucky that so far we have escaped a horrible tragedy like the ones we have witnessed in Paradise, Santa Rosa, and other nearby areas.
It’s going to take more than luck to continue to keep us safe.
Measure C would fund a coordinated effort of wildfire prevention measures and evacuation plans.
It’s well thought out, and, as a result, it has virtually no organized opposition. Even the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers, Marin’s version of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, is supporting Measure C!
The lone person who signed the argument against Measure C represents something called the Marin Public Policy Institute. It sounds like a think tank, but if you look at their website, you’ll see that there doesn’t seem to be much thinking going on.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE C.
==============================
San Geronimo Valley Golf Course - Measure D
Proponents of Measure D believe they can bring back golf to San Geronimo, but it’s just not going to happen. D is a badly written measure that could have negative impacts beyond this issue.
The Marin IJ’s editorial goes into much more detail.
VOTE NO ON MEASURE D.
==============================
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District - Measure I
This is the only ballot measure that I’ve had trouble deciding on. In fact, I’m still making up my mind as I write this!
I opposed the SMART train initially, even though I am normally a huge supporter (and user) of public transportation, and I’m a fan of trains. I even live in a former train station! I worried that this train wouldn’t attract significant enough ridership.
Now that we have the SMART train, I’m still concerned about the ridership, but I love the train. It is a beautiful ride. If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to check it out.
I hope the recent opening of the station in Larkspur Landing will attract more commuters, who can now take the train to the ferry.
Measure I would extend the existing 1/4¢ sales tax for 30 more years.
The tax as originally passed is due to expire in 2029. The very legitimate question is: why are they asking for an extension so soon after the train began operating and with so many years left to go before the current expiration date?
I’m disappointed in the lack of transparency and the lack of community engagement by the SMART train board. I’m also disappointed that they’re not farther along in building the promised bike path alongside the train’s route.
Part of me wants to wait and see how the train is doing a couple of years down the road, or perhaps I should say down the tracks, before supporting an extension of the tax.
Part of me wants to just support the extension now and spare them and us another election battle later.
And part of me is so pissed off that one person has put more than a million dollars into defeating this measure that I want to support the extension just to discourage such behavior.
I realize the latter is no way to choose a position. I’ve decided to support Measure I, but not because of that.
The bottom line for me is that without the extension, the train would have to spend much more money every year for debt repayment, leaving less for operating expenses, etc.
I’m not crazy about how it got to this point, but, despite my initial opposition to the SMART train, I really want to see the train succeed. I think it has a better chance of doing so if Measure I passes.
I RECOMMEND A YES VOTE ON MEASURE I.
