Letter: Coastside Dems elect progressive activist board

The Coastside Democratic Club has elected a new slate of Board members committed to supporting progressive local and global causes.

The new president Harvey Rarback said “the Club welcomes all Coastside Democrats and like-minded progressives who wish to work for citizen involvement in electoral and community life”.

The Board is planning more frequent membership meetings with guest speakers who can stimulate the membership to take action to achieve its goals.  Rarback listed some ideas the Club might pursue:

• Working to promote national and local infrastructure jobs and promoting energy efficient jobs in solar, wind and water
• Working for economic equality through better tax, employment and wage policy
• Working to get money out of politics and push for publicly financed elections
• Encouraging more Hispanic and minority participation in the political process
• Fighting discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexual preference and age
• Working for a fair immigration policy
• Working to mitigate the serious consequences of climate change through actions like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for sea level rise, opposing fracking,  supporting public transportation and implementing recycled water on the Coast
• Working to elect local candidates who respect the Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs
• Participating in the update to the Half Moon Bay General Plan
• Working to include transparency and participation in local government organizations including electing all boards in even years in order to increase voter participation
• Encouraging local control of Coastside agencies including water, sewer, fire and parks
• Working with other progressive groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, Progressives United and the many legislative Progressive Caucuses.

The Board members are: Harvey Rarback (President), Debbie Ruddock (Vice-President), Bill Kehoe (Treasurer) and June Baxter (Secretary).  The At-Large Board members are Cid Young, Mike Ferreira, Dan Haggerty, Fran Pollard, Dana Kimsey and Kathryn Slater-Carter.