July 2017 Update
April 2017 Update
Our campaign is starting to build some steam. Building a strong coalition is getting off the ground. If you know of a group that might be interested in supporting campaign finance reform for San Diego, please let us know. Our organizing work with the Neighborhood Empowerment Alliance is beginning to take shape and there seems to be heightened interest everywhere in people wanting to take action, be heard and make a difference. One such action is highlighted below with the showing of the Greg Palast Documentary “THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY” next week. COME JOIN US! Above all if you have any ideas or suggestions that you would like to share, please call John at 619-299-8870 or respond to this email outreach. I leave you with the Joe Hill quote as he was awaiting execution, “DON’T MOURN, ORGANIZE!”
John Hartley, Coordinator
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS
“THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY” A Greg Palast Documentary
WHERE: First Unitarian Universalist Church of SD
4190 Front St.
San Diego, CA 92103
Our next organizing meeting with the Neighborhood Empowerment Alliance will be on Saturday, May 6 at 1pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, across the street from the UCSD Medical Center. Park in the parking lot and bring your parking ticket to the meeting for validation. We will be working on the clean elections campaign and other areas such as affordable housing/homelessness, neighborhood schools and infrastructure, if there is interest.
DARK MONEY: THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE BILLIONAIRES BEHIND THE RISE OF THE RADICAL RIGHT by Jane Mayer
WHERE: First Unitarian Universalist Church of SD
4190 Front St.
San Diego, CA 92103
March 2017 Update
Campaign Finance Reform Volunteers Wanted
Join us Saturday, April 1, 1-3pm at the First Unitarian Church in Hillcrest (across from the UCSD Medical Center) as we organize our campaign for Clean Elections or small donor public funding of elections for San Diego. For more information, contact John Hartley, Campaign Coordinator, at 619-299-8870 or hartley2k@aol.com.
- When – Sat, April 1, 1pm – 3pm
- Where – First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest (across the street from the UCSD Medical Center (map)
Check Out Our Web Page
Our web page is: sdcleanelections.com Check it out even though it is a work in progress. Check out our videos on the home page and sign up to support our campaign: to volunteer, to get our monthly updates, to contribute and to get on our Facebook page.
Watch this 10 minute video
Watch this video on the New York City small donor public financing program!
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS – THE FACES OF SMALL DONOR PUBLIC FINANCING
February 2017 Update
Come join us at our next: Neighborhood Empowerment Alliance Meeting
Saturday, February 25, 1-3pm , First Unitarian/Universalist Church, Across from U.C.S.D Medical Center in Hillcrest. Parking validated at the meeting.
2 – part meeting
How do we want to learn? (skill building)
How do we take action together? (Bring your ideas and suggestions!)
We sponsored the creation of this group to further empower neighborhoods and to allow volunteers to work on projects of interest including campaign finance reform. We are still working on the format of the meetings which will be further worked out at this meeting. So far, the expressed need of those present, has been for skill building and working in small groups on areas of interest. This is your chance to share your thoughts and ideas and to learn new skills and help in the campaign. Again, come join us.
For more information on this meeting or the campaign, contact Campaign Coordinator:
John Hartley at 619-299-8870 – hartley2k@aol.com – sdcleanelections.com
What are Clean Elections? What are small donor public funding elections?
For years we advocated for a form of campaign finance reform for San Diego called clean elections which is full public funding of elections. we attempted to get an initiative on the ballot last summer, we quickly realized that we had not build sufficient support to be successful. We learned some painful lessons, that we needed to do more education, raise more money and to build a bigger coalition to be successful. At the same time, we realized that we were still committed to our goals of campaign finance reform including neighborhood and citizen empowerment, that everyone should have the chance to run for office and serve, and that our elected leaders should serve the interests of all and not just the wealthy and special interests! .
We have also discovered an alternative to clean elections as the vehicle to champion local campaign finance reform. That alternative is called Clean Elections or small donor public funding. Small donor public funding has been in existence in New York City and the City of Los Angeles since the 1980s, and was just voted into the City of Berkeley this past November.
Watch this short, 10 minute video showing the impact of New York City’s small donor public funding program. I think you will like it!
The most recent victory for Clean Elections!
The City of Berkeley just passed a campaign finance reform measure called “Berkeley Clean Elections” this past November. It is a victory for campaign finance reform everywhere!
Check it out!
First Step! New San Diego Clean Elections Network Coalition Forming
The League of Women Voters, Common Cause and Neighborhoods for Clean Elections have come together to educate San Diegans about the problems and solutions for “big money” in our local politics. Our goal is to build a Grand Coalition behind campaign finance reform for San Diego. If you would like to get involved, come to our Alliance meeting on February 25. If you are part of a group that might be interested in empowering neighborhoods and residents through Clean Elections or campaign finance reform, contact John Hartley at 619-299-8870 or hartley2k@aol.com
If you wish to be taken off our list, please send back a response with your request.
January 2017 Update
First, JOIN US FOR OUR Neighborhood Empowerment Forum on Saturday, January 14 from 1-4pm at the Unitarian/Universalist Church in Hillcrest, across from the UCSD Medical Center. We will be selecting an issue that all neighborhoods can get behind in order to demonstrate that we can work together!
COME AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS!
AND IT IS TIME FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM!
We will soon launch our new small donor public funding campaign for San Diego! This is the campaign finance reform long established in New York City and Los Angeles. We will be reaching out to all San Diegans, individually and groups, to share how small small donor public funding empowers people and neighborhoods.
TO GIVE YOU A TASTE, I have provided a link to: BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS – The Faces of Small Donor Public Financing – It’s only 10 minutes long. Check it out:
And last but not least, join us for a WORKING MEETING this Saturday, January 7 at 1pm at the Global ARC conference room at 4343 Morena Blvd to plan for the Neighborhood Forum.</br >
COME JOIN US!
CONTACT ME WITH YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
John Hartley, Campaign Coordinator: 619-299-8870
Campaign Update – Wow!
November 2016
This is a quote that I got from working with the Sierra Club over the years. For me, it means to have a global outlook but to put your energy into something local that you can actually work on and make a difference. It helps me to not think about the national elections results and to find satisfaction in working on something that I can actually make happen, like transforming politics and empowering neighborhoods in the City of San Diego!
As you know our goal is to empower regular San Diegans and neighborhoods through campaign finance reform. We are also working to empower neighborhoods by helping them work together when lobbying the city of San Diego for their needs.
we are switching from clean elections to small donor public financing like that already in effect in New York City and the city of Los Angeles. We are in the process of updating our web page: sdcleanelections.com and educating ourselves on small donor public financing. As we become more organized, we plan to outreach to San Diegans throughout the City and to build support for Clean Elections! Stay tuned!
on small donor public financing, check out this video about “Breaking Down Barriers”:
The Faces of Small Donor Public Financing
Call or e mail Campaign Coordinator John Hartley at
619-299-8870 – hartley2k@aol.com
Our second effort is to help neighborhoods work together in lobbying the city to support their individual neighborhood needs. We have sponsored several workshops where residents from neighborhoods throughout the city have met to share what was important for them and their neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Empowerment Alliance was formed out of this process. The first goal of the Alliance is to see if neighborhoods can work together by choosing one project to work on. And to determine that project, the Alliance volunteers created a survey which they have shared with over 30 groups throughout the city. That input would be analyzed at the next working meeting of the Alliance on Saturday, December 3 at 1pm and the final project will be selected at the NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT FORUM on Saturday, January 14 .
you can join the Alliance working group on Saturday, December 3 from 1-3pm at the Global ARC conference room at their 4343 Morena Blvd office (north of Cosco on Morena Blvd and parallel to highway 5)
you can put the Neighborhood Empowerment Forum on your calendar. It will be meeting on Saturday, January 14 from 1-4pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest – their parking lot is across the street from the UCSD Medical Center and parking is validated.
October 2016
Hi Everyone,
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Much is happening in the campaign! Where to start?
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OUR COMMITTMENT
is to empower all San Diegans and all our neighborhoods through campaign finance reform and we are looking at the small donor public funding reform enacted in New York City and Los Angeles. CHECK OUT THIS SHORT VIDEO FROM NEW YORK CITY: The Faces of Small Donor Public Financing.
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THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ALLIANCE IS BORN!
Starting this summer, we hosted a Neighborhood Vision Workshop to see if neighborhoods working together, could have more clout with the City in getting what they need in their individual neighborhoods. At the June 4 workshop, the group came up with a list of neighborhood needs that might be accomplished by neighborhoods working together.
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At the second workshop, this past October 17, the group decided to see if our neighborhoods could actually work together by selecting one goal to work on. To determine this goal, the group decided to create a survey based on the initial list of needs created by the first workshop, MAKE IT OPEN TO ALL San Diegans and to put on a Neighborhood Empowerment Forum on January 14 next year at the First Unitarian Universalist church in Hillcrest. This is where the final goal of the group would be decided and confirmed. And finally, we created a name to identify our efforts: the NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ALLIANCE .
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HOW CAN YOU HELP? HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?
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FIRST, YOU CAN TAKE THE SURVEY!
Attached is a two page pdf, with one page describing the history and decision process and one being the survey itself. PLEASE PRINT IT HERE, READ IT, FILL OUT THE SURVEY AND MAIL IT IN TO: Neighborhoods for Clean Elections, P.O. Box 16066, San Diego, CA 92176.
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YOU CAN JOIN THE ALLIANCE ORGANIZING GROUP!
The next organizing meeting of the Neighborhood Empowerment Alliance will be on October 29, 1-3pm at the Global Arc conference room located at 4343 Morena Blvd (north of Balboa Avenue and Costco and parallel to Highway 5) Come join us!
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AND YOU CAN ATTEND THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT FORUM!
The Neighborhood Empowerment Forum will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2017 from 1-4pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest (MARK YOUR CALENDARS! where the initial goal of the Alliance will be determined. COME AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS!
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That’s it folks.
We could also use more volunteer help in outreach to groups. If you are already a veteran at public speaking, we could use your help. If you would like help in mastering public speaking, we can help you and we could also use your help. COME JOIN US!
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Have a question, a suggestion or a complaint? GIVE ME A CALL! Contact Campaign Coordinator John Hartley at 619-299-8870
September 2016
TWO UPCOMING WORKSHOPS – COME JOIN US!
Saturday, September 17 – Second Neighborhood Vision Workshop, 1-4pm
Saturday, October 1 – Protecting Your Neighborhood, 1-2pm
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NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MORE CLOUT WITH THE CITY, IN GETTING WHAT THEY NEED, WHEN THEY WORK TOGETHER!
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The second Neighborhood Vision Workshop which will be on Saturday, September 17 from 1pm to 4pm, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest (across the street from the entrance of UCSD Medical Center).
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We held our first Neighborhood Vision Workshop in June where a hardy group of volunteers from different neighborhoods came together to discover the benefit for neighborhoods when they work together!
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Craig Sherman Workshop – How to Protect Your Neighborhood!
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Saturday, October 1 from 1pm to 2pm, again at the same First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest
Craig Sherman is an local attorney dedicated to helping neighborhoods protect themselves against inappropriate growth by understanding the rules and tools available to the public and how to use them. If you worry about developers using loopholes to get around your neighborhood protection and the city favoring the developers or looking the other way, this workshop is for you!
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And finally,
check out this short video from the New York City Brennan Center on small donor, matching funds type, public financing.
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John Hartley, Coordinator, 619-299-8870
Neighborhoods for Clean Elections
Aug 2016
Yes, you noticed!
We have changed our name of our campaign group from Neighborhoods for Clean Elections to Neighborhoods for Clean Elections. We made this choice because we want to move ahead with lessons that we have learned. One such lesson was that we need to build a bigger coalition going forward. We have now linked up formally with Common Cause and the League of Women Voters to build a coalition for Clean Elections for the City of San Diego. Both support a small donor matching funds type of public funding of elections and we will share more about this kind of campaign finance reform in upcoming updates. New York City and Los Angeles both have this type of campaign finance reform and you can also goggle it for more information. We will keep you informed of our progress as we move forward!
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NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MORE CLOUT
WHEN THEY WORK TOGETHER!
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Mark your calendars
for the second Neighborhood Vision Workshop which will be on Saturday, September 17 from 1pm to 4pm, held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest (across the street from the entrance of UCSD Medical Center).
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We held our first Neighborhood Vision Workshop on Saturday, June 4 at the same Hillcrest First Unitarian Universalist Church where a hardy group of volunteers from varied neighborhoods came together to discover benefits for individual neighborhoods
when neighborhoods support each other!
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Craig Sherman Workshop – How to Protect Your Neighborhood!
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When/Where? Saturday, October 1 from 1pm to 2pm, again at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest
Craig Sherman is an local attorney dedicated to helping neighborhoods protect themselves against inappropriate growth by understanding the rules and tools available to the public and how to use them. If you worry about developers using loopholes to get around your neighborhood protection and the city favoring the developers or looking the other way, this workshop is for you!
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What’s Next?
As you can see, we are building upon what we learned from the Clean Elections campaign: build a stronger coalition, raise more money and do more outreach. That transition can be seen on our new web page: sdcleanelections.com. And part of that outreach needs to be with those who already support us,
YOU!
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We could use your ideas and suggestions in this process. Until we create some type of interactive event, please help us and our campaign for campaign finance reform for the City of San Diego, by sharing your ideas and suggestions with us. Give me a call or send me an email.
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John Hartley, Coordinator, 619-299-8870
Neighborhoods for Clean Elections