Miriam and Ken will attend Bay Area League Day on Jan. 31st. Alex is a possible attendee. We still need specialists for Open Government and Environment. We have one member in mind. Alex will ask him if he is interested.

For interviews with elected officials (annual LWVC effort) Muriel will head up the Assembly and Senate officials. For local newly elected and re-elected officials Miriam will coordinate. This will not begin before the end of February.

Discussion about the format for the Jan. 12th Program Planning meeting solved most questions about procedure.

The death penalty alternative issue was discussed with Marilyn as our League’s point person on this. Since the Alameda County Council of Leagues has signed a resolution asking Alameda County to look for alternatives, the committee does not feel the need to rush into having our League sign the resolution also. We want the full Board to give Action Committee authority to educate our members on this issue. We would like to have the April General Meeting topic to be a panel discussion of the Pros and Cons of the death penalty and alternatives to the death penalty. Our January Voting Matters program will be on this issue. We would also like to put other information about this in future Voters. Marilyn participated in a meeting with Supervisor Gail Steele and D.A. Orloff about this issue.

Action Committee would like the full Board to consider directing Sandi Pantages to find a donor for a projector for a laptop computer. We believe that there are many League uses for this item. John Smith and others are researching how much one would cost. We could use this for election year Pro/Con presentations, for introductions to the League for new members, for the affordable housing presentations, etc.

Specialists reports included the following:

•  BART to San Jose was certified as having passed in Santa Clara County in the last election.
•  LWVC continues to encourage legislators to seek passage of a 55% vote in the state for finance issues.
•  Raising the cap on Redevelopment is on hold because of complications from the budget crisis.
•  We await a response form Ohlone’s President Gari Browning to be a guest on Voting Matters.
•  We have a new online grid for Voting Matters planning purposes. 
•  We agreed to testify in favor a FUSD approving new sex ed materials to 7th and 8th graders so the district will come into compliance with state laws. Testimony will be given at Wednesday;s FUSD meeting.
•  Miriam will work with Sam to improve the online Observer reporting form.
•  Miriam will try to contact Peter Scheer to invite him to speak during Sunshine Week in March.

Alex Starr