WHEREAS, California Democrats believe that health care is a human right and not a privilege and that meaningful access to such care is essential, and Democrats therefore “support the full funding of community clinics and health centers that serve low-income and homeless populations;” and

WHEREAS, in the spring of 2013, the California state government intends to reduce Medi-Cal repayment rates to Hospital District Part Skilled Nursing Facilities (DP/SNF) based on rates in effect in 2008 and to recoup funds for claims with dates of service beginning June 1, 2011, and these intended cuts and retroactive repayment recovery are not sustainable by district hospitals and therefore those hospitals may be forced to eliminate local access to these critical services; and

WHEREAS, if these reductions and recoupment occur, they will cause (1) a devastating decrease in repayments of up to 30% for many facilities; (2) many District Hospitals to shift beds and/or close entire units; (3) many Medi-Cal beneficiaries to be transferred to other skilled nursing facilities, often significantly outside of their community, resulting in disruption in the continuity of care; (4) patients to be distant from their support networks of family and friends; and (5) DP/SNF closures which may result in significant economic disruption and hardship to the communities in which the DP/SNFs are located due to loss of jobs and related income.   

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sonoma County Democratic Party opposes these rate reductions to the Medi-Cal program that will decrease access to care and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable among us, and encourages Democratic state legislators to introduce legislation to overturn such cuts and to provide even greater funding for rural hospitals.

Resolution adopted by the Sonoma County Democratic Party on March 12, 2013  

 

WHEREAS, Proposition 13 is fundamentally unfair and allows corporations to exploit loopholes to avoid paying property taxes and has shifted the tax burden to everyday homeowners and working families; and

WHEREAS, loss of revenue from corporate property taxes has lead to an increase in regressive taxes and fees that hurt the most vulnerable Californians; and

WHEREAS, closing the corporate loophole would generate desperately needed revenue for education and public safety.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sonoma County Democratic Party supports requiring corporate properties to be reassessed annually; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Sonoma County Democratic Party will communicate this position to Democratic elected officials and delegates to the California Democratic Party Convention.

Resolution adopted by the Sonoma County Democratic Party on March 12, 2013    

 

WHEREAS, citizens and taxpayers of Sonoma County rely on the County to provide essential services to residents of Sonoma County, including road maintenance and services to veterans, seniors, the poor, children and the disabled, and

WHEREAS, under the guise of economic distress, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has for a number of years been reducing the number of employees who provide direct services without a corresponding cut in non-direct service-providing management employees, and     

WHEREAS, Sonoma County is currently in negotiations with SEIU Local 1021, the union representing the largest number of county employees.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, we call upon the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to right the imbalance in the ratio between management staff and direct service providing staff, which would help fund services to the community; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we call upon the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to swiftly resolve their negotiations with SEIU Local 1021 in a mutually agreeable and beneficial way so that services to the community can continue to be provided in an uninterrupted fashion.     

Resolution adopted by the Sonoma County Democratic Party on February 12, 2013    

 

WHEREAS, providers of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to Sonoma County residents make by far the lowest compensation of any public workers in the County, at $11.50 per paid hour with no holiday, vacation or sick pay, no pension, and only 535 providers out of approximately 4,000 currently gaining health care insurance through the program, and these dedicated caregivers have had their hourly wages frozen since 2009, their compensated hours reduced by 3.6%, and have suffered a 12% loss in the percentage of workers who are provided health care by the program; and

WHEREAS, the current California Democratic Party platform mentions in multiple places the importance of strengthening the State’s IHSS program, including “support (for) higher pay and better training programs for home care workers;” and

WHEREAS, this year Marin County increased the compensation for their IHSS providers by $0.35 per paid hour, and in November 2012 Sonoma County received a $954,000 payment from the Community First Choice Option (CFCO) portion of the Affordable Care Act, monies which are specifically intended to finance the most convenient and economical community-based health care options, and the County has provided no increased compensations to their IHSS providers at all since receiving those monies.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sonoma County Democratic Party urgently supports the County’s IHSS workers in their struggle to gain an increase in compensation which, at a minimum, equals the $0.35 per paid hour increase recently won by IHSS providers in Marin County, and in this support exemplifies the California Democratic Party plank, which advocates the “pay (of) prevailing wages to protect the economic base of the communities where government-funded projects are undertaken, thereby ensuring that government is not lowering the standard of living,” and   

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Sonoma County Democratic Party strongly urges the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to take advantage of the available Federal funds, and grant the workers’ request for a reasonable increase in compensation.

Resolution adopted by the Sonoma County Democratic Party on March 12, 2013  

 

 

Santa Rosa, CA, February 28, 2013 - The Sonoma County Democratic Party (SCDP), at the February 12 meeting of its Central Committee, passed a resolution supporting proposals to reduce gun violence that have been put forward by President Obama, Senator Feinstein and Congressman Mike Thompson.

 

The SCDP recognized Congressman Thompson’s key role as chair of the House Gun Violence Protection Task Force, which has proposed banning high-capacity ammunition magazines and armor-piercing bullets, reinstating the assault weapons ban, background checks on all gun sales, new gun trafficking laws and increased access to mental health treatment.

 

“We are proud that our 5th District Congressional representative, Mike Thompson, has led the legislative effort to protect the citizens of this country from the increasing epidemic of senseless gun violence while supporting the 2nd Amendment and law-abiding individuals’ right to own guns,” said Stephen Gale, Chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party.

 

Full text of the resolution follows:

WHEREAS, in the wake of the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, a record number of citizens and organizations, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan coalition of more than 800 mayors from around the country, have gone on record pressing with renewed urgency for meaningful progress towards reducing and preventing gun violence, and

WHEREAS, in response, and calling for swift action to enact regulations that protect the right to own a firearm for sane, responsible adults and keep them out of the hands of the mentally unstable, President Obama assigned Vice President Joe Biden to set up a Task Force, which outlined possible executive and legislative actions toward comprehensive gun safety; in Congress, Representative Mike Thompson chairs the House Democrats’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force; and in the Senate, Senator Dianne Feinstein has re-introduced legislation to ban assault weapons, and

WHEREAS, Chairman Thompson and the House Democrats’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force has urged Congress to implement a 15-Point Gun Safety Plan.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sonoma County Democratic Party urgently supports President Obama’s, Senator Feinstein’s, and Congressman Mike Thompson’s proposed measures aimed at reducing gun violence, including background checks on all gun sales, reinstating the assault weapons ban, banning high-capacity ammunition magazines and armor-piercing bullets, new gun trafficking laws and increased access to mental health treatment, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Sonoma County Democratic Party urges all citizens to take action to support the President’s proposals, Senator Dianne Feinstein’s bill to end open access to military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and Congressman Mike Thompson’s Task Force recommendations to Congress.

 

 

SCDP Chair Stephen Gale Previews State of the Union Address on KSRO Webmaster @ (12 Feb : 16:25) (SCDP News)