Skip to main content

East Palo Alto Measure C



Here's a couple of pictures from the Measure C meeting at our offices yesterday. Measure C is a local ballot initiative that funds local youth programs. It will raise about $1 million in funding per year for youth programs that will be paid for by a parcel tax. We project that this will go a long way to preventing youth violence.

I'm sitting on the organizing committee with EPA Mayor Ruben Abrica and Councilwoman Pat Foster. I'm glad to be volunteering for what I believe is a worthy cause.

Why is Measure C a Fair Proposal?

- It Funds Violence Prevention including: Programs for youths and seniors, job training, family counseling, parent education and support for ex- prisoners.

- It Provides funds to improve policing. This initiative works hand in hand with local law enforcement, but in a more 'preventive' manner.

- The funds are given to local non profits. Programs are chosen and overseen by 15 local community members. This funds the local groups who are working on the street, not creating more government programs. It does so in a way that provides the proper checks and balances on local groups to insure the funds are used correctly.

- It Exempts seniors form paying, protecting those who are on fixed incomes.

- It Protects renters from increased rents. This prevents landlords from passing on the costs directly to renters.

If you are an East Palo Alto voter, please support this measure. The few extra dollars in property taxes each year will go a long way toward making East Palo Alto a better community.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

YWAMers Praised for Faith and Leadership

The Denver Post reports on the memorial service at the Denver YWAM base: "We're going to celebrate a life, we're not accentuating a death," said Faith Bible Chapel pastor George Morrison, in opening a memorial service today for two people killed at a missionary training school in Arvada . The service is called "A Celebration of Life for Tiffany and Philip." Philip Crouse and Tiffany Johnson died Sunday when a gunman opened fire at the school's dormitory. Youth With a Mission director Peter Warren said today both Crouse and Johnson embodied the spirit of the group. First the service focused on Crouse . "Phil gave his life to Jesus Christ and was never the same again," said Zach, a friend of Johnson's who met him years ago at a youth ministry in Alaska. At the time, Crouse was tough and wouldn't let people get close to him. "Over the years, Phil became a humble, teachable, sweet guy" who was able to reach kids with rough e...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book: White Man's Burden - thoughts for Labor Day Weekend

I'm reading a fascinating book that has some of the same themes that run through Bob Lupton's recent writing. It's called 'White Man's Burden" by William Easterly. (I get the feeling some of you have read this already.) You can find it here. The title of the book is somewhat unfortunate, it's meant to be sarcastic. There are some amazing points here, stuff NCUD and others at CCDA have been talking about for years. I encourage you to check it out - here's a couple of great excepts from the first chapter: "But I and many other like-minded people keep trying, not to abandon aid to the poor, but to make sure it reaches them. Rich countries have to address the second tragedy if they are going to make any progress on the first tragedy. Otherwise, the current wave of enthusiasm for addressing world poverty will repeat the cycle of its predecessors: idealism, high expectations, disappointing results, cynical backlash." "Let’s call the advocates...
2 comments
Read more

Big Gifts, Tax Breaks and a Debate on Charity

New York Times Article on the debate regarding the societal benefits of non profit donations. It's a somewhat rambling article, but my feeling is that this is a brewing debate. Eli Broad, a billionaire businessman, has given away more than $650 million over the last five years, to Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to establish a medical research institute, to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and to programs to improve the administration of urban schools and public education."What smart entrepreneurial philanthropists and their foundations do is get greater value for how they invest their money than if the government were doing it." "I got a plaque in the mail and an invitation to an awards ceremony. I never gave them another nickel. What were they spending money on plaques for?" The rich are giving more to charity than ever, but people like Mr. Broad are not the only ones footing the bill for such generosity. For every three dollars the...
1 comment
Read more