Electoral Politics « Community Alliance

From the Guest Editor – May 2013

Michael D. Evans

Community Alliance Editor Mike Rhodes and his family enjoyed a trip to Europe in the weeks leading up to the publication of this month’s issue. In his stead, Associate Editor Michael Evans served as the guest editor for this issue. This month’s “From the Editor” commentary is therefore from Evans.

Fresno has become Ground Zero for the war on labor in California. Despite the success that anti-labor forces have had recently in the Midwest, in California we turned back Prop 32 last year. Prop 32 was a blatant attempt to make it difficult for unions …[Read the details]

Outsourcing Essential City Services Detrimental to Fresno’s Future

By Les Kimber

Attempts by Mayor Ashley Swearengin to privatize the city’s solid waste department as a quick fix to the city’s budget problems are shortsighted and irresponsible. The city’s solid waste department is one of the most efficient and successful departments in the entire City of Fresno.

The fact that the department is self-supporting and has a $16.8 million reserve is evidence of how well the residents of Fresno have been served by those who work every day to provide this essential service. Not only are all costs related to providing trash service completely covered by the rates …[Read the details]

A Classic Case of Premature Capitulation

By Peter Cavanaugh

In the frenzied world of political foreplay, there are few things that offer the same degree of collective embarrassment as a revival of premature capitulation.

I just don’t get it.

With any number of viable options remaining open toward reducing a federal debt primarily bloated in little more than a decade by two unneeded wars and radical tax cuts for the wealthy under Republican leadership, President Obama’s unconscionable surrender on Social Security and Medicare issues in his new budgetary proposals are more mysterious than quantum mechanics, the Bermuda Triangle and Donald Trump’s hair all rolled into …[Read the details]

Democrats Get Fresno Infusion

By Community Alliance Staff

The Greater Fresno Metropolitan Area greatly extended its influence within statewide Democratic organizations during the mid-April California Democratic Party (CDP) Convention held in Sacramento.

Doug Kessler of Selma was elected CDP Region 8 director. Fresno County Democratic Party Chair Michael D. Evans was elected chair of the Federation of Democratic County Central Committee Members, and Rose Ann Martinez of Sanger was elected secretary of the same body. Susan Good and James Williams, both of Fresno, were elected to the Progressive Caucus of the CDP as vice chair–Central and parliamentarian, respectively. Sean Kiernan, a student at …[Read the details]

Progressive Voice Final Countdown: No on Measure G!

Yezdyar Kaoosji updates us on the progress of the Progressive Network of Central California.

By Yezdyar S. Kaoosji

The global economic downturn has had its obvious impact on the City of Fresno’s budget. Higher unemployment has led to less consumer spending and therefore to lower sales tax revenues. The real estate bust has resulted in plummeting house prices and lowered property tax revenue. Mayor Ashley Swearengin and a majority of the City Council have refused to consider alternatives such as a 0.5% sales tax increase that could easily replace the lost revenue and spread the burden evenly.

…[Read the details]

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From the Guest Editor – May 2013

Outsourcing Essential City Services Detrimental to Fresno’s Future

A Classic Case of Premature Capitulation

Democrats Get Fresno Infusion

Progressive Voice Final Countdown: No on Measure G!

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