Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Ignore the misinformation about Measure K, the much-needed parcel tax on the June 5 ballot for West Contra Costa schools, says this guest column by Karen Shebek, a WCCUSD parent.
As a parent of district students for the last 12 years, I have seen the difference our parcel tax has made on our students and teachers. The June 5 election is just around the corner, and unfortunately for our students there has been a lot of misinformation about the parcel tax. The voter information booklet includes an argument against Measure K that states that "parcel tax payments are not deductible against federal and state income taxes. The State has announced that beginning in 2012, they will enforce that non-deductibility." The Franchise Tax Board clarified on Friday, April 13, 2012 that this was not the case, and that the IRS has confirmed that homeowners can deduct parcel taxes and other taxes that are not ad-valorem. The …
Friday, March 16, 2012
Here's what Hercules and other Contra Costa voters will see on their ballots in the June primary.
On June 5, Californians for the first time will vote in an open primary. The top two vote-getters in a race will move on to the November general election, whether they are from the same party or not. In addition, this will be the first election with the new congressional, state Senate and state Assembly districts approved last fall by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. They officially take effect in January. You can look at the new districts at this website. The Contra Costa elections department website is here. Below are the races people in Contra Costa County will see on their June ballot. Patch will provide more coverage of these races between now the primary. CONGRESS 5th District The new district includes Lake Sonoma, …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Hercules could have a new mayor come Tuesday (12-13) night.
The Hercules City Council is set to adopt a new interim process to select a mayor and then take a vote to choose him or her at Tuesday’s council meeting. Hercules mayors serve a one-year term on a rotating basis with other council members. For every election, council members with the highest and second highest number of votes serve as mayor and vice mayor in the third and fourth year of their four-year terms. Due to the June recall election, the council members who would have been considered for mayor and vice mayor are off the council, leaving members Myrna DeVera and John Delgado as the most veteran council members, with one year on the council each. Myrna is Hercules’ current mayor and Delgado is the vice mayor. The three remaining …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
With the bulk of votes counted, Measure J passed with a commanding margin of 73.7 percent in preliminary results.
With nearly all votes counted, Measure J, the mail-only ballot for a $47 annual residential parcel tax to prop up Doctors Medical Center, has won by a commanding 73.7 yes vote, according to preliminary totals. Of 32,469 votes counted, Measure J received 23,923 yes votes and 8,546 no votes. The measure asked voters to approve the tax for residents in the West Contra Costa Healthcare District, which covers the area from Kensington to Port Costa. "Obviously we're really pleased with the result," Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia said from a celebration gathering of Measure J supporters in Point Richmond tonight, Tuesday. "I think it shows that West County residents value this hospital and the emergency room and their importance to the…
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Ballots must reach the elections office by Nov. 15 to be counted.
- ELECTIONS
- Rob Shea
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Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Although Tuesday is election day in some cities and towns, West Contra Costa voters also have a special vote-by-mail election, with a Nov. 15 deadline to reach the county elections department. Measure J asks voters whether to adopt a $47 annual residential parcel tax to keep the Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo open. Owners of rental, commercial and industrial parcels would pay between $94 per parcel up to $940 per parcel. Registered voters residing in the West Contra Costa Healthcare District are eligible to cast a ballot. The district includes residents from Kensington to Crockett. The argument in favor of the measure says the new tax is needed to keep the emergency room at Doctors, the only full-service ER in West County, open. If …
38.01074
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111 Civic Dr, Hercules, CA
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37.93537
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2525 Macdonald Ave, Richmond, CA
/articles/guidelines-for-measure-j-special-election
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37.958802
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1 Alvarado Sq, San Pablo, CA
/articles/guidelines-for-measure-j-special-election
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38.01713
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555 Escobar St, Martinez, CA
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Old City Council will be gone when Boulanger, Romero and Wilkins take office.
The swearing in Tuesday evening of three new Hercules City Council members comes at a key juncture, as the city is poised to finalize a budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year and find a new city manager. The newly formed council also will need to select a mayor, as Mayor Joanne Ward was recalled in the June 7 election, a new police chief and a new city attorney. "Seems like a good point for the new council to move in," said John Delgado, who was elected to the council in November. It remains to be seen whether Gerard Boulanger's 11th-hour campaign troubles stemming from his resume padding will dog him after he takes office or whether Herculeans are ready to move on. As late as last week, City Clerk Doreen Mathews asked Boulanger to provide …
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Election Fraud Investigation Unit will investigate claims that City Council candidate Gerard Boulanger provided false information to the public.
A Hercules voter filed a complaint Monday with the California Secretary of State regarding City Council candidate Gerard Boulanger's alleged self-misrepresentation. Boulanger, who won a seat in last week's special election, is considering whether or not to decline the position amid controversy over his description of his qualifications to the media and public. Hercules resident Giorgio Cosentino submitted a complaint charging Boulanger with providing "false statements" to the media, including the Contra Costa Times and Hercules Patch, as well as on the official voter information pamphlet. Cosentino charges Boulanger with falsifying information, using the following occasions as evidence: Each complaint submitted to the Secretary of State's…
Monday, June 13, 2011
The complete official count shows that the majority of in-person voters opted for de la Vega on election day, while support for Boulanger dropped from the level seen in pre-Election Day ballots.
An analysis of the final Hercules City Council election votes shows that the 11th-hour news about candidate Gerard Boulanger's resume padding may have affected not only his own support but also that of William Wilkins. While Wilkins won the seat when voters recalled incumbent Joanne Ward, the only other challenger, Virgil de la Vega, received one more vote on Election Day, 714-713. Thanks to a significant edge in the absentee balloting before Election Day, Wilkins, who campaigned jointly with Boulanger, won 52-47 percent. De la Vega says he cannot be sure if the controversy over Boulanger's candidate statements swayed voter support. His own "aggresive campaigning" may have been the cause of de la Vega's Election Day boost. "I didn't have …
Last week's special election meant the recall of two incumbents. But one winner's seat remains in doubt due to a controversy over self-misrepresentation.
Last week's special election hit Hercules like a tornado, after many months of a brewing storm. Here's how it unfolded and what looms on the horizon at City Hall this week: 1. Boulanger's Beef: The Sunday before the election, City Council candidate Gerard Boulanger admitted to misrepresenting himself in his candidate questionnaire for Patch and other campaign materials. This prompted an outpour of responses from the Hercules community and fellow candidates, some calling for Boulanger to step aside and others stating that Boulanger's actions were a mistake and not an intention to deceive. Boulanger declined to comment until after the election. See "Boulanger Revamps Bio" (June 5) and "Boulanger Won't Comment Until After the Election" (June …
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Newly-elected Councilman Dan Romero writes in to Hercules Patch to express his gratitude to Hercules voters.
- ELECTIONS
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Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thank You Hercules. I want to first start with thanking my wife, Lori, she will be bearing the additional pressure of keeping me on track and being that loving understanding wife that she has been to me for 27 years. I also want to thank the many friends that have helped in my campaign and with the recall. What has happened to Hercules in the last year is upsetting but you the voters have made the right decisions at the ballot and we now have a new council. Hercules now has to find a way to bring stability to our community. We have to be able to bring industry to our city; Hercules cannot continue to drive out of town to purchase our commodities. Our city leaders need to have the ability to bring business to our city to keep our core …
G.C.
8:19 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I would have spared nothing to make sure experienced, qualified teachers were in every classroom. I would have cut all sports programs if necessary. If the WCCUSD cannot afford athletics, then it has to accept this reality. Academics come first. And I would have cut the Adult school program, too. Let the community college district manage it. Our district needs to focus on K-12 and nothing else. … more ›