On the morning of Saturday, September 9 starting around 8:40, Representative Debra Lekanoff held a coffee at Tide Pool in downtown Eastsound.  We had an excellent turnout of about 25 people.  Debra gave a wonderful presentation that highlighted her efforts to bring positive change not just for today, but she talked in terms of what we are looking at in our natural world fifty years from now.  It was sobering but very important.  She then proceeded to take questions and provide responses for quite some time, finally leaving at about 10:20 to attend our county Democrats meeting that followed.  We are truly fortunate to have such a thoughtful, engaged representative. 

The highlight of our meeting was the visit of State Senator and 20-year Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor Manka Dhingra, who is running to be the next state attorney general, and she was wonderful.? She is a fabulous candidate, and her proposed ten-minute visit turned into a passionate 45-minute presentation and Q and A.? If elected, Manka will?work for all the people of Washington State as we confront national challenges to voting and access to reproductive rights, and she will lead nationally on laws that safeguard worker rights, hold polluters accountable, and address the epidemic of gun violence. She will be the first person of color, the first immigrant, and only the second woman in this role.   You can find more information at info@electmanka.com.  While we still want to hear from the other major Democratic candidate for attorney general, Nick Brown, Manka is a very strong candidate. 

Councilor Cindy Wolf attended our meeting.  She told us that at the County Council meeting on Sept. 18, they will be considering a greenhouse gas inventory, sea level rise, and the Destination Management Plan. Cindy also told us that the proposed 1/10 of 1% sales tax that is dedicated to affordable housing can use some support.  If you can, send a note to the councilors telling them that you support the continuation of this tax. 

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One of the things we have been working on over the past year is a one-page statement representing what we, the county Democrats, stand for.  We have a 15-page platform on our website that is wonderful, but we would like a short document to share.  We started by reading a book called Democrats 101, which gives a brief history of the modern Democratic Party and at the end, a four-page creed of what the Democrats stand for.  Geri and Peggy have worked at distilling this into one page that reflects our county group, and I am going to share the rough draft with you all in order to allow you to give feedback and possibly suggest changes or additions.  Here it is: 

What are the basic beliefs of the San Juan County Democrats? 

San Juan County Democrats believe that the purpose of the United States government, which is created by and accountable to its people, is to ensure the well-being of the residents of America. 

We believe the responsibility of the United States government is to: 

• Ensure free and fair elections with equal access to voting 
• Ensure a healthy environment for all living things, including clean air, land, and water 
• Guarantee mass communication platforms dedicated to truth and objectivity 
• Guarantee the right to privacy, including a woman’s right to autonomy over her own body 
• Provide quality healthcare for all 
• Ensure quality, affordable housing and healthy food for all 
• Provide quality education for all 
• Guarantee a livable wage and safe working conditions for all 
• Protect the health and well-being of its people from external and internal dangers, both natural and man-made 
• Guarantee that every member of our society is treated equally before the law, regardless of background 
• Eliminate automatic weapons among the general public 
• Ensure equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, religion, or gender identity 
• Treat all people around the globe as being created equal 
• Embrace and celebrate diversity 
• Ensure freedom of movement for all 
• Ensure that every member of our society is free to shape their own beliefs and lives, so long as it does not infringe on the rights and safety of others  
• Inform the population about all the policies in place that provide for the well-being of the people 

As San Juan County Democrats, we strive to support candidates who share our beliefs.  If you share these beliefs, please consider joining our email list at https://sjdemocrats.org/membership/, or email Chair David Turnoy at davidgeri@rockisland.com.  

At yesterday’s meeting, a number of constructive criticisms were raised.  First, do we expect the government to provide all these items?  Must one believe in all these items, or only most, in order to be part of this group?  Should we include something about honoring tribal treaties and international agreements?  Should we specify equity of opportunity as opposed to simply equal opportunity, as perhaps the latter isn’t enough?  Your feedback is welcome as we try to hone this statement into a document that truly represents what we believe and will draw in others of similar beliefs. 

Another item we discussed yesterday is the creation of a mechanism to use to hold discussions with others in the local party who would like to engage about various topics that perhaps we don’t have enough time to adequately cover at our meetings.  This would be something to opt into and would be available to anyone in the party.  Stay tuned for more on this. 

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One of the things that is so challenging in maintaining democracy in this country today is the media emphasis on covering Trump and all the negative actions of the Republicans while failing to give nearly as much attention to the accomplishments of the Biden administration and the Democrats.  And this slanted media coverage impacts polls that show Biden doing very poorly in the eyes of the public.  Not that I don’t have serious policy disagreements with the Biden administration, but if we want a chance of maintaining a Democrat in the White House, it is important to give credit where credit is due.  To that end, it has been suggested that wherever and whenever possible, we mention the positive accomplishments of the current administration.  Here are a couple of things you may or may not be aware of that are worth highlighting with others: 

On Sep 6, 2023, President Biden canceled the remaining illegal leases in the?Arctic Refuge?and announced new protections for +12 million acres of Special Areas in the Western Arctic/Reserve?and a strengthened environmental review of the Congressionally mandated oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic Refuge. 

Biden’s National Labor Relations Board has taken an action that will help employees trying to unionize.  Under the new framework, when a union requests recognition on the basis that a majority of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit have designated the union as their representative, an employer must either recognize and bargain with the union or promptly file an?RM petition?seeking an election.? However, if an employer who seeks an election commits any unfair labor practice that would require setting aside the election, the petition will be dismissed, and—rather than re-running the election—the Board will order the employer to recognize and bargain with the union.? 

So there we have an example of the administration helping the environment and helping working people, two positives you can share with others. 

As we look ahead to the elections coming up in 2024, we continue to find ourselves in a fund-raising mode.  Our main expense in election years is printing and sending out our election postcard, which many people tell us they rely on for voting.  Costs have accelerated greatly, and last year it cost us well over $4,000 to make this happen.  We would also like to have a booth at the county fair next year if we can recruit enough volunteers, and there is a fee to have a booth.  Finally, it costs money to send our local party representatives to the state meetings.  A one-time donation or a small monthly contribution is greatly appreciated.  There are now six different donors contributing monthly, and if you can afford to participate, even with just $5 or $10 per month, it helps a lot.  Checks can be mailed to PO Box 1007 in Friday Harbor, 98250, or setting up a monthly contribution on Act Blue is very simple; just go to secure.actblue.com/donate/sjcountydems.  Thanks for considering. 

David Turnoy
Chair, San Juan County Democrats
360-376-4165
davidgeri@rockisland.com

Our meeting was highlighted by the appearance of our three state representatives: Senator Liz Lovelett, Rep. Debra Lekanoff, and Rep. Alex Ramel. A lot of time was devoted to discussing the PFAS water problem in a water system in Friday Harbor. One of the homeowners from that neighborhood brought the issue to the legislators, and there is a need from the state to step in with some funding to help. County Councilor Cindy Wolf has been instrumental in leading the county’s effort on this issue, but state help is also needed.

The challenge of school funding was also discussed. Problems have been a lack of money for special education, regionalization of property values, a cap on what can be raised, declining enrollment, and the end of Covid dollars. $1.2 billion was added to education funding, but our legislators say this is not enough. They have tried to make more progress but keep running into a wall. They will address this again next year.

One of our members brought up the fact that more funding is needed for the care of older Americans, especially to help them age in place. Our legislators mentioned a number of programs related to this that received money this session.

One of the highlights of this session was an effort at gun control. There is now a ban on the sale of assault weapons, and there is a ten-day waiting period to buy guns. Interestingly the number one act guns are used in is suicide, and the waiting period will help reduce this number.

Councilor Cindy Wolf told us we are currently seeing a record number of affordable housing starts in the county. In addition, the county is looking at an affordable housing sales tax of one tenth of 1%. Another tax measure that will soon receive consideration is a one tenth of 1% sales tax for support of the arts.

Our state committee representatives reported on the recent state Democratic Party meeting chaired for the first time by new chair Shasti Conrad. She brings an exciting flair to the job that was enjoyed by the attendees.

I am going to make another plea for donations to our party. Two months ago, my request brought two generous contributions, and I am hoping we can get some more of you to help us keep going. You may wonder why we need to ask for money. Of course, our main purpose is to elect Democrats, and the biggest tool we use for this is the post card we send out every two years. Unfortunately, with the cost of printing and postage, this action now costs over $4,000. We also used to buy advertising in local media but did not have money for this last time around. In addition to the post card, we send our state committee representatives to the three state meetings each year, and between lodging and transportation, this runs into some money. We also have website hosting and other administrative expenses just to keep afloat. So in order to continue to represent you with the state party and to keep you informed, it costs money.

A relatively recent development is the ability to donate a small amount monthly through Act Blue. We have one couple who gives us ten dollars each month through this method. If we could increase our number of small donors (or even large donors), this would be really helpful.

Donate to the San Juan County Democrats here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sjcountydems

Our county Democrats meeting was full of inspiration from our members in attendance and the good work they are doing. 

County Councilor Cindy Wolf, who is also a longtime PCO and former vice chair, informed us about county council doings.  There is a plan to construct a trail from Friday Harbor to Zylstra Lake, and money is already approved.  People are already walking and riding on the road, and the new trail would keep them off the road and make it safer for everyone.  Find out more information at https://sanjuanco.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1332.   There is some opposition to the trail, so if you live on San Juan Island and would like to see this trail become a reality, you can send comments to our county councilors at https://www.sanjuanco.com/Directory.aspx?DID=49 or to Public Works Director Colin Huntemer at colinh@sanjuanco.com or to County Manager Mike Thomas at miket@sanjuanco.com. 

Cindy also told us about the proposed Argyle housing project.  County staff has suggested going with the proposal from the San Juan Housing Trust, which involves public money.  There is also a proposal from a private entity, and this would put some private capital into the project.  If you would like to check out the proposals and make a comment, go to https://www.sanjuanco.com/896/Affordable-Housing.  

Other items from council:  There is an effort underway to get an emergency tug for the county, and this may happen through Senator Cantwell’s office.  Also, there are 13 miles of coastal roads that are in danger of going underwater and/or eroding, and the county will be looking at moving these roads back away from the shore, which would also help the sand lance and herring that live there.   

Finally, a two-year study on water in the county has just been completed.  Preliminary results from the study were presented by a USGS geologist at the?February 28th?Council meeting which you can find at https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/e0ec2f36-a92a-4a88-911f-eb8b21514471.  “Interestingly, while this study shows us how much water comes into the aquifers and how much comes out, it will not show how much water is in the aquifers currently or how much damage pumping during seasons when there is no recharge is doing to aquifers with salt-water interface.? We may need to ask for further research.”?? 

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Our treasurer Alison presented her proposed budget for this year.  We would like to have a booth at the County Fair this year, and we need to be able to send our committee people to state meetings, but we especially need to raise money for next year’s big elections.  If you are able to contribute to the county Democrats, it will help us get ready to send out our election postcard again next year and provide other election-related events.  Checks can be sent to the San Juan County Democrats at PO Box 1007, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.  We also have the capability of accepting contributions through Act Blue; here is the link to contribute – secure.actblue.com/donate/sjcountydems.  

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It was pointed out that Senator Lovelett has a bill in the legislature to keep boats further away from our resident orcas to protect them.  Please go to https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5371&Year=2023&Initiative=false to sign in to support this bill.  It is ESSB 5371. 

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Our state committee person Sharon gave us a very thorough report on happenings in the state party.  She encourages us to sign in to support bills sponsored by our legislators.  Sharon is also working on the climate change aspect of just transition, which is really relevant to our legislative district.  If you are interested in learning about this, Sharon has provided some links: 

https://www.labor4sustainability.org

Also from Sharon: 

1. Please help support the Lummi Nation’s Totem Pole Journey to Oak Flat: https://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/house_of_tears_carvers_donations

You can read more about the Totem Pole Journey at: https://www.cascadiadaily.com/news/2023/mar/09/washington-tribes-drum-up-support-for-totems-journey/ Also, here is an email you can send to support the rights of Native Americans over the right of an Australian corporation to mine copper on sacred land: 

HELP SAVE SACRED OAK FLAT FROM BECOMING A MASSIVE FOREIGN-OWNED COPPER MINE 

Become a citizen co-sponsor of Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s?Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act?and join the thousands of Americans who are standing in solidarity with tribal nations and protecting our country’s natural and cultural heritage: 

ADD YOUR NAME 

Arizona’s Chi’chil Bildagoteel, commonly known as Oak Flat, is sacred to several tribal nations. But a last-minute deal by the Trump Administration mandated the transfer of this land to a notorious foreign-owned mining conglomerate. 

To prevent this pristine and sacred land from being destroyed, Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act to permanently protect this area from mining. 

By adding your name as a citizen co-sponsor of this important legislation, you can help protect not only the sacred sites of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other tribal nations in Arizona but also the environment and water resources of this region. » 

SAVE OAK FLAT 

2. Please email me at sharmuse@gmail.com if you’d like info about the June 10 online event marking the 60th anniversary of JFK’s ‘peace speech’ at American University. There will also be online events around this on April 10 and May 10, leading up to the big anniversary event on June 10, which will feature Dr. Jeffrey Sachs.

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We would like to participate in the County Fair this year.  We have two members who are willing to be part of a committee to organize this, but we will need other helpers.  Once I have more information as to what is involved, I will send it out and ask if you would like to help.  Also, if anyone is interested in helping to organize our participation in the July 4 parade in Friday Harbor, please let me know. 

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Stephen Shubert is interested in securing a grant for a pilot program that would test and hopefully prove that providing in-home care for aging seniors who would otherwise be treated at higher and more expensive levels of care would actually save the government money while allowing such seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible.  Stephen has written a draft to get this started, and he will be appearing before the Northwest Regional Council to present to them.  If any of you might have relevant expertise and would be interested in being involved in this effort, please let me know. 

If you have even wondered why Americans don’t all have the same perspective on issues (aside from the poison from rightwing news), we have a book recommendation for you.  Colin Woodard has written a book called American Nations, which makes the case that there are really eleven different regions of the country, each with an outlook based on the group of Europeans that first settled there.  Geri discussed this at length at our meeting, and I can vouch for the value of the book, having read it twice myself.  You can also find some videos with Mr. Woodard online. 

Thanks for your time,
David Turnoy
Chair, San Juan County Democrats

This Saturday we will be meeting via Zoom at 10am.

We’ll be getting an update from County Councilmember Cindy Wolf, as well as hearing from our treasurer, getting updates about the 40th Legislative District Democrats, hearing some ideas for projects and resolutions, and discuss plans for the rest of the year.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82099124845

Please check your email for documents we’ll be discussing Saturday, and contact me if you have any questions.

David Turnoy
Chair, San Juan County Democrats
360-376-4165
davidgeri@rockisland.com

The first meeting of the year for the SJC Democrats was well-attended, and we voted on our officers for this biennium. I will continue as chair, my wife Geri will continue as vice chair, Peggy Rhoads will continue as secretary, Alison Longley will continue as treasurer, and Sharon Abreu and Bob O’Connell will continue as our state committee members. Deputy vice chairs will include Jeff Hanks for Lopez, Keara Axelrod for Orcas, and a person from San Juan whose identity will remain undisclosed.

After this officer election, the following precinct positions were filled by appointment and a vote of approval: Siri Thorson for Waldron, Stephen Shubert for Turn Point on San Juan, and Peggy Rhoads for Orcas South. We are still looking to fill PCO positions for San Juan SW, San Juan East, Friday Harbor North, Friday Harbor South, Orcas North, Eastsound, Lopez Village, and Shaw Island.

The 40th LD has its reorganization meeting tomorrow, Sunday, at 10:00. They are looking for a secretary and a membership chair. Please let me know if you are interested, and your attendance is encouraged

At the state level, there will be a lobby day on Friday, January 27, at which you are encouraged to meet with our legislators. The next day the state central committee will be selecting a new chair, as the current chair, Tina Podlodowski, is stepping down. There will also be other officers chosen and resolutions considered.

We spent a lot of time on a subject we have discussed numerous times in the past: How to bring in new people, especially younger people and diverse people? One of the best ways is simply networking, i.e., talking with people you know. Undoubtedly those of you reading this note know of other folks who would be interested in getting on our email list and perhaps even attending meetings. If you can reach out to them, it benefits all of us.

It was mentioned that perhaps a perceived progressive bent of our current organization has discouraged some more moderate Democrats from participating with us. I will make no bones about the fact that many of our members, including myself, are of a progressive bent. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have room for other voices, whether it be more moderate or more radical. We strive to be a big tent, but we can’t be a big tent unless we have people from various perspectives participating with us. It was mentioned that some moderate Democrats may have felt alienated, and I would welcome any of you to communicate with me or simply to attend a meeting and express yourself, as one of our members did today. We can only gain understanding by listening to the various points of view, and we only succeed if we have the Democrats united. Just because some members are quite progressive doesn’t mean they don’t volunteer to help elect the moderate Democratic candidates that have run for president the last two times.

Councilor Cindy Wolf told us about some townhalls that the Council will be conducting at the Senior Centers. The townhall for San Juan will be on Jan. 28, Orcas will be Feb. 4, and the one for Lopez is still to be decided.

If you have a suggestion for a guest you would like to see present at one of our meetings, please let me know. Guest speakers can add a lot to our meetings, and your suggestions can guide our invitations.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.

David Turnoy davidgeri@rockisland.com

360-376-4165

Happy New Year!

Our first meeting of the year is this Saturday at 10:00 on Zoom.  This is a very important meeting, as we elect officers for the next two years.  I haven’t talked to anyone about filling the deputy vice chair positions yet, so if you are willing and interested, please let me know either before the meeting or during the meeting if you would like to be the deputy vice chair for your island.  This position is not onerous, simply distributing some political signs once in a while and perhaps some other miscellaneous things that I am not remembering right now.

In addition, we have the opportunity to appoint possibly a number of PCOs; I have at least two people and possibly as many as four who are interested.  And we still need people for San Juan East, Friday Harbor North, Friday Harbor South, Orcas North, Eastsound North, Lopez Village, and Shaw.  If you know anyone who lives in one of these areas and might be interested in being its PCO, please encourage them to call me and to attend the meeting.  I can be reached at 360-376-4165.  And please encourage anyone who might be interested in getting involved with us to attend, especially folks who might be new to the county.

If you have anything else for the agenda, please let me know.  Zoom info:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89895325705     
Hoping to see you on Saturday,
David T
davidgeri@rockisland.com

At our meeting this past Saturday, the main topic was discussing results of the recent election. Locally, while the Lopez levy on the ballot passed, all other measures failed. This includes the library levy on San Juan, the roads levy lid lift, and all four Charter Review Commission amendments. Most races for office were uncontested, but one that generated a lot of interest was the race for sheriff, and it looks like challenger Eric Peter has defeated incumbent Ron Krebs. Both of our state representatives, Debra Lekanoff and Alex Ramel, were reelected handily. Patty Murray and Rick Larsen won their races for reelection, Steve Hobbs has been elected Secretary of State, Congresswoman Schrier seems to have prevailed in the 8th district, and Marie Perez down in southern Washington’s third district has beaten a MAGA Republican to pick up a seat that has long been in the Republican column. Out of our state’s ten members of Congress, eight are now Democrats. Thanks to all of you who helped elect Democrats.

Our next meeting will be on January 7. At that time, we will elect all our officer positions. If you are interested in becoming involved and would like to discuss this, feel free to send me an email or give me a call. The next meeting of the 40th LD will be the very next day, January 8, and they will also be electing new officers, and they are especially looking for a new chair. In addition, especially with the creation of several new precincts in our county, we have a number of precincts looking for a representative; these folks are known as PCOs. PCOs are elected in August of even years, but we can also appoint volunteers to the open seats at the January meeting or thereafter. In the near future I will send out a note listing the open positions, and I hope a few of you will be willing to step up. Democracy works best when more people participate, so I hope you will consider being involved.

Hello San Juan County Democrats,

At our Aug. 27 meeting, we voted on endorsements for the fall election.  Here is our list:

Senator – Patty Murray                     

Congress – Rick Larsen

Secretary of State – Steve Hobbs

State Rep #1 – Debra Lekanoff                       

State Rep#2 – Alex Ramel  

Sheriff – Ron Krebs and Eric Peter – Dual Endorsement

Prosecuting Attorney – Amy Vira

Prop 1 Road Levy Lift – Yes   

Prop 1 – SJI Library Bond (SJI only) – Yes

Prop 1 – Lopez Solid Waste Levy (Lopez only) – Yes

CRC #1 Citizen Advocate – No position     

CRC #2 County Support for CRC – Yes

CRC #3 Ranked Choice Voting – Yes            

CRC #4 Signature decrease on Initiatives, Referenda – Yes

Thanks to Dick Grout, who will be working on the postcard, and those of you who have donated to us, we will be sending out a postcard with these endorsements.

There are many other offices to vote on in the election, but we did not feel it necessary to endorse in races where there is only one candidate other than prosecuting attorney.  Also, you will notice that we awarded a dual endorsement for sheriff.  Both the incumbent and the challenger are strong candidates, so it will be up to you to do a little research and decide on whom to vote for.

Thanks for reading,

David Turnoy
Chair, San Juan County Democrats
360-376-4165
davidgeri@rockisland.com

Hello San Juan County Democrats,

The next meeting of our county Democrats will be on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 9:30 AM on Zoom.  At this meeting we will vote on our endorsements for the fall general election.  The endorsement committee has been working to gather information on the candidates and ballot measures, and this committee will have recommendations for the voting members attending the meeting on Aug. 27.  Anyone who has attended at least two meetings in the last year is a voting member.

While a number of races have only one candidate, there are several important races that are competitive.  Both of our wonderful state reps have challengers; Alex Ramel is opposed by Trevor Smith, and I just found out today that Debra Lekanoff has a write-in challenger.  Other candidate races with two candidates include US senator, US congressman, secretary of state, and our county sheriff.  In addition, we have three local ballot measures, and if you haven’t heard, the challenge to the county’s not putting the other four charter review amendments on the ballot was successful, so we will consider those as well.

Here is the information you will need to attend the meeting:  
Time: Aug 27, 2022 09:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82060459221?pwd=Wm1nSm1QeUM0K2NuUnVlUDREd3Vidz09
Meeting ID: 820 6045 9221
Passcode: pRPza0

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at the meeting.

David Turnoy
Chair, San Juan County Democrats
360-376-4165
davidgeri@rockisland.com

The San Juan County Democrats will be meeting Saturday at 9:30 am via Zoom.

We’ll be discussing the 40th LD and state committee activities, possible endorsements, and we’ll be welcoming guest speaker Amanda Eichelberger, Executive Director of the San Juan Community Home Trust, who will provide an overview of the Home Trust and an update on their current work to address island housing issues, followed by a Q&A.

We’ll also discuss the topics in Democrats 101 and the possibility of conducting a Town Hall to attract younger members.

The meeting will be held at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82861107272. Contact me if you need the passcode.

David Turnoy