All posts by Roger Straw

Editor, owner, publisher of The Benicia Independent

Benicia parks, Democracy under attack, Donald Trump, Proposition 50, Stephen Golub

Benician Stephen Golub: Vote for Prop 50, Vote for Prop 218

October 7, 2025 Roger Straw

Vote for America and Benicia

By Stephen Golub, first appearing in The Benicia Herald, Oct 5, 2025

Vote for Prop 50, Vote for Prop 218, Vote for America and Benicia

This Election Day, and via mail balloting before then, Benicians have a chance to help our democracy survive and our parks thrive. I urge you to vote for California Proposition 50 and Benicia Proposition 218. Briefly, here’s why:

Proposition 50: The Election Rigging Response Act

Literally every day, Donald Trump and his administration do unprecedented damage to America’s democracy, economy, national security, identity, public health and a host of other priorities. An unprecedented, blatantly and dangerously political speech to our nonpartisan military leaders. The prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey and the promise to go after many other perceived political enemies. Alienation of democratic allies like Canada while kowtowing to dictators like Putin. Spreading disinformation about Tylenol while slashing staff and funding for vaccines that could stem the next pandemic. Foreign and domestic public health cuts yielding millions of deaths. Inflation-spurring tariffs. Masked, unidentified agents grabbing even legal immigrants off our streets. The list is nearly endless.

Proposition 50 can help halt this tidal wave of attacks on everything that makes this country great. If passed, it will allow California to remap the state’s congressional districts in response to Republican-controlled Texas, Missouri and other states taking unprecedented steps to massively tilt the electoral playing field through their own redistricting.

The proposal is crucial because, if the electoral rules are fair, the Democrats will very likely win back the House of Representatives next year, given the growing unpopularity and damage of Trump and his policies. That in turn will help check his egregious abuses of power.

Unfortunately, in getting states to redraw their congressional maps so as to produce more likely Republican wins, he could retain control of the House even though many more Americans may vote for Democratic candidates across the country.

That’s just not fair. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat or Independent, please vote for Prop 50 so we can have a fair election and put a check on Trump’s efforts to decimate our democracy and well-being.

Proposition 218: For a Citywide Parks, Landscape, and Lighting Assessment District

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If we want Benicia to remain beautiful, enjoyable, safe and fiscally sound, we have to shell out the necessary money. By establishing a new Parks, Landscape, and Lighting Assessment District, Proposition 218 will help ensure that our parks, trails, open spaces and recreational areas are up to snuff.

I don’t like any new taxes or fees. Who does? But especially with our town facing acute budgetary challenges as Valero closes its refinery, we need to tap new resources to financially survive and eventually thrive.

An irony here is that last year we had a chance to adopt a real estate transfer tax that would have (among other things) significantly helped ease the financial pain of Valero departing, to the tune of perhaps $10 million dollars for the eventual sale of its property. The fact that the measure failed is water under the bridge. But Prop 218 could yield a similar sum spread over a number of years.

Let’s not throw away another$10 million or more again. If we repair and maintain our parks and related facilities, the benefits will spread beyond the immediate targets of the expenditures. It will help ensure that funds aren’t drained away from police and fire protection, which understandably consume a good chunk of Benicia’s budget. It will help property values to rise. It will help maintain Benicia as a wonderful place to live in and move to.

But we have to act fast. The mail ballots all property owners have received must be returned to the City (not simply postmarked) by October 14.

Now, what if you already returned your ballot but have since changed your mind? No worries. You can call City Management Analyst Sharon Denney at 707-746-4215 to arrange to replace that ballot with a new one.

As of this past Monday, only about 35 percent of the votes had been cast. So please, consider how this measure can help Benicia in so many ways. Vote Yes on 218.

Benicia resident and author Stephen Golub, A Promised Land

Stephen Golub writes about democracy and politics, both in America and abroad, at A Promised Land: America as a Developing Country.

…and… here’s more Golub on the Benicia Independent

California, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Hawaii, Oregon, Public Health, Washington State, West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA)

Crazy new CDC vaccination guidelines – and the West Coast Health Alliance’s 2025-2026 Guidelines

October 6, 2025 Roger Straw

Important for public to easily find current safe recommendations on vaccines

First note that today’s new CDC vaccination guidelines are based on misinformation and poor science. Second, know that our four West Coast states, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii formed a WEST COAST HEALTH ALLIANCE (WCHA) which will offer clearer, safer guidelines based on real science.

Then note that the West Coast Health Alliance was announced over a month ago, but still seems to have no website. It’s recommendations are hard to find.

I was pleased that the tv news this morning carried an interview with Dr. Gupta, who showed a WCHA graphic, “2025-2026 RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON IMMUNIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS” After an extensive online search, I found the chart on the Washington State Governor’s website (see below).

Click image to enlarge – or click here for PDF version.

These recommendations need to be more widely distributed and made easier to find. Please download, copy, print, distribute! I wrote to all of my state and federal legislators encouraging a website and better distribution.

Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent

Previously on the BenIndy:

“In response to recent federal actions that have undermined the independence of the CDC and raised concerns about the politicization of science…”

Sept 3, 2025, By California Governor Gavin Newsom
…[Note also on Sep 4: “Hawaii to join West Coast Health Alliance”]

What you need to know: In response to recent federal actions that have undermined the independence of the CDC and raised concerns about the politicization of science, California, Oregon, and Washington are beginning the process to provide evidence-based unified recommendations to their residents regarding who should receive immunizations and to help ensure the public has access and credible information for confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy.

SACRAMENTO — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced they will launch a new West Coast Health Alliance to ensure residents remain protected by science, not politics. The alliance represents a unified regional response to the Trump Administration’s destruction of the U.S. CDC’s credibility and scientific integrity.

“President Trump’s mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists — and his blatant politicization of the agency — is a direct assault on the health and safety of the American people. The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences. California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk.”

Joint statement from Governors Newsom, Kotek, and Ferguson

“The dismantling of public health and dismissal of experienced and respected health leaders and advisors, along with the lack of using science, data, and evidence to improve our nation’s health are placing lives at risk,” said Erica Pan, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FAAP, Director and State Public Health Officer, California Department of Public Health. “California stands together with our public health and medical professional colleagues to uphold integrity and support our mission to protect the health of our communities.”

“Our communities deserve clear and transparent communication about vaccines — communication grounded in science, not ideology,” said Sejal Hathi, MD, MBA, Director, Oregon Health Authority. “Vaccines are among the most powerful tools in modern medicine; they have indisputably saved millions of lives. But when guidance about their use becomes inconsistent or politicized, it undermines public trust at precisely the moment we need it most. That is why Oregon is committed, alongside California and Washington, to leading with science and delivering evidence-based recommendations that protect health, save lives, and restore confidence in our public health system.”

“When federal agencies abandon evidence-based recommendations in favor of ideology, we cannot continue down that same path,” said Dennis Worsham, Secretary of Health, Washington State Department of Health. “Washington State will not compromise when it comes to our values: science drives our public health policy. Public health at its core is about prevention — preventing illness, preventing the spread of disease, and preventing early, avoidable deaths. We stand firmly with trusted medical professionals and organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as fellow West Coast health agencies — whose guidance remains rooted in rigorous research and clinical expertise. Our commitment is to the health and safety of our communities, protecting lives through prevention, and not yielding to unsubstantiated theories that dismiss decades of proven public health practice.”

Details about this new Alliance

Our three states share a commitment to ensuring that public health recommendations are guided by safety, efficacy, transparency, access, and trust. The Alliance will help safeguard scientific expertise by ensuring that public health policies in California, Oregon, and Washington are informed by trusted scientists, clinicians, and other public health leaders. Through this partnership, the three states will start coordinating health guidelines by aligning immunization recommendations informed by respected national medical organizations. This will allow residents to receive consistent, science-based recommendations they can rely on — regardless of shifting federal actions.

In the coming weeks, the Alliance will finalize shared principles to strengthen public confidence in vaccines and in public health. While each state will independently pursue strategies shaped by their unique laws, geographies, histories, and peoples, these shared principles will form the foundations of the Alliance. Importantly, the three states affirm and respect Tribal sovereignty, recognizing that Tribes maintain their sovereign authority over vaccine services.

CDC’s dismantling

Since its founding, the CDC has been central to protecting Americans from disease. But recent leadership changes, reduced transparency, and the sidelining of long-trusted advisory bodies have impaired the agency’s capacity to prepare the nation for respiratory virus season and other public health challenges. In a vacuum of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers lack reliable information to plan production, health care providers struggle to provide consistent plans of care, and families face uncertainty about access and coverage.

In June, California, Oregon, and Washington condemned Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s removal of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to science-driven decision-making. We will continue to provide clear, evidence-based guidance to people living in our states, look to scientific experts in trusted medical professional organizations for recommendations, and work with public health leaders across the country to ensure all Americans are protected. The absence of consistent, science-based federal leadership poses a direct threat to our nation’s health security. To protect the health of our communities, the West Coast Health Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on best available science.

Christian nationalism, Democracy under attack

John Fugelsang: Right-wing Christians use the Bible ‘as a prop’ & ignore Jesus’ message

October 4, 2025 Roger Straw

This guy says it! John Fugelsang says it perfectly. Way better than I could ever say it. A 6-minute interview – yes!!
……………………………………– Roger Straw, The BenIndy

Many thanks to Ali Velshi and MSNBC for airing this important conversation.

Benicia CA, Cleanup funding, Just transition, Public engagement, Signature Development Group, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Energy Corporation

Benicia’s Marilyn Bardet – Needed perspective on Signature Development Group and Benicia’s planning for Valero cleanup and transition

October 4, 2025 Roger Straw

BACKGROUND (by BenIndy Editor): On October 1, City Councilmember Terry Scott distributed without comment a link to a website, “Moving Benicia Forward”, movebeniciaforward.com. The front page invitation there reads, “We invite you to share your thoughts” and offers visitors to click on “Share Feedback.” This goes to a page with information about Signature Development Group, which is under contract with Valero “to evaluate redevelopment opportunities for the Benicia refinery property.” The page also offers a blank box for “FEEDBACK – Share your thoughts about the potential redevelopment.”

The Benicia Independent, by Marilyn Bardet, October 3, 2025

In my view, Signature Development Group’s setting up of an online platform inviting the public to submit ideas and comments for post-closure redevelopment of Valero’s ~900 acres seems like a well-meant gesture toward public involvement. I say “gesture” because such an approach to communication can lead to one-directional, top-down decision-making.

Since Valero’s announcement in April, Signature has been under contract with Valero to come up with a comprehensive re-development plan whose options would presumably be contingent upon, and possibly limited by, findings from investigations of soil and water contamination remaining from all uses by Responsible Parties, including the military. Yet, since April, the public has learned little or nothing from Signature about their initial thoughts, their approach, and preliminary reviews of conditions. What have the mayor and council members learned in conversation with Signature?

I’m seasoned in this: we’re well past the point of needing more info than has been spoken in generalities. We must get conversations out into the open.

BENICIA’S GENERAL PLAN AND A CITIZEN TASK FORCE

I don’t believe there is any substitute for the kind of “roll-up-your-sleeves-put-on-your-thinking caps” work done in person, when learning and respectful deliberation can take place among a broad-spectrum of community stakeholders. Any discussions on this momentous venture should be under guidance of the goals and policies of the Benicia General Plan.

Such a public oversight process is necessary and foundational to any plans for the Valero properties if those plans are to gain public approval. I believe Elizabeth Patterson’s reasoning and recommendation for establishing a community stakeholder task force now is absolutely sound, based on a proven record of what such an open deliberative process nets.

The task force could resemble a modified version of the General Plan Oversight Committee [GPOC], a council-appointed 17-member committee charged in 1995 to rewrite the city’s outdated 1978 general plan. (Note: in 1978, the refinery, then owned by Exxon, was new—only 10 years old!). As a professional planner, Elizabeth was appointed to facilitate the committee’s work, and under her leadership, GPOC members dove into discussions and debates on often contentious issues concerning land use, sustainable economic development, community health and safety, and community identity. Outside speakers offered expertise to inform GPOC and the public. The goals, policies and programs hammered out by consensus became the integrated guidance document required by the state, with legal standing, that we have today, inclusive of periodic updates. Our Benicia General Plan has stood the test of time and will keep evolving.

In effect, any decisions made for the Valero properties will shape the city’s future, for good or ill, and could represent a significant general plan “update”, thus invoking need for such a citizen task force.

The visions we collectively hold for our city’s sustainability and future development must entail hard-nosed assessments of prospective major changes over the next 5 – 10 years: changes that will be cumulative. (Think large-scale residential development currently proposed for Seeno property, the Arsenal, and now, possibly for portions of Valero property). Such changes deserve open public discussion that an on-going task force would serve as vehicle for: a public process oriented toward specific goals to ensure far-sighted oversight of what will unfold through cleanup investigations and redevelopment planning, inclusive of CEQA reviews.

While it may seem early in the game, so far, five months into it, no such public process has been set up by the city council to proactively engage residents as full participants in an endeavor that has apparently already begun.

CLOSURE CLEANUP BONDING — AND A NEVER IMAGINED REFINERY CLOSURE

In 1995, Koch Industries had come to town exclaiming the benefits of permitting a development proposal for a massive petroleum coke storage and shipping terminal at the port, which would serve all five Bay Area refineries. The public’s outcry in protest was enormous, and successful. Notable at that time, activists spoke up about the need for a secure bond to be required of Exxon that would pay for a future refinery cleanup. While Koch failed in its development bid, nothing came of recommendations for a “closure cleanup bond” to be put up by the refinery.

In 1999, the new general plan was adopted, just when Valero was negotiating terms with Exxon for purchase of the refinery. Though the general plan did not directly incorporate goals that specifically addressed the refinery’s possible closure, key policies addressed the need to protect residents from exposure to contaminated soils—the concern expressed based on the city’s oversight debacles revealed by the Rose Drive/Braito Landfill investigation and cleanup.

All that said, Valero Energy Corp’s announcement of its options for shutting down by April 2026, was a stunner. It became the hottest concern of the city, and respectively for the governor and legislature: nobody was prepared. The city instantly worried about projected serious “gap” in revenues, and the state, the significant “gaps” in the gasoline supply chain that shuttering production at the Benicia refinery would/could cause. Once it was determined that Valero wasn’t “taking” any of the state’s offers to stay open, the state seemed to walk away from the problems for the City raised by prospects of closure.

So, unfortunately, the city never imagined a future refinery closure, and thus, what legal obligations attendant on such an undertaking should be raised, such as a condition of any future development permit applied for by Valero. (For example, Valero’s permit for the 10-year Valero Improvement Project begun in 2003.) Thus, the city missed several key opportunities to impose a permitting condition that would, at the very least, require that Valero put up a bond dedicated for funding of closure and thorough cleanup of refinery properties.

As City Manager Giuliani said to me recently when I met with him to discuss my concerns, “We’re on our own now”. I’d just stated that there is no state law that requires full disclosure of total costs of a thorough cleanup. This bears repeating: there’s nothing in either our municipal laws or state law that would protect the City from any Valero failure to meet what the state and city should have formerly considered firm obligations for refinery closures and cleanups. Expecting a lawsuit to resolve such issues would be a David and Goliath contest.

WE’RE LEFT WITH QUESTIONS…

Will a citizen task force be established by council for the long-haul, to be dedicated to oversight of a cleanup process, and, ultimately, for reviewing re-development plans as proposed?

We of the Benicia community are now in the responsible position to publicly model what we mean by a process that oversees “refinery closure, cleanup and restoration” and appropriate sustainable future land uses for former refinery/military lands.

Marilyn Bardet
Good Neighbor Steering Committee
BCAMP Board Member
BISHO Working Group
Valero Community Advisory Panel