Tag Archives: karibirdseyeforbenicia.com

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye

Mayor Steve Young: Endorsement for Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council

She is, in my opinion, the single most qualified candidate for Council we have seen in the last dozen years.

By Benicia Mayor Steve Young, October 7, 2022

Benicia Mayor Steve Young

I want to issue my strongest possible endorsement for Kari Birdseye in her campaign for Benicia City Council. She is, in my opinion, the single most qualified candidate for Council we have seen in the last dozen years.

I got to know Kari in 2014 when we served together on the Planning Commission. Among the most contentious projects we reviewed and acted upon was Valero’s Crude by Rail project which would have changed how the refinery receives crude oil from tanker ships to train cars. We spent more than two years on that project, and listened to dozens of speakers, both for (including current council member Largaespada) and against (many Benicia residents as well as representatives of other governmental entities including California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office, CalTrans, and a variety of environmental organizations).

During this time, Kari was studious, thoughtful, and respectful of all sides before finally voting along with the entire Planning Commission to reject the Valero proposal.

Kari ran for City Council once before, in 2018, when the Valero funded PAC (“Working Families for a Strong Benicia; a coalition of Labor, Industrial Services Companies, Public Safety and Local Leaders Supporting Christina Strawbridge and Lionel Largaespada and Opposing Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council”) spent more than $200,000 to defeat her.

These characteristics of independent thought, doing her homework, and respectful listening and consideration of all viewpoints have also marked her role on the Planning Commission, where her colleagues have elected her Chair five times. These are skills needed on the City Council.

She has a long history of service to our community ranging from her leadership in the Matthew Turner PTA and Benicia Stingrays Swim Club, to her appointment to the Benicia Human Services Board before being appointed to the Planning Commission. I appreciate that in our 2022 election, Kari supports measures K and R.

Please join me in voting for Kari Birdseye for City Council.

Steve Young
Benicia Mayor

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye

Elizabeth Patterson: Kari Birdseye is the most qualified candidate for City Council

 I cannot think of anyone more suited to the job.

By Elizabeth Patterson, October 2, 2022

Elizabeth Patterson, Benicia Mayor 2007-2020

It is with great pleasure and honor that I throw my full political support behind Kari Birdseye – candidate for Benicia city council election this November.

Kari Birdseye is a native Californian who treasures Benicia, the place we call home, for its history and its small town qualities as part of the Bay Area of water, open space, and an unmatched environment. She is a Californian who went east to learn and practice the trade of television news broadcasting. She learned to listen and ask questions and follow up questions. Coming back to California was to further her interest and career in the environment and raise her children in Benicia.

Kari dedicated herself to supporting our schools and set a record for fundraising at Matthew Turner Elementary. She is able to help her parents and grandparents in her busy life of job, children and school interests. She walks Olive her boxer dog and values our trails and open space.

I had the opportunity to appoint her to the Planning Commission where she has served as chair for five years. I like to watch her for pointers on how to engage the commissioners, pursue a line of questioning of staff and shepherd decisions to conclusion.

Her loyalty to her community is unfailing.

Now she wants to serve our fair city as a council member. I for one cannot think of anyone more suited to the job.

Elections are only a month away, and you deserve a say in who runs our city. Voting for Kari Birdseye is a vote for a person who I consider the most qualified candidate to run for city council and I support her with unqualified enthusiasm.

Elizabeth Patterson
Benicia Mayor 2007-2020

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye

Bob Berman: Not just words but actions

Kari is dedicated to making Benicia better

By Bob Berman, September 25, 2022

Bob Berman, Benicia CA

I support Kari Birdseye for the Benicia City Council.

In my opinion Kari is dedicated to making Benicia better. This has been shown not just by Kari’s words but by her actions.

As a Benicia planning commissioner, and more recently as its chairperson, Kari has sought public input on the various issues that come to the commission. But she does not just solicit input she carefully listens to what is said and considers the information before deciding on the project the commission is considering.

In considering the public input, and all the other factors that go into her decision making, first and foremost is – what is best for Benicia

Kari will not only bring new ideas and fresh leadership to the City Council, but she will make sure that public input is not only sought but fully considered before making a decision.

In addition, Kari supports Measure K – the renewal of the City’s Urban Growth Boundary.

Join me in voting for Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council.

Bob Berman
Benicia

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Kari Birdseye For Benicia City Council 2022
https://karibirdseyeforbenicia.com
Benicia City Council, Kari Birdseye, Terry Scott

Larnie Fox: Clearing up a Misconception

To be clear…

By Larnie Fox, September 26, 2022

Larnie Fox, Benicia CA

In her letter to the editor in the Benicia Herald on September 23, 2022, my friend Patty Gavin quoted me writing to Christina Strawbridge “Thanks for your commitment to the arts…”. Unfortunately, she inadvertently implies that I am supporting Christina in the upcoming elections. To be clear I am strongly supporting Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott for City Council. So strongly in fact that my wife and I have spent hundreds of hours working with a talented group of people organizing scores of local artists to create colorful, creative, one-of-a-kind campaign yard signs for Kari and Terry. Watch for them around town and on social media.

Kari has kept a steady hand on the rudder as Chair of our Planning Commission, doing her homework, making careful decisions, guiding us through difficult times. Terry has shown boundless energy as Chair of our Arts and Culture Commission, working to open up the Majestic Theater, bringing Shakespeare in the Park, facilitating concerts by the Golden Gate Symphony with their Benicia Chorus, working to fund all our local arts nonprofits, and bringing a flowering of public art to town, crowned by the stunning “Neptune’s Daughter” sculpture gazing out from our waterfront. Kari and Terry will bring new energy and new ideas that our Council clearly needs.

I personally like both Christina Strawbridge and Lionel Largaespada. However, Lionel is still a Republican who leans toward short-term thinking, and Christina has been weak on crucial issues. Both have been compromised by our elephant in the room, Valero.

I do NOT want to live in a “company town”. Lionel works for a company that does business with Valero. Christina is married to a man with powerful connections to pro-Valero Unions. She has been working behind the scenes to obtain funding from Valero for a multi-use soccer field. Though Christina and Lionel publicly deny any connection to Valero, I find it troubling that Valero spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to support them in past elections, and to discredit Kari Birdseye and Mayor Steve Young. What does Valero know that we don’t?

I know that whoever wins our two City Council seats will be decent people who care about Benicia, but I don’t want them beholden to big oil. I want them to be focused on keeping Benicia safe, clean, culturally engaging, economically vibrant and independent.

Larnie Fox
Benicia

More letters, news & links about Kari here on the BenIndy

And best of all – Kari’s website!

Kari Birdseye For Benicia City Council 2022
https://karibirdseyeforbenicia.com