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.
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.
What a great idea! Benicia artists have organized a BEAUTIFUL contribution to our election campaign season. All over town, those of us who support Kari Birdseye and/or Terry Scott for City Council can bid for one of these magnificent and sometimes humorous signs.
Benicia will campaign with flair! …for candidates with flair!
Here’s how you can get your sign!
Click on this link: runmyauction.com/kariterry.php (or use and share the QR code) to make bids and purchases in the Artist Sign Project Auction.
Bid soon – the auction will close on Wednesday, September 14 at 8pm.
Join me in support of Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott for Benicia City Council. All proceeds benefit the campaigns.
It is imperative to remember the shameful manner of our last two elections
By Nikki Basch Davis, September 1, 2022
Nikki Basch Davis, Benicia CA
To the citizens of Benicia:
With the elections for council in our town approaching, it is imperative to remember the shameful manner of our last two elections when our mailboxes were filled with glossy propaganda showing distorted faces of candidates with truth twisting lies about their history and conduct.
It is important for our town not to be influenced by campaigns supported by very large contributions funneled to special interest PACs by large corporations.
By the end of the day, the candidates that have the funds to place the biggest signs around town and create a stream of expensive glossies that arrive in every mailbox are the candidates that will be beholden to those corporations when the time comes for council to vote on what is best for our children’s health and wellbeing.
The fact that Valero builds football fields for our schools does not compensate for our children growing up in a town listed by the American Lung Association as having the highest rate of asthma in the state.
When I choose my candidates, I choose the ones with no present or past ties to those corporations. Therefore, my choices are Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott.
Click on this link: 
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