Category Archives: Steve Young

2020 elections, Benicia elections, Campaign finance, Steve Young, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero PAC

Valero PAC spends another $17,000 for robo calls and live phone calls

By Roger Straw, October 9, 2020

2020 Campaign Finance Reports – Benicia Mayor

Reporting on forms required by Benicia ordinance, the Valero PAC that is attempting to buy the Benicia Mayor race detailed the expenditure of another $17,000 on  October 4.

Cumulative Valero PAC spending to date: $62,844.  (COMPARE: All candidates running for Benicia mayor and Council who pledge to run fair campaigns may not spend over $34,200 on their own campaigns.)

Details of new money spent for Christina Strawbridge to defeat Steve Young:

  • ROBO CALLS – Another $1,000
  • LIVE CALLS – Another $15,000
  • ROBO CALLS – Another $1,000

Both payments were made to WINNING CONNECTIONS, 317 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR, WASHINGTON, DC.  Source: Benicia_Form_496_4.pdf and Benicia_Form_496_5.pdf.

I am tracking DETAILS of the Valero PAC’s 2020 campaign disclosure reports combined in a single Excel spreadsheet.  The sheet contains 2 tabs:

    • “VALERO PAC Form460 CpgnDisclosr” is a record of Valero’s SUMMARY reports, showing 2020 income, expenses and cash balance.
    • “Forms 465 & 496 IndExp” is a more interesting 2nd tab, showing in detail Valero’s individual expenditures.

REFERENCE: Valero PAC Financial Disclosures – City of Benicia website

Source: from the City of Benicia website, 2020 Campaign Finance Reports

2020 elections, 2020 Presidential campaigns, Benicia City Council, Benicia elections, Benicia Mayor, Local elections, Steve Young, Terry Scott

You can VOTE in Benicia on Monday, Sept 28! Roger’s recommendations…

By Roger Straw, September 25, 2020
Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent

Voting starts earlier than ever this year – you can already cast your mail-in ballot next week!

It’s all new to me.  I have ALWAYS waited, and cast my ballot at the polling place on election day, but not this year.

Candidates for public office have had to change tactics.  I should know –  I’ve been involved in 7 local campaigns over the last 13 years.  We used to send out mailers and knock on doors in October, and there was always a big Get Out the Vote push on Monday before the election.  It all has to be done much earlier now.  And most of us will have already voted by early-, mid- or late-October this year.

So we are making up our minds now.  It’s not hard at all for most of us to know who would make the better President: Joe Biden, of course.  But who will we elect as the next Benicia Mayor?  Who for City Council?  And what about those pesky ballot measures?

For good guidance on ballot measures, check out ProgressiveDemocratsOfBenicia.org.  See their CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS page and their Recommendations on Ballot Measures.

Roger’s recommendations

Steve Young – for BENICIA MAYOR

Benicia Mayor: Steve Young.  I support Steve for his careful analysis of facts and his grounding in city administration.  Benicia will forever owe Steve a debt of gratitude for his intense and persuasive questioning of Valero and City staff during the long fight against Valero’s dirty and dangerous “Crude by Rail” proposal.  The entire Planning Commission and City Council deserve praise, but it was Steve whose star shined most brightly during those pivotal times.  By the way, those who know me are aware of my bias in favor of women candidates.  I’m a longtime male feminist, and usually I will lean left and go with a woman candidate.  But in this year’s race, with Mayor Patterson choosing not to run, I have to go with Steve Young.  More about Steve Young, or Donate and Volunteer.

Terry Scott – for BENICIA CITY COUNCIL

Benicia City Council: Terry Scott.  I support Terry for his vision and values, and for his leadership as Chair of Benicia’s Arts and Culture Commission.  More about Terry Scott, or Donate and Volunteer.

 

~ How and where to cast your mail-in ballot EARLY ~

Benicia Mayor, Local elections, Steve Young

Steve Young files official papers, runs for Benicia Mayor

Benicia Councilmember Steve Young files for mayor candidacy

Benicia Councilmember Steve Young is sworn in to run for Mayor of Benicia in the Nov. election on July 30.

BENICIA – Thur., City Councilman Steve Young filed to run in the Nov. 3 race for Benicia Mayor.

“I am happy to announce that I have submitted the signatures required to secure my place on the ballot for Mayor of Benicia,” said Young.

As a Community Development Director, as a Planning Commissioner and as a City Councilmember for Benicia, Young has built a foundation in public service.

“I’m proud to be the voice that listens to the local voter in Benicia, the person who works for a living, who cares for their family, or who is retired,” said Young. “These residents of Benicia want the best public education for their kids, a safe neighborhood, and a walkable downtown with access to our wonderful parks and waterfront. These are the people that I hope to represent, not out of town special interest groups.”

When it came time to collect signatures for the petition for his nomination papers, Young did not seek out specific voters or representatives from large organizations – he took a different approach.

“In the time-honored tradition of using our public spaces for public endeavors and announcements, I stood by the City Park Gazebo and invited the public to sign my petition and be part of my campaign,” said Young. “I cannot tell you how proud and honored I am to be able to submit my election petition and to commit my time and energy to representing the voters of Benicia.”

Steve Young wants to continue his commitment to the residents of Benicia, his commitment to transparency, and to continue to listen and work for them.

“I ask for your vote on or before Nov. 3, 2020,” said Young.

Residents can learn more about his platform, read about his views on current City issues, and volunteer to help by going to www.steveyoungformayor.org.

Benicia City Council, Cannabis, Steve Young

Steve Young: Benicia City Council to consider re-writing cannabis rules on May 7

[Editor: Attend City Council on May 7 if at all possible.  This is an issue of fairness and could affect Benicia’s economic viability and reputation.  If you can’t attend, check out How to write to Council and staff.  – R.S.]

By Steve Young, Benicia City Council member
Steve Young, Benicia City Council

On May 7, the City Council will consider a proposal by Councilman Largaespada to expand the buffer zones around cannabis dispensaries. The proposed changes would, if adopted, add buffer zones around any day care center (or places where kids congregate), park, or any residential zone.  If adopted by the Council, the practical effect would be to eliminate virtually all retail locations in the City.

Cannabis issues have been on the ballot twice recently. In 2016, Benicians voted 63% in favor of Prop. 64 which legalized personal use of cannabis by adults. In 2018, Benicians voted 68% in favor of letting the Council impose excise taxes on cannabis businesses (which we did last December). The current rules, adopted by the previous Council after more than 18 hearings and dozens of hours of testimony, limited cannabis dispensaries to just a few commercial areas in the City. The Council eliminated First Street and all of downtown, as well as all of the Southhampton shopping center. We also limited the number of dispensaries to just two.

When we finally opened up the application process last fall, we had 9 applicants for these two possible permits. Applicants were required to pay the City $20,000 each for processing their application, including for a Public Safety License to be issued by the Police Department after significant vetting of the applicants. In addition, the applicants were required to show some form of site control. This required them to rent or lease, or obtain an option to lease,  commercial space at significant costs while waiting for the City to finally recommend which applicants were recommended to move forward to the Planning Commission to apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). (Some applicants have reported absorbing over $100,000 in costs each.)

In my opinion, regardless of how you feel about cannabis, it is fundamentally unfair to treat these businesses in this manner.  They have followed all the rules set forth by the City in August,  paid substantial fees to the City and even more to rent vacant space, and have waited over 9 months for the City to act on their applications.  It is simply not fair or equitable, at this late date,  to have the City change the rules in the middle of the game.

If you are interested in this topic, please attend the Council meeting on May 7 or let the Council know about your opinions.