The Davis Voice

Measure P is Defeated 3:1

A Post of Pure Measure P Political Punditry

Although most people expected Measure P to fail, few guessed that the margin would be so great: 75% voted No; 25% voted Yes.  Why did most people expect Measure P to fail?  Talking to friends, neighbors and acquaintances before the election, few people had anything good to say about the proposed project to build 200 homes on a horse ranch east of the Wildhorse neighborhood.   The complaints were varied, but can be grouped into four main categories: process, timing, affordability, and developer credentials.

Let’s be very clear here.  There is no silver bullet reason why Measure P failed.  This vote does not mean that a majority of Davis voters are no-growth.  Reality is much more complicated than that.

Measure P: Election Results

Measure P is Soundly Defeated by Davis Voters.

          NO on P - 75%

          YES on P - 25%

The polls closed at 8pm and our highly esteemed Yolo County Clerk Recorder Freddie Oakley has just posted the first results from today's Measure P vote.  This first update likely includes all absentee ballots.  As the night goes on, I'll update these numbers above to reflect the latest from the County Clerk's website. 

With the second round of results now available, 15 of 31 precincts are now reporting 6,019 No votes and 2,113 Yes votes.

With the third round of results now available, 31 of 31 precincts are now reporting 8,449 No votes and 2,887 Yes votes.

A post of pure political punditry on Measure P will be published tomorrow focusing on process, timing, affordability, and developer credentials.

Vote Today on Measure P

A Home for Horses OR Houses Instead of Horses?

You can vote on today's single issue ballot until 8pm tonight.   Find your polling place by clicking HERE.  Find our full, unbiased coverage on the issue by clicking HERE.  Tonight, we'll update you with the results as soon as the County Clerk reports them.  We'll also provide you with some political punditry on the results.

News From Davis Schools

Davis School Board Endorses California Forward 2010 Reform Plan

At its October 29 meeting the Board of Education received Superintendent James Hammond’s preliminary plan  for reducing the 2010-11 budget by $3.5 million dollars. This is a 5% reduction in general fund operating expenditures from the 2009-10 budget and follows two previous years of budget reductions.  For current information and budget documents, visit the DJUSD website. 

           

The Board of Education also adopted the following resolution endorsing the California Forward 2010 Reform Plan:

This Week in YOUR Government

Monday, November 2 - Friday, November 6

Property taxes are due this week.  For more information, click here. 

To see how one of your local governments spends tax revenues, you can review the City of Davis final budget.

Tuesday is Election Day!  Exercise your right to vote. 

In Davis you have the choice of Yes or No on Measure P.  Check out our full coverage on the Davis Voice. 

According to the Yolo County Elections website, as of October 23, 2009 there were 38,247 registered voters in the City of Davis.  20,920 are registered as Democrats.  Decline to State represents the second largest "party" with 9,374 so registered.  There are 6,025 registered Republicans.  Not registered?  Find out how to participate in future elections here.

Your opportunities to participate in the public process this week appear after the jump.  Links provided take you to full agendas and meeting locations.

A Blind Eye Is No Excuse

by David Chan

On Thursday, I opened up the Sac Bee to read an article that just made me shudder. The article was about UC Davis's sexual assault statistics. As a father of two young girls, I am all too aware of the frighteningly scary headlines that bombard us on an almost daily basis reporting violent crimes against women and children.

The article was the continuation of a story about discrepancies in the number of reported sexual assaults within the campus from 2005 - 2007. According to the story, a UC Davis employee over-stated the number of forcible sexual offenses that occurred on campus by a factor of two. This caused "confusion", inconsistencies and, of course, an inquiry by the Department of Justice.

As this month comes to an end, it's a good time to reflect on October as awareness month to end the domestic violence cycle.

This Weekend in the People's Republic

Did you know that, thousands of years ago, the Celts celebrated their New Year’s on what is now the first of November?  According to custom the day before this marked the end of bountiful fall and the beginning of dark winter:  an event that dissolved the boundary between the spirit world and ours.  In order to protect against rogue ghosts, Celts would build bonfires and dress in costumes made from animal skins.  This important harvest-festival (and honoring-of-the-dead) evolved with the reigning power, from Romans to Christianity, eventually becoming All Hallow’s Eve—Halloween.

This October 31, there are events ranging from the traditional spooks, to “old school” harvest-type shindigs.  Get thee outside to enjoy some daytime fun before the jack-o-lanterns light and the trick-or-treating begins.  After the jump lies a cornucopia of right and relevant culture, ripe for the picking.

Measure P: Follow the Money Trail

Sacramento Developers Outspend Citizen Group 100:1

Local campaign finance regulations mimic state regulations but are often a bit more stringent and with more filing deadlines as an election nears.

In 5 days, Davis voters will cast their ballot on Measure P.  Find our exhaustive (and exhausting) coverage of Measure P by clicking HERE.

Many of our readers have noted that one big piece of missing information in our coverage is the financials of actually waging the campaigns for and against this measure.  Well, today, I acted as your Johnny-on-the-spot and staked out our illustrious City Clerk Zoe Mirabile’s office and exercised our citizens’ rights under the Freedom of Information Act to get copies of the Campaign Disclosure Statements that were due today.  Kudos to Ms. Mirabile for having copies ready by 5pm just after both campaigns filed right around 4:30pm.  Please note that these statements end 10/28/09 and a full accounting of all monies raised and spent will not be available until weeks after the election.

After the jump, follow The Davis Voice down the Measure P money trail.

Following a Dream on I-8

Click on image for full version

It’s 104 degrees - just stopped to buy some cold water since I had another hour to drive.  I was going 75 MPH on I-8 between El Centro, CA and Yuma, AZ.

Traffic was light but I could see something on the shoulder about half a mile down the road. Mmmmm - not a car - not a truck - no, this was a rickshaw being pulled by a guy in  camouflage gear. I love a good story so I hit the brakes. 

It was there in the desert that I met Allie. Allie is a pretty cool guy. Quick to smile, easy to talk to and more than willing to share a story or two.