There were nine candidates on stage and a large engaged audience at the California Assembly District 15 Candidates Forum hosted by the Albany Democratic Club at Albany High on January 29. Although the candidates competed to drop names and out-progressive each other, they appeared for the most part to agree closely on the issues. Even on SB 827, the divisive transit housing density bill by Senators Wiener and Skinner, everyone was in agreement that while they appreciated the spirit of the bill and the conversation it provoked, it needed significant changes to affordability, environmental, and local control provisions before they could support it. The only disagreements were on degree: whether single payer is “ideal” or “necessary”; whether a Prop. 13 (property tax) reform campaign to close the corporate loophole goes far enough. The organizers promised that video of the forum will be available soon on KALB.
I left better informed, but no closer to knowing who I plan to vote for in the primary this June.
Want to know more? Mark your calendar for the Assembly District 15 LGBQTI Candidate Forum, hosted by Lambda Democratic Club of CCC & East Bay Stonewall Democrats, February 21, 6-8 PM. All info here.
Read our earlier article about this race.
The candidates:
- Judy Appel: https://www.facebook.com/JudyforAssembly/
- Ben Bartlett: https://www.facebook.com/benbartlettca/
- Jovanka Beckles: https://www.facebook.com/JBfordistrict15/
- Dan Kalb: https://www.facebook.com/DanKalbAD15/
- Andy Katz: https://www.facebook.com/AndyKatzCA/
- Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto: https://www.facebook.com/pardueokimoto/
- Owen Poindexter: https://www.facebook.com/owenforassembly/
- Cheryl Sudduth: https://www.facebook.com/CherylSudduth/
- Buffy Wicks: https://www.facebook.com/BuffyForAssembly/
