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San Francisco County, CA June 6, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

End Boss Rule! Make the Democratic Party MORE DEMOCRATIC!

By Arlo H. "Hale" Smith

Candidate for Democratic Party County Central Committee; County of San Francisco; Assembly District 12

This information is provided by the candidate
Read My Reform Program!
Historically, the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee has been what the Bay Guardian once called "a rotten borough."

The current structure of the SFDCCC was set up in the 1950's in an effort to perpetuate the political machine of a party boss named Malone.

Political machine rule has been the perennial characteristic of the SFDCCC. It is merely the identities of the political bosses and power brokers which has changed!

Why?

Because you - the voters - only get to directly elect 24 of the SFDCCC's 33 members! The other 9 seats are reserved for party nominees - i.e., the incumbent state legislators and members of Congress. This is a formula for political king-making, rather than Democratic rule.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT:

Did you know that the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee can reform itself RIGHT NOW . . . ON ITS OWN . . . WITHOUT GOING TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE?

The Legislative Counsel has ruled that under the Eu vs. SFDCC U.S. Supreme Court case [for the lawyers out there, the cite is (1989) 489 U.S. 214] the SFDCCC is free to make rules governing its membership + including addition of voting members to SFDCCC + above and beyond the membership requirements specified in the California Elections Code!

I propose that the SFDCCC should end boss rule by restructuring itself to make the Democratic Party more DEMOCRATIC!

Here are some key points of my reform program:

  • GIVE CHARTERED DEMOCRATIC CLUBS DIRECT VOTING REPRESENTATION ON THE SFDCCC

Right now, the SFDCCC offers only NON-VOTING representation for the clubs. I support giving chartered Democratic clubs at least two VOTING representatives

  • INCREASE THE ELECTED MEMBERSHIP TO 30 MEMBERS

Currently 1/3 of the SFDCCC are officeholders and nominees. I believe that the VOTERS should directly elect a higher proportion of SFDCCC members. To increase diversity, the SFDCCC should seat the top 15 vote-getters in each Assembly District as VOTING members!

  • IMPOSE CONTRIBUTION AND SPENDING LIMITS FOR SFDCCC RACES

It is ridiculous how many thousands of dollars candidates have to raise and spend to get elected to this NON-PAYING office. Contribution and spending limits are needed in SFDCCC races to give dedicated Democratic volunteers a fair chance of election.

My ideas on reform are NOT "set in stone." I invite members of the public to contact me with any ideas you have to refom the SFDCCC. Please email me at halesf7@aol.com or call me at 415-963-2444

Thanks, Hale

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