Whose city is this?
It seems like a simple enough question, but is it? Benicia appears to be in the process of being taken away by what I call quasi-shadow government groups. The simple explanation of a shadow government is they are run by non-elected officials who are bound together by a common cause or ideology.
Let’s start with the Progressive Democrats of Benicia (PDB). This group, according to its own words is comprised of “Benicia citizens who believe progressive principles are grounded in liberal ideals.” Their focus is on local, regional and state issues, including the support of candidates for political office and appointment of public officials who promote progressive ideas, programs and actions. This group’s steering committee includes Vice Mayor Young, councilmember candidate Kari Birdseye and other usual suspects.
The next group is the ISO Working Group. They took an independent, organized approach with their own pro bono attorney to bypass the City Council, city attorney, city manager and staff and use the mayor to get an Industrial Safety Ordinance draft on the council agenda. They lost 3-2 and also lost the rehearing by a 3-2 vote. This is a good example of a quasi-shadow government. These groups are against fossil fuel and Valero, as demonstrated by the mayor, vice mayor and supervisor for Benicia area signing a letter to Gov. Brown, which aimed to, and I quote, “end the issuance of permits for new fossil fuel projects, including permits for new oil and gas wells, infrastructure for fossil fuels, and petrochemical projects in California.” Sounds anti-fossil fuel and Valero to me.
These groups also want to stack the City Council with the same agenda-driven ideals these groups have. A good example is Kari Birdseye, whose semi-annual 460 form includes donations by Mayor Patterson, Vice Mayor Young and Supervisor Brown. Furthermore, the City Council election is non-partisan, yet Birdseye and one of her backers are on the Solano County Democratic Central Committee for District 2. That does not sound very non-partisan to me. A candidate for City Council should have the city of Benicia as their main concern, not quasi-shadow governments attempting to use influence.
Is this city becoming the modern day Tammany Hall? Just look it up, and make your own conclusions. Better yet, could it be Artie Samish rising from his grave. He was a California lobbyist who yielded more power than elected officials in many cases. These groups in Benicia use elected officials to promote their personal agenda ideals. This is our city, and please keep an eye on this quasi-shadow government. I will be following this City Council election very closely, and I hope you will too.
Bob Livesay,
Benicia
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Phone ringing off the hook. All very positive on this LTTE. For that I thank ,you.
I’m not sure I understand your complaint, Bob. In a democracy, there will always be special interest groups that have their own agenda and wish to create a favorable climate for that agenda. That’s what lobbyists in DC do, that’s what William Randolf Hearst did back a century ago with his newspaper (he and Pulitzer created the yellow journalism that comprises the fake news of today), that’s what Political Action Committees (PAC) do.
While it is supposedly true that our city council is comprised of non denominational (oops, sorry, non partisan) members, people come to any job with some inherent background and prejudices. Most of us who vote do look at what candidates say they stand for and that tells us whether or not their prejudices are a good fit with our own prejudices. Otherwise, why pick one over another?
Personally, I disagree with the agenda’s of the ISO and PDB groups, but they have a right to exist and attempt to achieve their goals, don’t they? If you don’t want them to stack the city council for their agenda, you should find candidates who stack it in your agenda’s direction, right?
Yes they do have a right to exist but cannot hi-jack the city council thru the mayor with a Pro Bono attorney and then try to force it down ,the throats of the council. The council saw that and it went down 3/2 and also the rehearing 3/2. YES IT IS A SHADOW GOVERNMENT TRYING TO RUN THIS CITY. I DO KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. Stacking the council is not new. But outwardly doing it is a little over the top. No question what their agenda driven Ideals are. Remember with a Mayor majority on council she can stack any non elected committee with those that are in her favor. Try the Planning Commission. May not get the majority this time around to stop the3 mayor but watch out in 2020. The mayor goes down big time if she runs. If she does not and Vice Mayor Young runs he loses twice. Once when he loses his run for the mayors job and the other when he gives up his seat to run for mayor which is up in 2020 also.. Not a good move on his part. We shall see.
Well, you are certainly worked up about it…but it seems that the shadow government hasn’t been any more effective than the actual government. Shadow government has failed to get an ISO, actual government continues to fail to get better occupancy in the BIP. Downtown Benicia is still a backwater-don’t know which government to blame for that, though. There is little doubt in my mind that the city is poorly run and has been since I moved here in 1977. I take it back, when O’Blennis was mayor, stuff could get done…after him, though, the town would be still recognizable by Jack London. Backwater and will probably remain so.
The “Quasi Shadow Government” is why we are not getting things done. All backed up by the Mayor and Vice Mayor. Now trying to cement their agenda driven ideals by stacking the city council and then hi-jack the City Council Agenda with personal agendas. By doing that it prevents the needed work that must be done to achieve some of the things you talk about. It must change. No better time than the 2018/2020 elections. Kari Birdseye is a perfect example of who we do not need on this City Council. Times up.That must stop and we need some candidates that do care about this city and not personal ideals. Think Bernie Sanders. Time to stop the Mayor and Vice Mayor.
OK, are you saying that the city has had a shadow government that has prevented Benicia from becoming a prosperous town (think Carmel or Sausalito) since 1982? Naw…the shadow government is comprised of whiners and do nothings except yak, yak, yak…I’m certainly not going to be upset if Kari gets elected, she won’t do any more harm than 35 years of other whiners and complainers have done. Just like Bernie, all he does is moan about rich people, our Mayor and Vice and other “like minded” BPDers and ISOers are simply clueless Chicken Littles who believe that running around and saying the sky is falling is actually accomplishing something. But you know what, it is relatively harmless for such ignorant people to have an outlet for their ignorance….think what harm they could do if they didn’t have other ignorant people to confirm their idiot ideas?
The big problem is ,this “Quasi Shadow Government” does harm this city. It started about 15 years ago when the mayor was first elected as a councilmember. Then four years later when elected mayor it really caught fire. The mayor has been building her “Quasi Shadow Government” even before she held elected office. Building on it when elected mayor by putting people on very crucial commissions. Good example is the planning commission. Pure agenda driven ideals now being transferred to her bully pulpit all backed by her group of “Quasi Shadow Government” participants. As I said before a perfect example is the “ISO WORKING GROUP'”. If that is what you want so be it. I do not and will continue this pursuit.
I didn’t say I wanted a shadow government…I just don’t care and it doesn’t matter what I want since neither the shadow nor the real government affects me (with the exception of paying too much for water and cable which is a direct result of poor local government).
I gotta admit…while I useta think it’d be nice to live in Carmel or Sausalito, I realize now that the tourists take over the town making it hard for the residents to a) go out to dinner, b) find a parking spot, c) get groceries….so I guess I’m not too upset (now) that the city is backward and a backwater.
It’s evident that the Mayor and VIce have pee’d you off. Go get ’em if it makes you happy.