Coordinating Committee members present (8): Victoria Ashley (phone) Maxine Daniel, Sanda Everette, Mike Feinstein, Tim Laidman, Jesse Moorman, Alex Shantz, Rich Zitola
Coordinating Committee members not-present (7): Marla Bernstein, Susan Chunco, David Curtis, Gladwyn d'Souza, Marnie Glickman, Parker Jean, Candice Yamaguchi
Observers, Greens (invited) (2): Doug Barnett, GPCA Treasurer; Franklin Lampert, GP of Monterey County
Quorum: Quorum reached at 3:41 pm with eight (8) present: Victoria Ashley (phone) Maxine Daniel, Sanda Everette, Mike Feinstein, Tim Laidman, Jesse Moorman, Alex Shantz, Rich Zitola
2) Roles
Facilitator: Alex Shantz
Minutes taker: Mike Feinstein
Time keeper: Maxine Daniel
Vibes Watcher: Tim Laidman
Before quorum was achieved, Kendra Gonzalez called in at 11am, gave a report and took questions on her activities as interim GPCA organizer
3) Approval of Agenda
Proposal (Feinstein): Add - Decision: Move Tax Platform Plank from Social Justice to Economics
Approved by Consensus
Proposal (Shantz): Approve agenda as amended
Approved by Consensus
6) Appointment of Coordinating Committee Committee Liaison/Co-coordinators to Standing Committees
Nomination (Laidman): Zitola, IT
Approved by Consensus
7) Appointment of Coordinating Committee Liaison to Working Groups
No nominations made
8) Appointments to Standing Committees
Nomination: Peggy Koteen sent in a request to the Coordinating Committee for appointment to the Platform Committee
Approved by Consensus
9) Review of Progress towards Security issues and GPCA IT Protocol
Discussion held before quorum reached, concluded at 3pm
10) Review of Funding Approach for General Assemblies and Gatherings/Review Nancy Broyles General Assembly Hardship Travel Subsidy policy
11) Discussion: Communication with CA Secretary of State and status of GPCA elections code vis-a-vis GPCA 2016 Presidential Ballot Line
Feinstein reported that he had not initiated this communication yet, as authorized by the Coordinating Committee in November
12) Reports from Liaisons to Standing Committees and Working Group
Reports:
CH: Kendra Gonzalez called in before 11am and made report on Clearinghouse tasks
GROW (Shantz): Process continuing for hire for field organizer
13) Review of Coordinating Committee FY2014-2015 Work Plan and Budget Proposals
Laidman proposed a repeat budget from FY 2014-2015 to FY 2015-2016
14) Treasurer's Report (Barnett)
Item defered til later in meeting
15) Decision: Nomination of Treasurer for confirmation at June 2015 General Assembly
No nominations made
16) Liaison to Secretary of State's Report (Laiti)
Laiti was unavailable to attend or call in
17) Decision: Nomination of Liaison to Secretary of State for confirmation at June 2015 General Assembly
Nomination (Shantz): Jared Laiti
Approved by Consensus
18) Review of GPCA Two Year Strategic Plan to be presented by Coordinating Committee to Summer General Assembly
Item not heard
19) Discussion: GPCA position on amending CA elections code regarding signatures-in-lieu threshold and other related reforms
Feinstein reported that the Legislative Council has prepared draft language based upon the request from Peace and Freedom Party, but there is not bill sponsor at this time.
20) Decision: Place Prop 13 reform endorsement on GA agenda ( Feinstein)
Proposal (Feinstein): That the Coordinating Committee place a statement in support of Prop 13 reform on the GA's agenda (and the text of that statement will follow before Friday's CC meeting)
Close the Commercial Property Loophole
WHEREAS, Proposition 13, passed in 1978, is unfair in that it allows commercial property owners to avoid paying their fair share and has shifted the tax burden to residential property and away from business, including everyday homeowners and working families; and
WHEREAS, the state of California continues to face chronic budget crises in in large part because Proposition 13 has forced the state to rely on more volatile revenue sources than the property tax, like income taxes and sales taxes paid by working families that move in tandem with economic cycles, causing deficits and requiring cuts to vital services that grow our economy and thereby worsening economic downturns;
WHEREAS regularly reassessing non-residential property would, according to an analysis of data provided by the California Board of Equalization, generate at least $6 billion in additional revenue for California, and shift the tax burden from homeowners, renters, and working families to corporations and commercial landholders;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Green Party of California supports commercial property tax reform that will require commercial properties to be reassessed regularly while maintaining residential property owners’ protections under Prop 13; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Green Party of California will communicate this position to Green elected officials.
21) Decision: Proposal to Move Tax Platform Plank from Social Justice to Community-Based Sustainable EconomicsProposal (Feinstein): That the Coordinating Committee place a proposal on the Standing General Assembly agenda to move the Tax Platform Plank from the Social Justice section to the Community-Based Sustainable Economics section.
