As one of your representatives to the California Democratic Party from Assembly District 1, (which goes from Sonoma County to Oregon) this is to let you know that I am going to the convention in LA this coming weekend.

There are a number of efforts that would affect the North Coast directly. One, is the drive to create a Food and Agriculture caucus. The creation of this caucus would be a way to link both urban and rural interests, instead of leaving this topic to be covered by the Rural Caucus (of which I am a member). Our county is an example of consumers and producers, both, involved in these issues.

The Rural Caucus has too much on its plate. Our District, in particular, presents a complex picture. We have a variety of crops and livestock, as well as fishing. Yes, including pot, (and we should be growing hemp) and timber. It would be great to deal with these issues in the proposed Food and Ag caucus, so that the Rural Caucus can look at issues concerning rural schooling, rural drug abuse, rural employment, rural transportation, government lands, and so on. There is an Environmental Caucus, of which I am also a member, and it has the plus of dealing with both rural and urban issues, but, all too often, food and ag questions end up there. The most important question for the Environmental Caucus should be WATER right now.

On another front, I will be working very hard on getting the party to endorse Proposition 15.—The California Fair Elections Act. This endorsement will help greatly in the context of the June 8 election, where turn out will be spotty and voters will rely upon quality recommendations.

Regarding fancy parties, I plan to go to the Progressive Caucus’s event where Jim Hightower will be speaking. I think the first time I heard him speak was in the mid 70’s and he may still have been Railroad Commissioner!

I do plan to report back from the convention. Our region is coordinated by Debra Broner, who is from Del Norte County. I look forward to working with her and all of the other Region 2 delegates to keep the interests of the North Coast in mind.

Deborah Dobish