| Four city council members, Ritterman, McLaughlin, Butt and Rogers, attended and gave strong support to the campaign. We know we are having an impact because Chevron sent a couple of people as did the Chamber of Commerce, BAPAC, and some other Chevron friendly groups to check us out. The Globe and the Contra Costa Times had staff at the meeting. | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
|
|
|
Jeff Ritterman presented the big picture of what is happening in society and how ordinary people and their communities are being squeezed while the wealthiest are increasing their share at a rate not seen since before the Great Depression. |
Jovanka Beckles chaired the meeting and asked for a moment of silence for the residents of Haiti and for all the people who have struggled for basic justice. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Millie Cleveland of SEIU 121 said that this would come before her local which has supported the progressive movement in Richmond. |
Rev. Ken Davis from North Richmond gave his support. |
Michael deWall musically raged against unfairness. |
|
|
|
|
Marilyn Langlois answered questions about the history of the tax and how Chevron got the perk. |
Mayor Gayle McLaughlin explained how the utility tax fit in with other measures in the city and made a pleas for a better vision of what Richmond could be by taking matters into our on hands instead of selling ourselves to developers. Juan Reardon explained that the actual ballot letter would not be assigned until this summer, but we are starting organzing for it now. |
|
|
|  |
|
Eli Weiner Rogers suggest that perhaps Chevron should face criminal penalties for lying about its taxes. (Chevron had switched to percentage payment on its Utility Use tax and paid a lot less until the City demanded a review of Chevron’s books.) |
Dr. Henry Clark of West County Toxics Coalition addressed the group. |
Tom Butt described how the oil company went after him legally and financially more than 20 years ago for challenging its claims about how much it owed the city. |
 |
|
 |
|
Corky Booze pointed out that it did no good to get this money for the city and then turn it over to people who want to effectively give it back to Chevron. Tom Waller of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce gave us the benefit of his views on the subject. |
Jerome Smith put the issue to poetry. |
Jim Rogers explained how a Committee to save Richmond schools was backing the measure and also trying to get support for an advisory measure that the money raised from a fair UUT should go for the schools |
|
|
|
|
Peter Minkwitz of the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council asked questions regarding the impact of this measure on residents who put solar on their roofs. (Answer; The measure does not change anything in the current tax except take away Chevron’s ability to choose to limit how much it will pay and clarifies that this applies to all energy used.) More answers are on the website www.endchevronsperks.org |
Michael Beer testified how the door-to-door work of campaigns was inspiring, and helped you understand your community better |
|
More than 70 people crowded into the room to get more information or help kick-off the campaign to End Chevron’s special cap on its utility tax rate. The meeting, sponsored by the RPA, was impressive for its enthusiasm for this campaign as well as its broadness and diversity neighborhood organizations, unions, groups fighting Chevron on its pollution and environmental policies.