March Central Committee election results

by Robert Giedt

The elections on March 7 for San Mateo County Central Committee were very close, and it was great to see everyone's name on the ballot. Creating political awareness, even if it's in this limited forum, is an important first step. The election results are below (top 8 were elected):

On one of the other ballot measures, Proposition 26 (the initiative to lower bond measures to a simple majority), it was interesting to note that only 29% of San Mateo County voters voted one way or the other on the measure. It didn't even get a majority in the county if you take into account all the abstentions. In voters statewide it was extremely close--although less than 49% of the voters who bothered to turn out voted for the initiative, it's reasonable to assume the proponents of the initiative will attempt a similar ballot measure in the future.

PAVE2000 appeal for November ballot

Help get the government out of the business of education
by Jack Hickey

Friends in Liberty, I ask for your help. As a 65 year-old retired Research Scientist, I have been spending most of my time fighting tax and spend bureaucrats on both sides of the political aisle.

Recently, with assistance from the LPSM and Margret Schmidt who ran with me as a candidate for the San Mateo County Community College District, we were able to defeat their $148,000,000 Bond Measure.

Now, we are being barraged with bond proposals evidenced by the taxpayer funded "voter surveys" of the Redwood City School District and the SMCCCD.

My opponents in the Senate Election in November (none of us was challenged in the Primary) are Gloria Hom (R) and Byron Sher (D). Their campaign accounts have $100,000, and $1,000,000 in them, respectively. Both are supporters of the status quo (s/b grow!) in the Government School system. This system consumes nearly half the State budget, and defies accountability.

My campaign will have as its centerpiece, a proposed Initiative Constitutional Amendment with petitions to be circulated over the Internet. The Initiative, known as the Performance Accountability Voucher for Education (see www.PAVE2000.com):

• Gets Government out of the Education business.
• Eliminates Compulsory School Attendance Laws
• Reduces Property Taxes by paying off bonded indebtedness with proceeds from divestiture of properties, and restoring these properties to the assessment rolls. (5-year phaseout of government ownership)
• Targets charter schools and their promoters, day care operators and teams of entrepreneurial teachers and administrators, as means for an orderly transition to market oriented schools.
• Directs Legislature to facilitate privately funded teacher housing on school grounds to overcome local bureaucratic red tape.
• Provides up to 20 year transitional period to restore responsibility and authority to parents for the education of their children.
• Reduces Sales Taxes to near zero over that period as the Voucher value is reduced to zero in equal increments.
• Reduces housing costs by obviating the need for developer impact fees

I am asking for your support in my effort to qualify PAVE2000 for the ballot. Petitions are now available in PDF format on the Internet. Details can be found on-line at http://www.PAVE2000.com. You can help by promoting this website to friends, coworkers and acquaintances, or by sending a contribution to PAVE2000. Ask about t-shirts and signs.

Sincerely,

John J. "Jack" Hickey
PAVE2000
243 Ferndale Way
Emerald Hills, CA 94062
650/368-5722

April meeting notes

by Christopher Schmidt

The following are the notes for April's meeting only (­Ed).

Officers change roles

At the Annual Meeting in January, J.R. and I traded offices to "learn by doing" each other's jobs, in the name of self-improvement. But by the April executive committee meeting, we had decided to return to our previous roles, since our experiment was getting in the way of overall efficacy. We lived and learned! The excomm voted 5--0--0 (Y--N--A) to appoint us to our old posts provisionally. At the May central committee meeting, there will be a pro forma election to certify the swap.

Vacant officer elections?

If there is interest, we may also hold elections to fill some of the vacant offices. It's not too late for you to step forward!

Dinner conversation

The dinner conversation prior to the meeting was dominated by one topic: "What does libertarian philosophy have to say about the Elián González affair?" (In the end, no point of view prevailed.)

PAVE2000 in the press

Jack reported that the Redwood City Almanac printed a press release regarding LPSM endorsement of his PAVE2000 initiative. (The executive committee voted 2--0--1 at the March meeting to express approval of efforts to put this measure on the state ballot.)

Jack further reported to us that the Independent Newspaper Group contacted him to comment on the filing of yet another initiative to repeal the state constitution's requirement of 2/3 voter approval for certain bond issues. Our efforts to oppose various bond scams have earned us recognition as the voice of opposition to public indebtedness!

Libertarian social night in the planning stages

We then spent a good amount of time exploring ways to use J.R.'s time with the LPSM in a more rewarding way. The result is that he'll be leading a new activity (on another night) in future months, which could be a debate, a speaker event, or a facilitated conversation regarding libertarianism as a problem-solving framework. He'll be announcing more details in the future. I'm looking forward to this more social activity with great enthusiasm!

Tax day protest

Stephen Holly came to the meeting to invite us to his annual tax protest at a Palo Alto Post office April 17. He has shown great dedication to this time-honored demonstration year after year.

PAVE2000 for May meeting

At the May central committee meeting, we may entertain motions to formally endorse PAVE2000 and/or a county initiative to require district election of supervisors.

Next meeting of the LP of San Mateo County:

Tuesday, May 9
Hobee's Restaurant (Directions to Hobee's)
1111 Shoreway Road, Belmont; just off Ralston, on the bay side of Highway 101
Dinner and informal discussion: 6:00--7:30pm in the reserved dining room
Business meeting: 7:30--8:45pm in the dining room alcove.