Los Altos Rotary Club eNewsletter "Rotator"

Los Altos Rotary Club

Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show

October 25 2012

Writer: Steve Yarbrough - Photographer: Jerry Tomanek - Editor: Cynthia Luedtke 2012-2013 #17

This Thursday's Program

Propositioned for 15 Minutes

Dr. Gloria Hom is a fourth-generation Californian, an economist, professor, lecturer, and community leader. Dr. Hom has received several distinguished awards and has a lifetime record of devoted service with many organizations, including the California State University Board of Trustees, California Board of Education, U.S. Department of Education, the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Service, the Sallie Mae Board and the California and Santa Clara County Republican Party.

She currently holds membership on the Selective Service Board of Governors, and was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the State Teachers’ Retirement System, Board of Directors.

Gloria has visited our club several times in prior election years to provide important review of the propositions on the ballot. She summarized the propositions as follows. Note: These are not recommendations and what follows is meant to be informative not persuasive. Gloria gave the pros and cons, but my pen could barely keep up.

Prop. 30 – An Education Initiative. Raises tax on earners and businesses above $250,000 per year. Includes .25% sales tax increase. Money goes to general fund for public safety, education and debt relief.

Prop. 31 – Tries to make state government more efficient. Establishes a two-year cycle for the budget and requires publication of bills before voting. If new program is established, must find offsetting cuts to other programs. Gives counties more say in how cities spend state funds. Includes performance based budgeting. A lot to digest on this one!

Prop. 32 – A union busting initiative sponsored by SuperPACs, big oil and the Koch brothers. Before a political contribution can be deducted from payroll, requires consent from workers. Corporations and PACS are exempt.

Prop. 33 – Insurance initiative. Sponsored for second time by Mercury Insurance and portends to allow transferability of base premium rates between companies. The catch is you have to have had insurance within 90 days or you lose out. Would exempt the unemployed and veterans.

Prop. 35 – Sex trafficking. Another attempt to be tough on a law enforcement issue. Raises fines and penalties from 5-12 years to 12-25 years. Statewide, this is not much of a problem, mostly in L.A.. Only 18 inmates are currently incarcerated in this state on this offense.

Prop. 36 – Makes the three-strikes law what it was originally intended to mean: three violent felonies and you get 25 to life. No more petty theft third strikes.

Prop. 37 – Requires labeling of genetically processed food. Do you want to be informed about what you are eating? If so, this is a step in that direction. There are some exemptions. Seventy percent of our food on the market is genetically modified.

Prop. 38 – Income tax hike: $54 per year if you are making $25-50k. More on high earners. Will be used to fund education.

Prop. 39 – Sales tax on multi-state business revised and directed to energy development. Will generate $1 billion.

Prop. 40 – Confirming reapportionment that was just completed by the independent committee. No opposition from any party. If it fails, its back to the drawing board.

Measure A – One-eighth percent increase in sales tax to fund county services.

Measure B – Extends property tax for water district services.

Thanks to Dr. Gloria Hom for her summary and don’t forget to vote! (AND BRING YOUR RECIEPT TO THE MEETING THURSDAY! Finemaster is lurking.)

The Meeting Begins
President JOHN SYLVESTER brought the meeting to order at precisely at 12:15. He had no other plans except for it to be a good day. So it was.

John asked Past President LARRY MADSEN to lead Rotarians in the flag salute. SAM HARDING, garbed appropriately, led us in Take Me Out to the Ball Game! GARY BROWN introduced the thought for the day. President Elect JACK KELLY welcomed Jim Lange of Charlotte, N.C., Rotary and Bob Barrett and Gloria Hom of the Palo Alto University Club. There were numerous guests.

Announcements and Reminders:
Treasurer SANDIE WHIPPLE requests all those who have IOUs or unpaid dues to please forward your funds to her ASAP. KENDRA GJERSETH will help you connect if necessary.

FRANK VERLOT reminded us that WCS and PNG both will have booths and displays at the Avenues of Service event.

Announce_GeorgePetroutsas_HarnSoper_GaryLandis

Red Badgers GARY LANDIS, HARN SOPER and GEORGE PETROUTSAS invited all Rotarians to an evening at the Nature Gallery to benefit Pens for Vets, the Red Badge project. Be sure to join them Next Friday after work.

MARLENE COWAN announced that the annual drive to support the Quaniquem Burn Clinic in Chile raised $3,000 which will continue the support of three girls our club has helped for the past few years.

KAILAS CHIDAMBARAM leads this project for our club and again this year we were the biggest supporters of the clinic.

CYNTHIA LUEDTKE was in Giant spirits! She reminded Rotarians that this club is the Giant of the community and that the Rotary Foundation is our franchise. Foundation support is the World Series of Rotary. Cynthia asked each of us to contribute to TRF for an average $200 per member goal.

The club will sweeten the pot toward your Paul Harris Fellow by awarding 200 matching points for a $200.00 minimum contribution. So far the drive’s thermometer has risen to 34 degrees and 58 Rotarians have made a contribution. As is every year, the Club’s goal is 100 percent participation. Any amount counts! District Governor Joe Hamilton will be here next week to hand out pins and honors to those who have pledged or contributed!

PAUL SCHUTZ thanked DAN O’DONNELL for all his work to coordinate the delivery of food to our volunteers at the Rotacare Clinic. Go Dan! Thanks!

Finemaster KURT HUEG nibbled a nickel here and a dime there from TED SORENSEN, LEM SUMMEY, CHUCK LINDAUER, SAM HARDING, JERRY TOMANEK and TAYLOR ROBINSON.

Rotary Peace Fellow Ryan
It was a pleasure to get to know such a wonderful ambassador of peace – inspired by Rotary

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM: DISTRICT GOVERNOR JOE HAMILTON