Meeting of 9 July, 2016 | Libertarian Party of San Francisco

Meeting of 9 July, 2016

Author: 
Francoise Fielding
Libertarian Party of San Francisco Agenda:  Saturday, July 9, 2016
Meeting Location:  San Francisco Main Library – 4th Floor Conference Room

1. Welcome – Introductions 3:05-3:10
2. Activist Reports – Past & Future 3:11-3:30
3. Announcements 3:31-3:50
4. Membership/Newsletter Report 3:51-3:55
5. Treasurer’s Report (Bank & PayPal) 3:56-4:00
6. Pride 2016 Report 4:01-4:15
7. November Election Ballot Measures 4:16-4:45
8. Pride Poster Promotion (Phil) 4:46-5:00
Libertarian Party of San Francisco Minutes: Saturday, July 9, 2016

Attending: Aubrey Freedman (Chair), Leslie Mangus (Treasurer), Françoise Fielding (Recording), Edward Morris, Mike Denny, Phil Berg, Starchild (arrived 4 pm), Angelo Valli, Tatsiana (Guest of Michael Denny)

1.       Welcome – Introductions

Ed Morris joined the party (July 7th) because he saw that Gary Johnson is in favor of term limits, in particular a single 6 year term for the President. He is 91 years old and has been very active for 30 years in trying to get term limits for public officials. He was asked to get the Iranian hostages released. He has appeared on television shows and written books. He has also been a Regent of the University of California and Alumni President of UCLA and Berkeley alumni.

Angelo Valli (18 years old) came because he saw our booth at Pride.

Tatsiana (Michael Denny’s guest) is from Belarus. There is a liberty movement there but they don’t participate in elections. She was working for an organization that published comics about Alexander Lukashenko. They were raided and the comics confiscated.

2.       Activist Reports – Past & Future

Françoise helped set up the booth at Pride on Saturday.

Leslie sets up our books (accounting).

Angelo talks to people a lot. He is only 18 but has always been interested in History. He studied Economics at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco and finds he has to use the Internet a lot to get the information he needs because he doesn’t get it from friends or teachers. He tries to “piss off” complacent people on Facebook.

Phil commissioned a poster for Pride from his best friend’s daughter. She did a great poster of a transgender Statue of Liberty with a Gay Pride torch and a tablet in her hand that says Rothbard.

Mike worked the Pride booth and is always talking about Liberty. On July 4th he, Tatiana and Françoise attended a Libertarian event which was more about learning from other Libertarians than spreading the word.

Ed has done nothing recently but was previously the Chair of Business Executives for Peace. He organized protest marches with Joan Baez against the war in Vietnam.

Aubrey worked Pride and sent out the Newsletter. He attended a Plan Bay Area event a few weeks ago. He distributed anti-Plan Bay Area flyers outside and then attended the meeting and spoke to two of the “experts”.

3.       Announcements

The 2016 Free Market Road Show- ‘The American Dream” and “The Self-organizing & Sharing Society- The Infinity Club Lounge- 333 Main St (between Folsom and Harrison)- Tuesday, July 12- 5:30-8 PM

Golden Gate Liberty Revolution- Monthly Meeting- Moksha Life Center- 405 Sansome Street- Monday, July 18- 7-9 PM

LPCA- Booth at California State Fair- 1600 Exposition Blvd. in Sacramento- July 8-24 (need volunteers)

Free Exchange- Most likely will be a pure social this time- Jim Elwoods’s in Park Merced- Saturday, August 6-7-11:00 PM

Joel Engardio (a liberty-minded Democrat) is a candidate for Supervisor. His campaign is having a picnic tomorrow at 2 PM near Lowell High School at the Rolph Nicol Playground, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive.

PRI’s Young Leader Circle is looking for young people from 21-40 years old. There will be an event at Maritime Wine Tasting Studio- 222 Columbus Avenue- on July 13th.

4.       Membership/Newsletter Report

Aubrey just got the Newsletter out. He says for some reason this time it took him forever.

We have 20 lifetime members and 22 regular members so we are up 2 members.

5.       Treasurer’s Report

As of June 30th we have $5,567.41 in the bank.

Our income as of that date is $1,076.80 which is more than our income in all of last year.

6.       Pride 2016 Report

Michael Whitty stooped by our booth. He is interested in the cannabis movement. He would like to organize a joint event between the cannabis movement and Libertarians for the Fall. Aubrey will give his contact information to Starchild.

The Wheel worked well. Some of the things that are against the law in San Francisco are: sitting on the sidewalk, storing your bicycle in a garage, burning wood in your fireplace from November through February, having moldy leftovers in your refrigerator, giving away free toys in a restaurant, kids selling lemonade without a permit, not separating your trash, giving relatives a rabbit, walking four or more dogs without a permit. It is  not against the law yet in San Francisco to lead a tour without a permit or walk down the street without a government ID.

Michael Denny thought that this year there were more people in the libertarian quadrant in the World’s Smallest Political Quiz. Aubrey thought that was true as of Saturday night but by Sunday night he thought the numbers were the same as in previous years.

7.       November Election Ballot Measures

There may be as many as 39 ballot measures in November but right now it is hard to tell exactly what they will be. A good number of them have been submitted but are still awaiting signatures. Regular measures have to be finalized by August 2nd, and Declarations by August 5th. Arguments are due August 18th. Our next meeting is August 13th.

Aubrey suggested concentrating on the measures that are likely to make it.

Charter Amendment- Sixteen and Seventeen-Year-Old Voting for Municipal Elections There was some disagreement about this with some people suggesting this is one we should stay out of. Angelo is against this measure based on his knowledge of people in this age group. Starchild is for it and will draft an argument in favor.

San Francisco Community College District November 8, 2016 Parcel Tax Election In 2012 they wanted a $79 parcel tax for 8 years. Now they are back wanting an increase to $99 for 15 years starting in 2017. We opposed this measure in 2012 and will continue to oppose it. Leslie will work on this argument.

Initiative Ordinance: Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: would place a tax of one cent per ounce on sugar-sweetened beverages. The distributors of sugar-sweetened beverages in San Francisco would be responsible for paying the tax. The measure is likely to pass but we oppose it. Phil will work on this argument.

Initiative Ordinance - Promotion of Safe and Open Sidewalks Provides for a 24 hour notice before removing a tent encampment on a sidewalk and the obligation to provide housing in a navigation center.

This was not discussed because at 5 PM people had to leave and the meeting ended.