Berkeley

2530 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 843-8824  Email us

 Call to Annual Meeting

Thursday, May 26, 2011, 5:00–8:30 pm
Northbrae Community Church
941 The Alameda, Berkeley

Hear Journalist Peter Schrag on
“How We Made The Mess, and How We Might Fix It”
(You may hear a 58 minute MP3 audio recording of the talk, by clicking on this link)

As California faces the effects of almost unimaginable budget cuts in the fiscal year that begins on July 1, we scan our daily papers attempting to learn if state government will be able to limit the damage.

Our speaker, Peter Schrag, will help us put this unfolding calamity into perspective as he talks about how we got into this mess, and how we might emerge from it. Mr. Schrag, a lifelong journalist, served for 19 years as the Sacramento Bee editorial page editor until he retired in 1996. From then until 2009, he wrote a weekly column for the Bee. Currently, he writes a weekly piece, published each Monday, for the California Progress Report blog. As background for Mr. Schrag’s talk, you may read his most recent posts via links at:

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/taxonomy/term/123

We also recommend two recent columns in the Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/02/3441689/state-gops-last-chance-to-make.html

and

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/29/3510304/has-brown-let-himself-become-obama.html

When he last spoke to us at our annual meeting in 1998, Mr. Schrag surveyed the history of the initiative process in California, explaining how it had been transformed from a check on the moneyed interests into a vehicle for them. He described how initiatives have had the effect of reducing public services because the state’s voters are by and large not the consumers of those services. Now, thirteen years later, the process he described then seems to be reaching its logical, if largely unwanted, conclusion. Come hear him as he helps us make sense of the mess in which we find ourselves, and perhaps points to a way out.

At the dinner hour, 5:30-6:30 pm, our member and chef, Rainey Sykes, is planning three salads (Chicken, Caesar and Vegetarian); fresh bread and butter; lemonade, decaf, tea and water; with hot fudge sundaes for dessert. If you’ve been to recent League meetings, you already know how indescribably good Rainey’s dinners are; if you haven’t, come and find out. You will not be disappointed. To help Rainey know how much food to prepare, please phone the office (843-8824) or e-mail (office@lwvbae.org) before May 20 to tell us how many dinner reservations you’d like to make. Dinner is $15 per person, payable with check or cash at the door when you arrive. Also, if you’d like to help with dinner setup and/or clean up, please contact Jane Coulter (524-0525 or e-mail tcoulter2@comcast.net).

During the business meeting, 7:30-8:30 pm, we will elect our new officers, adopt a new budget and set the program for the coming League year. Your attendance and your votes will help ensure that we are moving in the right direction. You may read the Annual Meeting Kit by clicking this link.