PRELIM TEXT. We are disappointed but unduanted, the struggle will continue.8/14/08
The summer is coming to its end, and election time is upon us again. Here in Sacramento, California we have a close Mayoral race as well as some key school board positions coming up. The mayoral race is close and the campaign is heating up. The encumbent, Heather Fargo, has been out pounding the pavement, reaching out and getting down with her constituents like never before. The challenger, Kevin Johnson, has used his fame as a basketball player, and his wealth and connections, more than his community contacts, to get to this point. Kevin has only appeared a few times in the community or at various community organization's meetings. Heather has been at every community group, and other organizational meetings, rubbing sholders with community members and leaders. Kevin has played the community link when it was neccessary to his campaign, but for the most part has been a no-show, even at debates. However, his money and his media contacts have kept him on the public's mind, and his community contacts have presented him as the "brother" coming home to make a difference. Our experience with him really puts that to question. Well, whoever wins will be on the hot seat, and will be expected to really be responsive to the community. Hm! Yeah! Right!
Our website is slowy (very slowly) coming together. We are going to extend our news section and are looking for people who want to get involved in media. So if you want to be a reporter, like doing graphics, cartoons, or we stuff, contact us by email or by phone.
JRC GENERAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 6TH
Beause of people's summer schedules there were no general meetings. Our next general meeting will be September 6th, 2008. We have been having our committee and community meetings. Check the Members page for the various times and places of our meetings.
JRC COMMUNITY INVESTIGATORS WANTED
Do you love those CSI programs? Do you follow news events in the community and feel frustrated at the lack of info, and the way things are handled and presented to the community. Do you like getting to the crux of things. Does the way law enforcement handle itself in the community frustrate you? Would you like working with community advocates, and community members to make a difference? Then you might really like becoming a community investigator for the JRC. Join and become a part of our Community Investigation Service We will be sponsoring three styles of investigators; incident investigators, forensic investigators, and event monitors.
JRC Elk Grove Community Defense Group
The situation in Elk Grove is out of control. The police profiling, harrassment, arrest, and violation of the rights of minority youth in Elk Grove is epidemic and must be stopped. The random stops and searches, the arrests at work and school, the unneccessary and unwarranted prosecutions by the DA only to be dismissed is common place in this City in trouble. Add to this the rush to validate youth as gang members when their not, identify problems as "gang related" when their not, and police officers that have no respect or oversite, you have a volitile mix for abuse and civil rights violations.
Too many frustrated parents are dealing with the negative efffects of this mix on their children, families and communities. The school system is adding to this mix helping law enforcement validate youth as gang members and affiliates, and allowing arrests and detentions at school. The collusion between the Elk Grove PD and the Elk Grove School District and Board has alienated parents. Locking them out of meetings and from school campuses when they question and object to the violations their rights and those of their children. Several of these parents have come to the JRC for our help to organize. So, we are forming the Elk Grove Commuity Defense Group, which will consist of Elk Grove residents organizing to help each other to stop this abuse of the Elk Grove minority community, as well as be an oversite body for Elk Grove its officials and government.
The group will be meeting at the September 6th JRC meeting. We will have more contact info here soon. If you've had a problem with Elk Grove PD, or school officials contact the JRC and let us know.
Sacramento County - Property Tax Caper - UPDATE
For years Sacramento County has been engaged in a policy that the JRC belives is illegal and unconstitutional. The County has been seizing property under the California property Tax codes for non-property tax items, and charging userous penalty fees, with a redemption program that is worse than a credit card, or loan company and discriminates against the poor. The JRC is banding with some tax reform groups to challenge this practice. For more details read the article in our issues section. We will be conducting a townhall meeting on this subject soon.
WEST SAC STRIKE BACK CAMPAIGN
Judge Allows Preliminary Injunction.
Judge Kathleen White ruled for the Yolo County DA, and allowed the preliminary injunction. You can read the text of the ruling here. PRELIM TEXT. We are disappointed but unduanted, the struggle will continue.
JRC To Initiate Police Watch Program
In response to granting of the preliminary injunction, and because of the way WSPD acted during and directly after the last injunction was in place, the JRC along with West Sac activists and community members will institute a police watch program in West Sac. If you are served under the injunction or to report abuse call 916 760-7106. or email westsacstrikeback@justicereformcoalition.org.
Training will begin in July for community response team members. Community response team members will respond to complaints of abuseand injunction service, by collecting information for our community investigators and legal team. People interested in this program should contact Rev. Odeye at 916 760-7106. Flyers will be distributed about the program. Stay tuned for more info.
Recall and Defeat Mayor Cabaldon
Now that we have helped to keep Chris Cabaldon out of the Assembly, it's time to take it to the next level and recall Mayor Calbaldon and prevent him from another term as West Sacramento Mayor.
Mayor Cabaldon has proven himself to be a friend to developers and certain business interests, not to the people of West Sacramento. There has been no improvement to the schools. He has puppeted the rehtoric of the district attorney and police in order to get an unwanted injunction against a nonexistent gang over an area that developers are salivating for. During his campaign he used deceitful means to get enough votes to get the Democratic Party nomination and backing for his Assembly run. He has done nothing for the homeless or disenfranchised people of West Sac. Even as a gay man he has done nothing for the LGBT community, and only recently came out as gay to try and garner their support. He has been a bane to union folks, and had the audacity to speak at a rally in support of UC Davis workers, after crossing their picket lines and not honoring their cause until it became expediant for his campaign.
This is the kind of politics and politician which has been the norm for West Sacramento for too long. Its time for a change. We need someone who cares for the city and its people, not just advancing their own career. So, begins the search for somone the community can support for Mayor. It's time for Cabaldon to go away!