Berkeley

Berkeley Passes First Soda Tax in the Nation

Published

9 years ago

November 6, 2014

After all the ferocious campaigning leading up to Election Day, opponents of Berkeley’s soda tax did not have a chance – 75.12 percent of the city’s voters went for Measure D, which taxes distributors of sugary drinks at a rate of one cent per ounce.

“Yes on D” supporters rallied on election night at the campaign headquarters in downtown Berkeley awaiting results.

The crowd, which included grassroots campaign workers and community activists, gathered to express their gratitude towards the community and to the campaign leaders.

Speakers of the event included Dr. Vicki Alexander, Martin Bourque, Dr. Xavier Morales, and Larry Tramutola.

According to Josh Daniels of Berkeley Healthy Child Coalition, “Yes on D” handed out 2,000 lawn signs and counted 10,000 unofficial yes votes before election. He said this “campaign was special” because of the diversity and support coming from all corners of the city.

Josh Daniels

Solidarity was pivotal for the “Yes on D” campaign, said Martin Bourque, executive director of the Ecology Center. “It’s rare that we have such consensus about political issues in Berkeley. In spite of the fact that we’re in a deep drought in California, there’s no shortage of opinions,” he said.

Berkeley’s Measure D imposes a 1-cent-per-ounce general tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and sweeteners used to flavor drinks. The measure did not dedicate funding to a specific cause and required only a majority of the vote.

Similarly, Berkeley’s measure makes exemptions for diet drinks, milk products, 100 percent juice, baby formula, alcoholic drinks taken for medical reasons, and sugary drinks and sweeteners distributed to very small retailers.

The ballot measures instigated massive spending by Big Soda. The opposition, which TIME noted was almost entirely funded by the American Beverage Association, raised $9.1 million in San Francisco and $2.4 million in Berkeley, a hefty campaign price tag in a city of just 116,000 “The amount of money spent in Berkeley was outrageous, and represents a very negative trend in politics where outside interests are pouring in outrageous amounts of money, and I think people did have a reaction to that on this topic, and to the issue in general,” Bourque said.

When it comes to money and politics, he said “A big budget alone doesn’t make you right.”

In a report by The Daily Californian, the next steps for Tom Bates, Mayor of Berkeley and supporter of Measure D, is to work with the City Council and decide how to best allocate the collected revenue.

A similar bill in San Francisco, Proposition E, did not pass. The bill, which needed a two-thirds majority to pass, received only 54.5 percent of the vote.

Related Topics:Berkeley City government Measure D Politics Soda Tax

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The Multicultural Institute Honored as 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year

The Multicultural Institute (MI) has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Assembly District 14, which includes Richmond. The nonprofit’s Executive Director Mirna Cervantes and Senior Programs Director Rudy Lara attended a luncheon at the State Capitol in Sacramento earlier this month, where they were honored with a resolution and met with Assemblymember Wicks to mark the occasion.

Published

3 months ago

June 25, 2023

Oakland Post

Representatives of the Multicultural Institute hold the resolution given to them by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. Photo courtesy of the Multicultural Institute.

By Kathy Chouteau

The Multicultural Institute (MI) has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks of Assembly District 14, which includes Richmond.

The nonprofit’s Executive Director Mirna Cervantes and Senior Programs Director Rudy Lara attended a luncheon at the State Capitol in Sacramento earlier this month, where they were honored with a resolution and met with Assemblymember Wicks to mark the occasion.

MI is “one of the nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for their outstanding contributions to the communities they serve,” said the nonprofit in a statement.

The nonprofit—which has offices in Richmond, Berkeley and Redwood City—envisions a community where immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, are valued in their live/work communities, per the statement.

To this end, MI provides an array of services including job placement assistance for day laborers and domestic workers, immigration/health support, weekly food distributions, after school tutoring, adult education courses, day laborer housing and more centered on serving immigrant families.

Cervantes, said that “The Multicultural Institute’s staff and Board of Directors work daily to improve the lives of day laborers, domestic workers and their families and we are deeply humbled to be recognized by California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks as a 2023 Nonprofit of the Year.”

Learn more about the organization at https://mionline.org/

Bay Area

Renew your residential parking permit before July 1

Use our parking permit portal to renew your residential parking permit or sign up for a new one by June 30, when 2022-2023 permits expire. Starting July 1, you will need a 2023-2024 permit to avoid getting ticketed in Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) areas.

Published

3 months ago

June 25, 2023

Oakland Post

Renew online, in person, or by mail; existing permits expire June 30, 2023.

Use our parking permit portal to renew your residential parking permit or sign up for a new one by June 30, when 2022-2023 permits expire.

Starting July 1, you will need a 2023-2024 permit to avoid getting ticketed in Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) areas.

Residents with a 2023 permit should have received a renewal notice letter by May 1 with instructions. If you did not receive a notice, use the parking permit portal to renew an existing permit or apply for a new one.

If you do not renew your permit before July 1, 2023 you’ll need to submit a new permit application, including your photo ID and current vehicle registration.

Use our parking permit portal to renew your existing permit, apply for a new permit, or get one-day digital visitor permits. One-day digital visitor permits are valid for 24 hours from the time of activation. A hangtag visitor permit for a single day or 14 days can be purchased in person at the Customer Service Center.

RENEW YOUR PERMIT ONLINE

Most residents can use their existing login information to renew parking permits on the portal.

Some residents may need to use a link code from their renewal letter to renew their permits. If you lost the letter, request the code by calling 311 inside Berkeley limits or (510) 981-2489.

If your renewal has incorrect information, such as listing the wrong RPP area, use the portal to apply for a new permit online. Likewise, residents whose permits are labeled “Suspended” in the online portal must re-apply to verify residency.

New online applications will be approved in 5-7 business days, and you will receive a confirmation receipt via email when your application is submitted and again once it is approved. Permits are not valid until an application has been approved and payment is received.

RENEW BY MAIL OR IN-PERSON

To renew by mail, fill out the payment coupon included with your renewal letter, enclose payment by check or money order, and send it to the address listed in the letter, City of Berkeley RPP Permit Renewal, PO Box 29, Berkeley CA 94701.

To renew in person, bring your renewal letter to the Customer Service Center to complete the purchase.

In-person purchases may be completed by cash, check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard.

APPLY FOR A NEW PERMIT

If you need to re-apply for a permit, you may do so via the parking permit portal, in person, or by mail.

If applying by mail, download the application and mail the completed forms with your supporting documents and payment by check or money order to:

City of Berkeley Customer Service Center
1947 Center St, 1st floor
Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

If applying in person, bring your proof of residency documents to the Customer Service Center to fill out an application and purchase a permit by cash, check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard.

Note that permits are not valid until an application has been approved and payment is received. A mailed application will take longer to process.

Online or in-person renewals are the safest ways to avoid a ticket.

ENFORCED THROUGH LICENSE PLATES, NOT STICKERS

Once your application has been approved, your license plate will be your permit. You will not receive a sticker in the mail.

Parking enforcement officers have been using license plate readers since 2016. This database is a closed system, not linked to any other database, such as DMV databases. Violation data is kept for one year. Our privacy policy is that no data is kept for more than 30 days unless we act, such as through a citation or violation found.

Be sure to renew your permit online, by mail, or in person by June 30.

Bay Area

National Night Out 2023

National Night Out is back for 2023. This event is planned for Tuesday, August 1st and registration is now open. This year the event is planned for its usual day, the first Tuesday in August. For 2023 that means Tuesday, August 1st. We have updated the registration process this year with a new interactive map to assist you in finding an event in your area.

Published

3 months ago

June 24, 2023

Oakland Post

National Night Out 2023

National Night Out is back for 2023. This event is planned for Tuesday, August 1st and registration is now open.

This year the event is planned for its usual day, the first Tuesday in August. For 2023 that means Tuesday, August 1st. We have updated the registration process this year with a new interactive map to assist you in finding an event in your area.

To register for this year’s event, visit: https://berkeleypd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/aaf21f4d73ff47f8a258896cd1cefb0a

If you register an event, make sure to also apply for a block party permit if applicable. A link to directions to apply is in the registration.

We are looking forward to another great event. We hope to see you on August 1st for National Night Out 2023!

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