Featured events- 03/10/2012 - Ton Koopman & The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
- 02/27/2012 - Classical at the Freight: Rossini Birthday Celebration
- 02/23/2012 - Michio Kaku: Physics of the Future, How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100
- 02/23/2012 - 2012: a Turning Point? And If So, Which Way?: A Talk by Robert Reich
- 02/19/2012 - Takacs Quartet
Category Archives: Government
Berkeley’s Mayor lays groundwork for reelection bid
Mayor Tom Bates this week filed the necessary campaign finance forms that would enable him to run for reelection this November.
“I had to file the report, but I’m not officially running for reelection,” Bates told Berkeleyside. “I will make an announcement in the next couple of weeks.”
Bates, who is 73, has been mayor for ten years, serving one two-year term, followed by two four-year terms.
According to Acting City Clerk Mark Numainville, there is an important distinction between required campaign finance forms and the paperwork necessary to become a qualified candidate. The form Bates filed allows him to raise or spend money, but nothing else.
“It doesn’t commit you to run and it doesn’t qualify you as a candidate,” Numainville said.
Bates’ wife, State Senator Loni Hancock, preceded him in the Berkeley mayor’s office where she served for two terms. No other names have yet emerged as candidates for mayor. … Continue reading »
New addition to North Branch library almost complete
While the reopening of the north branch of the Berkeley Public Library is still three to four months away, its new contours are apparent. Construction crews have completed the building and painting of two-story addition to the building, which will house a new multipurpose room, a teen reading area, and a staff room. … Continue reading »
Tagged North Branch library
Berkeley files suit against owner of blighted Telegraph lot
The city of Berkeley has filed a lawsuit against Ken Sarachan, telling him they intend to seize his lot at the intersection of Telegraph and Haste to pay off the $640,000 he owes in liens and interest.
Berkeley filed the suit against the businessman in Alameda County Superior Court on January 28th and served Sarachan’s place of business, Rasputin Records, on Monday, according to Zach Cowan, the city attorney.
“The city is alleging that Mr. Sarachan has not lived up to his agreement to pursue development of the site in a diligent and timely manner,” said Cowan. “As a result, we want to recover the liens we offered to waive if he did so.”
Mr. Sarachan could not be reached for comment. The suit also names Laurie Brown, his wife, as a co-defendant since California is a community property state. … Continue reading »
City council to consider switch from Wells Fargo
Update, 01.31.12: Wells Fargo spokesperson Ruben Pulido sent us the following statement at 4:30 pm today:
“Wells Fargo is committed to the city of Berkeley. We are working with local leaders to support the community and help people who are facing financial challenges. Over the past three years, Wells Fargo has donated more than $3 million to 89 nonprofits in Berkeley. Wells Fargo works diligently with customers to find solutions that prevent foreclosures. Over the past year, less than 2% of homeowner-occupied loans in our servicing portfolio have proceeded to foreclosure sale. Wells Fargo currently owns less than 10 properties in the Berkeley market.”
Original story: The City of Berkeley might switch its banking from Wells Fargo, seen as one of the major banks at the heart of the financial crisis and mortgage meltdown.
At tomorrow night’s City Council meeting, a proposal by Jesse Arreguín and Darryl Moore asks staff to evaluate shifting the city’s banking relationship from Wells Fargo when the current contract expires at the end of 2012.
“We have a responsibility to show we are investing the taxpayers’ money not only in a fiscally responsible way, but in a socially responsible way,” said Arreguín. “We want to do business with someone who invests in our community.” … Continue reading »
Berkeley property company in court over deposits
A Berkeley property company that has refused to return the security deposits of a number of former tenants agreed Wednesday to make some reparation.
Cleo and Eula Lekas, the mother and daughter behind Lekas & Associates, agreed to pay Alyson Sato $2,487 by Jan. 31, according to City Councilmember Kriss Worthington. The two sides reached the agreement after a two-hour, closed-door meeting in front of a judge in an Alameda County courtroom.
The resolution, if carried out, would end a 19-month-old fight over the return of Sato’s security deposit, a disagreement that made its way into small claims court, prompted a protest outside a meeting of the Berkeley Property Owners’ Association, led to a demonstration in front of the Lekas’ home in Oakland, and led the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Cleo Lekas.
“The landlord has now agreed to pay Alyson by January 31 and she has signed a document, witnessed by the judge, that the check will be in the mail and received by Jan. 31st,” said Worthington. … Continue reading »
Alameda County bans use of some plastic bags
The Alameda County Waste Authority voted Wednesday to ban the use of plastic bags at pharmacies and grocery stores county-wide, starting in 2013.
The authority, which also goes by the name Stopwaste.org, also voted to require businesses and multi-family dwellings to recycle all “high-market value materials,” as part of an initiative to reduce waste going the landfill.
The plastic bag ban will apply to 2,000 stores around the county. The ban does not include restaurants or retail stores. … Continue reading »
Will Berkeley pass a plastic bag ban soon?
Kriss Worthington is tired of waiting.
More than six years ago, the Berkeley councilmember suggested that the city ban the use of plastic grocery bags.
At the time, the idea was new and Worthington liked the notion of Berkeley leading the nation by passing an environmentally friendly law.
Since then, more than 100 cities, counties and countries have banned the use of plastic grocery bags. In 2007, San Francisco was the first city in the country to pass legislation outlawing the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and pharmacy chains.
Berkeley has done nothing.
“It’s an important environmental policy,” said Worthington. “To me, it’s sort of embarrassing that it was proposed in Berkeley before anywhere else. Now all these other places have policies. It’s time we get a policy.” … Continue reading »
Commission aims for more transparency in elections
Berkeley’s Fair Campaign Practices Commission will consider changes to local campaign laws on Thursday that members hope will bring greater transparency to election finances.
The commission will consider adding new restrictions on independent committees, which are defined as groups spending money independently rather than in coordination with a candidate or measure. While the 1974 Berkeley Election Reform Act prohibits businesses from contributing to a candidate, and limits individuals to a $250 donation, businesses and other interested parties can set up separate independent committees that accept unlimited donations. The independent committees can then use those funds in support of ballot measures and candidates.
The proposed law would require any independent committee spending $1,000 or more on a ballot measure to notify the City Clerk’s office of that expenditure within 24 hours. The City Clerk would then be required to post that expenditure online within two business days, and to alert those affected by the expenditure. The law would apply 40 days prior to an election. … Continue reading »
City defers redistricting, plans charter amendment
Redistricting in Berkeley will be deferred to 2013 after a 7-2 vote by the City Council last night. In the same vote, the Council agreed to draft an amendment to the City Charter which would allow for redistricting that could deviate from the 1986 boundaries.
“It seems to me to be completely outdated and counterproductive having to stick to 1986 lines,” said Mayor Tom Bates. “Redistricting should be about fairness, not about perpetuating the political career of any person.”
The 1986 measure that created Berkeley’s districts — and the amended city charter that resulted — has three requirements: no boundary changes can unseat an existing councilmember, the boundaries need to adhere as closely as possible to the 1986 boundaries, and the districts should be equal in population. The Council will place an amendment on this November’s ballot to eliminate what many members saw as unfair requirements.
Much of the impetus for the deferment of redistricting and a potential charter amendment has come from a group of UC Berkeley students, who have been agitating for at least one student majority district in the city. The 1986 requirements made that a difficult task. The student redistricting proposal, presented by ASUC vice president Joey Freeman, was non-compliant. … Continue reading »
Tagged Berkeley redistricting
Elmwood business quotas may change to help startups
The decades-old retail and food quotas in Berkeley’s Elmwood commercial district face a potentially dramatic overhaul with Councilmember Gordon Wozniak set to propose a review of the quotas to the Planning Commission at tonight’s City Council meeting. If it’s adopted, Wozniak’s scheme would eliminate retail quotas and collapse the current three-tier food quota into a single quota.
“I want to make it easier for startups, but still maintain the special character of the Elmwood,” Wozniak, who represents most of the Elmwood business district, said. The area is centered on the intersection of Ashby and College Avenues in south Berkeley. “There’s a need to keep the balance between food and retail, but having three distinct categories for food is very destructive and consumes an inordinate amount of staff time.”
Under the current quotas (see table below), there are six distinct retail categories and three food categories — carry out, quick service and full service. Wozniak said that the system can be a “real disincentive for a new business”, because of the cost and time needed for permitting.
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