Sen. Bill Monning with Dr. Dana Kent and their daughters Lexi and Laura celebrate as Senator Monning is sworn in for his new term.
Dear Friends,
During this holiday season, we reach out to share our appreciation of family, friends, and supporters. We recommit ourselves to a 2017 promoting peace, health, and compassion for all people, all living things, and our precious planet.
Peace, Health, and Justice,
Senator Bill Monning and Dana Kent
Laura and Lexi and families.
Dear Friends,
I want to thank all of you who provided such great support and a vote of confidence with my strong re-election performance.
Here are the final returns:
While we run as partisans, I am honored to represent all the residents of the beautiful 17th Senate District. With my competent and dedicated staff,
I look forward to the honor and responsibility of representing all of you over the next four years.
To my election team and supporters, THANK YOU. To the residents of the 17th Senate District, thank you for your confidence and the continued honor of representing you.
Working together, we can continue to make a difference!
Warm regards,
Prop 51 – YES – School Bonds - Funding K-14
Prop 52 – YES – MediCal Funding Program
Prop 53 – NO – Revenue Bonds – obstruction
Prop 54 – NO – Blocks legislative authority
Prop 55 – YES – Tax extension for Education and Healthcare
Prop 56 – YES – Cigarette Tax to fund healthcare
Prop 57 – YES – Juvenile & Parole Sentencing – recidivism reduction
Prop 58 – YES – English proficiency and multilingual education
Prop 59 – YES – Reverse Citizens United – Corporate $ out of politics
Prop 60 – NO – Condoms in Adult films – flawed ballot measure
Prop 61 – YES – Prescription Drugs – fair pricing
Prop 62 – YES – ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY IN CALIFORNIA
Converts death penalties to Life Without Possibility of Parole
Prop 6 – YES – Public Safety – reasonable gun and ammunition regulation
Prop 64 – YES – Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana Sales
Prop 65 – NO – Plastic Bag Deceptive Measure funded by plastic industry
Prop 66 – NO – Seeks to accelerate executions, reduces rights of appeal in death penalty cases
Prop 67 – YES – Upholds Ban on Single Use Plastic Bag Sales
MONTEREY COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES:
Measure E – YES – Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District-Extends Existing Parcel Tax
Measure X – YES – Roads and Parks infrastructure
Measure Y – YES – County Plan for Marijuana Regulation
Measure Z – YES – Safe Water Protection in Oil Production
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES:
County of Santa Clara
Measure A – YES – County of Santa Clara Housing Bond
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
Measure B – YES – 1/2 cent Tax
City of San Jose
Measure E – YES – Opportunity to Work
Measure F – YES – Pension Modification
Measure G – YES – Business Tax Modification
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES:
Measures A & B – YES – Santa Cruz Schools
Measure D – YES – Roads, Bike, and Pedestrian pathway infrastructure
Dear Friends,
Here's an interview I just did with local radio station KAZU:
Be Sure to Vote!
Dear Friends,
Dana and I were saddened to learn of the death of Tom Hayden. Tom was a lifelong fighter for peace, justice, and our environment.
Tom_Hayden, Kevin DeLeon, and Bill Monning - March 2016 San Jose CA
His knowledge and advocacy spanned international to local, war & peace issues to environmental and criminal justice issues to climate change and national/international politics.
Tom was a friend of farmworkers, immigrants, inmates, and inner city youth while engaging world leaders, opinion makers, and insurgent movements worldwide.
I enjoyed periodic contacts with Tom through the years, gained immensely from his writings and analysis, and was inspired always by his ongoing commitment to forging a better community and a better world.
Our thoughts go out to Tom's wife, Barbara, family, and many friends and loved ones. Our movement has lost a great leader, but our movement gained from his leadership.
Viva Tom Hayden!
Toward Peace and Progress,
Dear Friends,
To all the voters of California's 17th Senate District - Thank You!
Preliminary results show my campaign leading decisively throughout the district, which includes southern Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, coastal Monterey County, and San Luis Obispo County.
While the final results are not yet in, I'm grateful for the strong show of support from voters across this huge and diverse district.
Even with the election, I spent most of the week in Sacramento for the Senate's session. As Senate Majority Leader, I am actively working on the budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget shows what State government is really about. Our job in the legislature is to develop a budget that is an economically sound expression of the priorities of the people of California.
The election is a reminder that the voters come first, and that those of us honored to represent the diverse people and communities of California have a profound responsibility to listen and speak up for what is important to the voters we serve.
Again, thank you! Let’s work together for victory in November!
Toward Peace and Progress,
Organized by pianist Phillip Crawford, this show at Monterey’s Wave Street Studios is an opportunity to enjoy some of the Monterey area’s top musical performers while supporting Bill Monning’s victory in November’s elections.
Date: Sunday, June 5
Time: Doors Open 6:00 PM; Show Starts 6:30 PM
Where: Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave Street, Monterey
Who: Phillip Crawford & Friends
Lineup of Musicians Scheduled to Play:
• Phillip Crawford, Piano
• Stu Reynolds, sax
• Kenny Stahl, Flute
• Steve Uccello, Bass
• Mike Shannon, Drums
Plus Special Guests:
• Julie Capili, Vocals
• Janice Perl, Vocals
• Dick Whittington, Piano
We are excited to announce a special chance to support Bill’s campaign: We have a limited number of top-quality seats at singer Bonnie Raitt’s upcoming Paso Robles show. And if you act now, you could get a pass to meet Bonnie after the show!
Bonnie’s just-announced Dig in Deep Tour 2016 with Special Guest The Richard Thompson Trio will play in Paso Robles on September 23rd.
This will be Bonnie’s only show on the Central Coast, and tickets are going fast!
As a long-time Monning supporter, Bonnie offered us these tickets in support of Bill's re-election campaign.
Here’s how you can join us:
Level 1: Front Center Section Second Row, PLUS a pass to meet Bonnie backstage after the show - $500 per ticket.
Level 2: Front Side Section Sixth Row - $250 per ticket (seats only, no backstage pass).
These are premium seats at the fabulous Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles.
Act Now to reserve your tickets! Because these seats are limited, please email us at [email protected] to request tickets, and we will contact you about payment if there are still tickets left.
Bill celebrated his 65th birthday with about two hundred friends, enjoying great music by the Jack Bowers Trio and an inspiring speech by State Controller Betty Yee.
Sen. Monning presented Champions of Justice honors to Father Michael Reid of the Fund for Homeless Women and to Jesus Valenzuela, an activist working as a Health Equity Organizer and writer.
~ Photos by Bob Coble ~
“After careful consideration and thorough deliberations with my family and closest supporters, I have decided that my experience, energy, and commitment to the people of California can be put to the best use by continuing my work as a leader in the California State Senate.”
[See the full text of Sen. Monning's speech below.]
With nearly a million people, California's 17th State Senate District stretches from the old whaling town of Davenport to the stark desert-scape of the Carrizo Plain; from the broad sands of Pismo Beach to the world-class surf-breaks of Santa Cruz; from the rugged peaks and canyons of the Los Padres National Forest to the stately redwoods of Big Basin State Park. More...
“After careful consideration and thorough deliberations with my family and closest supporters, I have decided that my experience, energy, and commitment to the people of California can be put to the best use by continuing my work as a leader in the California State Senate.”
Welcome, and thank you to all who have joined us today.
Thank you to the media for being here.
Special thanks to my wife, Dr. Dana Kent, to our daughters, Laura and Alexandra and their families, and to my sister, Barbara.
As we approach the 2016 election cycle, I have grappled with the options available to me. With Congressman Farr’s recent announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2016, there will be an open seat race for the 20th Congressional District for the first time in 22 years.
Twenty two years ago, I ran for what was then the 17th Congressional District. I set my sights on Washington and ran the race of my life. As an attorney, a labor lawyer, a human rights activist, and an international advocate to halt the nuclear arms race as the Executive Director of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), I had an unparalleled opportunity to meet and work with people in over 80 nations around the world, in Washington D.C., and before the United Nations. I felt that these experiences added to the skill set I might bring to the U.S. Congress.
While we ran a strong, passionate race in 1993, Congressman Sam Farr prevailed and has represented us with distinction, dedication, and commitment for over 20 years.
In 2008, I had the opportunity to run for and win the 27th Assembly District seat. And, in 2012, I was elected to represent this beautiful 17th Senate District including all of Santa Cruz and SLO counties and parts of Monterey and Santa Clara counties. I have served on the budget, judiciary, natural resources & water, education, and public safety committees and I have chaired the Assembly Committee on Health during implementation of the ACA, the Assembly and Senate Labor Committees, the Senate Insurance Committee, and the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. I am currently the Chair of the Senate Committee on Legislative Ethics and serve as the Senate Majority Leader… This position has provided me with greater responsibilities as a leader in the California State Senate and the legislature of a state that would rank as the 8th largest economy in the world if it were a nation. Along with greater responsibility has come greater possibility to achieve meaningful legislative and budget victories.
Interestingly, the last state senator to represent this district from the Monterey Peninsula, was Sam Farr’s father, State Senator Fred Farr. The last legislator to represent this region of California and serve as Majority Leader was Senator Henry Mello from Watsonville who demonstrated the power associated with the Majority Leader position and how that could be used to benefit our local region.
I have embraced the position of Majority Leader with a sense of great purpose, responsibility, and pride.
I am particularly proud of my accomplishments as a leader in the California Legislature including:
As a leader in the State Senate, I am well-positioned to continue to advance the interests of the 17th Senate District and all Californians in education, healthcare, environmental protection, women’s and labor rights, public safety, and those of small businesses, agriculture, technology, and higher education institutions.
In my 7 years in the legislature, I have authored over 85 bills that have been signed into law by Republican and Democratic governors. I have made the tough decisions to achieve balanced budgets amidst the recession of 2008-09 and a 41 billion dollar deficit. We now have a balanced budget and a rainy day reserve fund. We are creating more new jobs than any other state in the union.
Clearly, we face the continued challenges of an ongoing drought, the crisis of climate change, and our local and regional water crises. I believe that my record demonstrates an ability to take on the tough issues, make the tough votes, and move California to a healthier, safer, and better future.
I have thought long and hard about the race for Congress. I have long thought representing this area in Congress would be the highest honor. But Washington isn’t what it was 22 years ago. Gridlock has overtaken Washington and my wife and I have prioritized being available and close to our children, grandchildren, and extended family.
After careful consideration and thorough deliberations with my family and closest supporters, I have decided that my experience, energy, and commitment to the people of California can be put to the best use by continuing my work as a leader in the California State Senate.
Therefore, I hereby declare my intention today to seek re-election in 2016 to California’s 17th State Senate District.
For those of you who might be disappointed with my choice, let me assure you that I truly believe I can do more for those of you here today and for all constituents in the 17th Senate District by seeking re-election to the State Senate than I could by seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
For example, in the next term, I hope to bring greater focus to the immediate crisis of climate change. California leads not only the nation – but the world – in our efforts to address the crisis. We have set ambitious goals to limit the emissions of CO2 and to promote renewable energy sources in California. The leading venture capital investment in California right now is in renewable energy development where we are creating jobs while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. California’s leadership in addressing climate change is being followed and replicated around the world.
I know I can do more to address Climate Change in Sacramento in the next 4 years than I could in 20 years in Washington. Similarly, I believe that I can do more to protect our environment, public health, and public safety as a leader in the State Senate than as a member of the minority party in Washington D.C.
I want to thank each and every one of you for your tremendous support and friendship and for the honor of serving you. I look forward to our continued collaboration and friendship and to supporting a strong Democratic ticket by electing a Democrat to the White House and to all seats on the November ballot.
Thank you!
Toward Peace and Progress,
Dear Friends,
How can you really know what legislators are fighting for and accomplishing for their districts and California? I believe that, more than slogans and sound-bites, the best way to evaluate your representative is by their legislative record.
I am particularly proud of my accomplishments as a leader in the California Legislature including:
Toward Peace and Progress,
Your support is crucial to my continued service in the California Legislature. This is true not only through your contributions and volunteer time for my campaign, but also through your own commitment and readiness to take part as an involved member of our society.
Without the active engagement of the diverse people and communities of our state, California will lapse into greater inequality, environmental degradation, and weakened rights.
On the other hand, by working together with respect and inclusiveness we can make a difference!
I hope you'll continue to be an active participant in politics and community life. To whatever extent you are able to contribute time and money to my campaign, I am deeply grateful and will take inspiration from you to further my own service.
With Deepest Gratitude,
