Features

Election Day Preview

David Scharfenberg, Matthew Artz, Erik Totten, Kathryn Klages and Kurtis Alexander.
Thursday October 31, 2002

Editor’s Note: Today is the first of a three-part series outlining the Berkeley ballot and provides a capsule of the ballot measures. Friday’s paper will profile candidates running for City Council and the Berkeley Unified School District board. Saturday’s paper will profile the mayoral candidates and their positions on various issues. 

 

Measure I; Animal Shelter - New Facility,  

General Obligation Bond 

Measure I authorizes the city to issue a $7.2 million bond to build a new animal shelter. A property tax increase would fund construction and would cost the average homeowner about $12 a year for the next 30 years. Proponents say that the current animal shelter, built in the 1940s, is too small and structurally unsound to provide humane treatment to animals. Opponents say the measure is an unnecessary new tax. A two-thirds majority is needed to pass. 

Supporters include Mayor Shirley Dean; former state Assemblyman Tom Bates; councilmembers Betty Olds and Dona Spring. 

No official opposition. 

 

Measure J; Old City Hall - Retrofit for Seismic Safety and Accessibility, General Obligation Bond  

Measure J authorizes the city to issue a $21.5 million bond to renovate and seismically retrofit Old City Hall, which currently houses the Berkeley Unified School District headquarters and the City Council chambers. A property tax increase would fund the project, with the average homeowner paying about $20 per year for 30 years. Proponents argue that a retrofit is necessary to ensure the safety of the historic building’s occupants. Opponents say the bond is too expensive in the midst of an economic downturn and argue that the renovation plan includes an inadequate City Council chambers. A two-thirds vote is required to pass. 

Supporters include Mayor Shirley Dean; City councilmembers Linda Maio, Miriam Hawley, and Margaret Breland; member and past Chair of Landmarks Preservation Commission and Design Review Committee Burton Peek Edwards; Commission on Disability member Norman Rabkin. 

Opponents include councilmembers Dona Spring and Kriss Worthington; Disability Commisioner Karen Rose; Disabled Healthcare Advocate Jonathan Gold. 

 

Measure K; School Board Directors Compensation,  

Charter Amendment 

Measure K would raise school board members’ salaries from $875 to $1,500 per month. Proponents say the raise is long overdue and argue that it could be diverted to pay for staff, which board members currently do not have. Opponents say a raise is inappropriate when the school district faces a multi-million dollar budget shortfall. A majority vote is required to pass. 

Supporters include Berkeley Board of Education member John Selawsky. 

Opponents include Board of Education candidate Lance Montauk. 

 

Measure L; Pedestrian Safety Improvement Tax 

Measure L would raise roughly $10 million for pedestrian safety improvements like traffic circles and lighted crosswalks. The average homeowner would pay $24.70 more in property taxes each year for 10 years to fund the initiative. Proponents say the measure would boost a meager city budget for safety improvements and save lives. Opponents say pedestrian injuries in Berkeley are declining and call the measure unnecessary and expensive. A two-thirds vote is required for approval. 

Supporters include Mayor Shirley Dean; former state Assemblyman Tom Bates. 

Opponents include former chair of Citizens Budget Commission Art Goldberg. 

 

Measure M; Affordable Housing, Real Property Transfer Tax  

Measure M adds an additional 0.5 percent to the tax on the sale of property. The increase would add an average of $5,000 to new home sales, but would not apply to sales of less than $350,000 or on homes sold for a loss. Money raised from the tax would fund affordable housing, seismic retrofitting of at risk apartments and homelessness prevention. Proponents argue that the tax will only affect residents who are selling their home for a large profit and will increase the city’s affordable housing stock. Opponents say that the tax unfairly puts the entire onus of funding new affordable housing on people who sell their homes. A two-thirds majority is needed to pass. 

Supporters include Supervisor Keith Carson; State Assemblymember Dion Aroner; Center for Independent Living Executive Director Jacqueline Garrett; League of Women Voters of Berkeley Nancy Bickel. 

Opponents include Berkeley Association of Realtors President Miriam Ng. 

 

Measure N; Waterfront Development - Change the Amount and Type of Development on Private Property 

Measure N would empower City Council to revise development guidelines for a 45-acre parcel of waterfront property west of Gilman Street. The property’s owner, Magna Entertainment Corp., has planned to put two hotels and retail space on the property. Proponents of the measure say that council should be able to rezone the property because Magna’s plans would not compliment the proposed Eastshore State Park that will be adjacent to the development. Magna opposes the measure, but has not released a statement explaining their stance. A majority is needed to pass. 

Supporters include Mayor Shirley Dean; former state Assemblyman Tom Bates; Sierra Club representative Helen Burke. 

No official opposition. 

 

Measure O; Coffee - Restrict Sale of Brewed Coffee to Organic, Fair-Trade or Shade-Grown Certified, 

Citizen Initiative 

Measure O would restrict the sale of brewed coffee to only those that are organic, shade grown or fair-trade certified. Proponents say that corporate coffee growers have unfairly denied a fair price to local growers and have undermined their way of life. They say the approved coffees would allow coffee growers to make a fair living and would not lead to higher prices or less selection for Berkeley consumers. Opponents say that such strict restrictions will actually hurt local growers who do not have the money to become certified and will lead to more expensive coffee and less selection for Berkeley consumers. A majority is needed to pass. 

Supporters include former Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport; Organic Consumers Association representative Simon Harris; Global Exchange Founding Director Medea Benjamin. 

Opponents include Berkeley Chamber of Commerce; Councilmember Polly Armstrong; Jeremiah’s Pick Coffee owner Jeremiah Pick. 

 

Measure P; Height of Buildings - Amend Zoning Ordinance to Regulate Heights, Citizen Initiative 

Measure P would lower existing height limits for new Berkeley developments. Not all neighborhoods would be affected, but the measure reduces building heights by two stories on San Pablo Avenue and one story on parts of University and College avenues. Proponents say that new high rise developments have jeopardized the health of Berkeley neighborhoods and that current zoning regulations are so vague that developers are allowed to build projects taller than what should be permitted. Opponents counter that the measure would make new developments unfeasible for developers, reducing the city’s affordable housing stock and making it more difficult for middle class people to live in Berkeley. A majority vote is needed for the measure to pass. 

Supporters include Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance co-author Martha Nicoloff; Council of Neighborhood Associations President Marie Bowman. 

Opponents include Mayor Shirley Dean; County Supervisor Keith Carson; State Assemblymember Dion Aroner.