Who to vote for in District 4

The Green Party recommends Jesse Arreguin for City Council, District 4, Berkeley. There is no other candidate who matches his integrity, intelligence, ability to get things done, and understanding of the complex land-use and fiscal issues facing Berkeley today.

A few months ago Dona Spring, District 4 Councilmember and the longest reigning elected Green in California, died. The Berkeley City Council decided to fold the District 4 "replacement" into the general election, with all the other Berkeley Council, Rent Board, School Board, and Mayor's races. There was sound reasoning and logic behind this decision; the voters in District 4 should decide their own representation.

And Jesse Arreguin will represent them in the neighborhood-friendly, responsive, inclusive style that Dona Spring is known, respected, and remembered for. Jesse has served on ZAB, Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee, is the current Chair of the Rent Stabilization Board, and has been consistent on moderate, scaled, and sustainable development as well. No other candidate in the field (Terry Doran, LA Wood, Asa Dodsworth, and N'Dji Jockin) comes close to Jesse's record, commitment, and grassroots, neighborhood support. Terry Doran, who some considered the favorite back at the beginning of August, has not garnered the support and enthusiasm that he expected. The President of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, Cathy Campbell, has endorsed Jesse Arreguin.

Terry Doran is a former teacher in the Berkeley Unified School District. His legacy of work on the School Board, Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB), and Downtown Area Plan show a marked and consistent tilt toward developer's and large property holder's interests. He is exceedingly and unnecessarily long-winded: he tends to posture. We have serious concerns about his public record and handling of the Derby Street ballfield for the Berkeley Unified School District and many of his votes on ZAB. He has sided with the cell-phone tower corporations, with the large-scale developers, and time after time with Mayor Bates on development and land-use issues. He is neither neighborhood nor community sensitive, and has never understood the balance necessary to maintain our neighborhoods and our neighborhood character, identities, and assets. Many of us find the thought of Terry Doran serving on the Berkeley City Council absolutely terrifying.

Not only is there an alternative, but there is a great alternative in Jesse Arreguin.

Also on the ballot are three two candidates whom we didn't endorse but are also better on the issues than Terry Doran. Asa Dodsworth (www.asafor4.org) is a Zero Waste Commissioner, tree sit organizer, farmer, 9-year host of a "Food not Bombs" kitchen, Landmark Preservation activist, co-founder Environmental Youth Camp, and neighborhood organizer. And there's veteran environmentalist and political activist LA Wood (www.4lawood.org; and www.berkeleycitizen.??? {sic} ). He's a journalist, a video producer (among other projects, he's immortalized the tree sitters on film), and a former Environmental Commissioner. His activism has proven that one person can still make a difference. However, we feel that Jesse Arreguin is definitely the best candidate to fill this seat, and since only one person will be able to win this critical election, we are strongly backing his candidacy.

Vote for, send money to, walk and phone for, support Jesse Arreguin for Berkeley City Council, District 4. Please contact his campaign via: www.jessearreguin.com , (510) 575-4959. This is the most important race in Berkeley this election cycle. Dona Spring will never be replaced, but at least we should have someone who understands the issues she was committed to, someone who will be a voice for neighborhoods and communities, and someone who can effectively deal with the complexities and subtleties of the many issues facing Berkeley and District 4 residents today. That candidate is Jesse Arreguin, hands down.