Fifty years ago Berkeley birthed the Free Speech Movement when Mario Savio stood atop a police car in the middle of Sproul plaza on the UC Berkeley campus and called for moral action. He shouted out: “There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious — makes you so sick at heart — […]
Measure D
Posted inCity
Why Berkeley passed a soda tax while other cities failed
Sara Soka, chair of the Yes on D campaign, talks at a press conference Wednesday morning after Berkeley voted overwhelmingly for a soda tax in Tuesday’s election. On the left is political advisor Larry Tramutola, with Berkeley Councilman Laurie Capitelli and Kad Smith of the Ecology Center on the right. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Sara Soka, chair of the Yes on D […]
Posted inCity
A record $3.6 million spent in Berkeley campaigns
During Sunday Streets, the Yes on Measure R and the No on Measure R campaigns crossed paths. The race over the future of Berkeley’s downtown has drawn record donations from developers. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel During Sunday Streets, the Yes on Measure R and the No on Measure R campaigns crossed paths. The race over the […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: My personal journey to becoming a fierce supporter of Measure D
In February, 1999 my first grandson was born in Berkeley. He arrived early and underweight, and came home from the hospital 6 weeks after birth. That same year, coincidently, the City of Berkeley issued a Health Status Report, which included the fact that my grandson had a 40% less chance of living to the age […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Measure D levels the health playing field
You are a busy person taking time to be informed and I respect that. So I’m going to let you in on my line of reasoning here: corporations impact what we drink, what we drink impacts our health, “our health” includes “your health”, you can vote, therefore vote “Yes” on D! Why am I writing […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Berkeley teachers support Measure D
On behalf of all Berkeley teachers, I ask you to vote yes on Measure D for the health of our children. Ask any teacher in Berkeley and they will tell you that there is a strong connection between physical health and academics. Indeed, research has shown that when students are healthy, they are much more […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Lessons from the war on tobacco: How to beat Big Soda
Remember when people could smoke in restaurants, on airplanes, and at work? This changed, thanks to tireless efforts by health advocates like me. In 1988, California voters passed an excise tax on the tobacco industry which raised prices, reduced consumption, and funded programs that successfully advocated for clean indoor air laws in cities across the […]
Posted inCity, Community
Photo essay: Berkeley, a city consumed by a soda tax
Two high-school students on their lunch break carry food and drink out of the McDonald’s on University Avenue in Berkeley. Photo, taken on Monday Oct. 20, 2014, by Gael McKeon On Nov. 4, Berkeley voters will show where they stand on Measure D, the so-called Soda Tax. The proposed tax on sugary beverages has been one of […]
Posted inCity
Michael Bloomberg has now spent $370K in support of Measure D; other Berkeley election news
A still from one of two Yes on D ads paid for by Michael R. Bloomberg that ran during the World Series. (Watch it below.) A still from one of two Yes on D ads paid for by Michael R. Bloomberg that ran during the World Series. (Watch it below.) Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley ballot snafu, more money in for 2014 election
Alameda County officials are mailing out postcards to alert voters that the date of the election printed on many mail-in ballots is wrong. It reads Nov. 5, 2014, when it should read Nov. 4, 2014. Photo: KQED The Alameda County Registrar of Voters has sent out 27,000 postcards to Berkeley voters informing them that the […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Measure D — a doctor’s perspective
I am a Berkeley doctor. I support Measure D, and want to comment on specious and incorrect arguments by Jill Herschman and Dan McDunn, both of whom argued against the measure in op-ed pieces published on Berkeleyside. I assume that the flyers with the allegations summarized below, and distributed door to door with the statement “Paid for by […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley 2014 election hub: What you need to know
Berkeleyans will get out the vote in less than three weeks. Are you ready? Photo: Pete Rosos Absentee ballots have arrived and the November 2014 election is just around the corner. Berkeleyside has been covering the issues for months, and we’ve collected some of our best Berkeley election coverage in a single post to help readers get […]
