A Look at What Martinez Voters Will Be Deciding Locally in the March Election; Plus, a New Twist to Proposed Cannabis Ordinance Revisions

City, school district measures, plus races for county supervisor, Assembly and state Senate on March ballot; City staff proposes reducing new cannabis dispensary buffer to accommodate Embarc

Mail-in ballots for the March 5 Primary Election will be going out in a few days, so here’s a summary of what’s before Martinez voters.

Ballot Measures

Measure A

Voters are being asked to do away with the city’s elected City Clerk position and make it a staff job appointed by the city manager. Over 80% of California cities have transitioned from elected to appointed city clerks, with Martinez remaining one of the few outliers. The city’s longtime elected city clerk, Gary Hernandez, performs a ceremonial role (primarily swearing in new office holders) and is not involved in the daily activities of the City Clerk’s Office. A full-time assistant city clerk performs all of the actual clerk duties, including responding to public records requests, managing city records, and preparing agendas and minutes of public meetings.

The City Council voted unanimously to place Measure A on the ballot, and in its official ballot argument says that voter approval will ensure that “the selection of the City Clerk will be based on education, experience and professional abilities.” It also argues that the move will potentially save the city money by eliminating salary and benefits provided to an elected clerk (whose ceremonial duties can be performed by an appointed clerk, which the city already pays for) and removing the cost of holding a City Clerk election ever four years.

No argument was filed against Measure A.

Measure C

The Martinez Unified School District Board of Trustees is asking voters to extend the district’s current parcel tax of $75 per year (with certain exemptions). It requires the approval of two-thirds of votes. The extension would last eight years, beginning on July 1 of this year.

The district plans to use the proceeds to “fund academic programs in science, technology, engineering, math, reading and writing; attract and retain qualified teachers and student counselors; fund educational programs that provide college and career pathways; fund classroom technology equipment, fixtures and infrastructure; and fund art, music, band programs, science labs and library services.”

In the ballot argument supporting the measure, proponents argue that without Measure C, district schools “will lose $850,000 in locally controlled funding and have to lay off art and music teachers, counselors and support staff, and eliminate academic programs.”

No argument was filed against Measure C.

Candidate Races

County Supervisor, District 5

This is a four-way race to replace retiring supervisor Federal Glover on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. All four candidates are from East Contra Costa County (Pittsburg or Antioch). There will be a runoff in November between the top two vote-getters if no one gets a majority of the vote in March.

Thousand Friends of Martinez is holding a candidates forum for this race on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building, 930 Ward St. (seating is limited; reservations required). The forum also will be available on Zoom and streamed on the group’s Facebook page. For more information, click on the following link: https://mailchi.mp/pacbell/the-latest-on-the-waterfront-marina-housing-element-and-new-city-councilmember-9139394?e=0df18f1a7b

Shanelle Scales-Preston

The Pittsburg City Council member has a long history in local politics, with 22 years experience working for local congressmen George Miller (now retired) and Mark DeSaulnier. In her ballot statement, she says that as a county supervisor, she will “address the root causes of crime, create good-paying jobs, build housing for all income levels, and stand up to big polluters.”

Scales-Preston is the clear favorite of elected leaders in Martinez, with endorsements from all five Martinez council members and former mayor Rob Schroder. Not surprisingly, her highest-profile endorsements are from Miller and DeSaulnier; she also has the backing of Contra Costa County Superintendent of Education Lynn Mackey, the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County; and the official she hopes to replace, Glover.

Scales-Preston also has strong financial backing. As of Jan. 20, she had $49,728 in cash on hand in her campaign account, according to her latest campaign finance filing. She also is being supported by an independent expenditure committee, Contra Costa Works (heavily backed by trade unions), which as of Jan. 26 had reported spending $65,024 on her behalf.

Learn more about Scales-Preston’s campaign at https://www.shanelle4supervisor.org/

Mike Barbanica

The Antioch councilman and retired police lieutenant has the strong backing of law enforcement groups, including the Martinez Police Officers Association. In his ballot statement, he takes credit for helping to find homes for over 569 homeless and housing-insecure people through a public/private housing program created by his small business. “Along with having the right mindset and the right values, I’m an expert in housing and homelessness,” he writes.

As of Jan. 20, Barbanica had $39,339 in cash on hand, according to his latest campaign finance statement. Much of his funding has come from a $24,999 loan he made to his campaign, as well as $10,000 from the Contra Costa Deputy Sheriffs Association.

The Deputy Sheriffs Association is also behind an independent expenditure committee, Citizens for a Safer Contra Costa, that had spent $61,005 on his behalf as of Jan. 21.

Learn more about Barbanica’s campaign at https://mikebarbanica.com/

Jelani Killings

Like Scales-Preston, Killings is a member of the Pittsburg City Council. An ethics analyst for the city of Oakland, he’s focusing heavily on government accountability in his campaign platform. “It’s time to be honest about failed policies and have the courage to move away from them,” he writes in his ballot statement. “Critical thinking and objective action are crucial in tackling complex issues.” He points to pressing issues in the district that include retail theft, human trafficking, congested roadways, homelessness and job scarcity.

Killings is running a largely grassroots campaign without the type of organized support that Scales-Preston and Barbanica have. As of Jan. 21, he reported only $1,442 in cash on hand for his campaign. His campaign website lists no endorsements.

Learn more about Killings’ campaign at jelanikillings.com/

Iztaccuauhtli “White Eagle” Hector Gonzalez

A past president of the Contra Costa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Pittsburg resident describes himself as a businessman, Realtor and historian in his ballot statement. A former history teacher, he says he currently teaches clients “on protecting their income and assets with insurance products and guide their investments.”

“With the uptick in theft, violence, graffiti and vandalism, I will work hard to serve our community to reduce this and invest in our population and future generations,” he says.

No campaign contributions for Gonzalez had been reported as of Sunday.

Learn more about Gonzalez’s campaign at whiteeagle.info

State Assembly, District 15

This is a four-way race (three Democrats, one Republican) to fill the Assembly seat currently occupied by Tim Grayson, who is running for state Senate (see below). The two two finishers in March will move on to the General Election in November.

Anamarie Avila Farias (Democrat)

The former Martinez councilwoman and current Contra Costa County Board of Education trustee says in her ballot statement that she is “passionate about education as a gateway to a better life for working families, newcomers, and communities of color.” A Gov. Gavin Newsom appointee to the California Housing Finance Agency, she is focusing her campaign on creating homeownership opportunities for local residents; preventing crime and addressing the social needs that cause crime; supporting small businesses and economic development; and addressing school overcrowding and ending the school-to-prison pipeline.

She is being backed by the California Teachers Association, California Professional Firefighters and Peace Officers Research Association of California. As Sunday, her campaign had reported $69,130 in financial contributions.

Learn more about her campaign at www.anamarie4assembly.com

Monica E. Wilson (Democrat)

The Antioch City Council member was the first African-American woman elected to the council in that city. In her ballot statement, she describes herself as a longtime community organizer who has fought human trafficking. If elected, she says she will “expand opportunity for every family by protecting good-paying jobs; creating housing our workforce, first responders, seniors and veterans can afford; and improving public safety.” She also vows to stand up to Big Oil for “polluting our communities.”

Wilson is backed by the California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, Courage California and California Legislative Black Caucus. She also has the endorsement of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party. As of Sunday, her campaign had reported $247,097 in financial contributions, much of it from trade unions and other organized labor interests.

Learn more about Wilson’s campaign at MonicaforAssembly.com

Sonia Ledo (Republican)

The lone Republican in the race is a self-employed real estate professional and single mother of four adult sons, including autistic twins. “I understand the unmet needs of families facing decisions on childcare, education, senior care, and special needs,” she says in her ballot statement. Her top campaign issues are public safety, education, the economy and housing.

As of Sunday, Ledo had raised $2,356 in financial contributions.

Learn more about her campaign at sonialedo.com

Karen Mitchoff (Democrat)

After retiring from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in 2022 after serving three terms, Mitchoff is looking to re-enter public service at the state level. During her time has a county supervisor, she says she “worked to improve public safety, expanded access to county healthcare, fought for transportation improvements, championed aging issues, and improved water and air quality.” She says that she wants to go to address the root causes of crime, build more affordable housing, combat climate change, and improve transit services.

Her endorsements include former Congressman George Miller, state Senator Bill Dodd, county Supervisors John Gioia, Candace Andersen and Diane Burgis, and Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn. As of Sunday, Mitchoff had reported $75,718 in campaign contributions, including a significant chunk from Big Oil. Among her backers is PBF Energy, which has come under intense criticism in Martinez for a string of chemical releases dating to the November 2022 spent catalyst release. She also has received money from Walmart.

Learn more about her campaign at karenmitchoff.com

State Senator, District 9

The race for the open senate seat pits two Democrats, current Assemblyman Tim Grayson and San Ramon City Council Member Marisol Rubio.

Marisol Rubio

In her ballot statement, Rubio describes herself as “the only lifelong Democrat in this race” who is running for the seat because “our community needs a dedicated, transparent representative.” A home healthcare provider, former bilingual science teacher and mother of a cancer survivor, she says she will advocate for quality, affordable healthcare and education. She also vows to champion a “green, resilient economy with innovation and sustainability in mind.”

Her backers include the National Union of Healthcare Workers, California Environmental Voters, California Teachers Association and California Faculty Association. As of Sunday, her campaign had reported $74,915 in financial contributions, with much of her support coming from organized labor groups.

Learn more about her campaign at marisolforca.com

Tim Grayson

The current state Assembly and former Concord City Council member is looking to move up to the state Senate after eight years in the lower house. In touting his Assembly record, Grayson writes in his ballot statement that he “wrote the bill to end big banks’ predatory lending practices, expanded opportunities for first-time homebuyers (including teachers and first responders), and secured $30M in funding to ensure victims of domestic violence have needed assistance.” His platform priorities include creating “good-paying jobs” and “housing that middle-class people can afford”; expanded mental health services; and investing in clean energy and protecting wildlife.

Grayson’s backers include all five members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, several fellow Assembly members, and law enforcement and firefighters groups. As of Sunday, Grayson had reported $907,729 in financial contributions toward his Senate campaign. That includes significant backing from Big Oil interests such as PBF, Chevron and Marathon Petroleum. Since 2018, he has received $20,500 from PBF alone for various campaigns, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Learn more about his campaign at GraysonForCA.com

Democratic U.S. Rep. John Garamendi is also running for re-election, but since this is not considered a competitive seat, I won’t analyze that race here. His opponent is business owner Joe Sweeney, who identifies as an independent in his ballot statement.

City Council to revisit cannabis regulations

The City Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday night to potentially adopt revisions to the city’s cannabis regulations.

While the staff report explaining the proposed revisions largely echoes the discussion from the Jan. 17 council meeting, one new wrinkle is that city staff is suggesting that the council approve a 900-foot buffer from schools and other sensitive facilities instead of the originally discussed 1,00-foot buffer (the current buffer is 600 feet, the state minimum).

At the Jan. 17 meeting, the council voiced support for the 1,000-foot buffer, but the staff report at the time mistakenly suggested that the city’s two dispensaries, Velvet on Sunrise Drive and Embarc on Alhambra Avenue, lie farther than 1,000 feet from any schools or daycare/youth centers. Staff has now clarified that Embarc is roughly 920 feet from Alhambra High School; the issue of Embarc’s approval in 2020 was the subject of heated debate and strong opposition from the Martinez Unified School District.

With a 1,000-foot buffer, Embarc would become a “legal non-conforming use,” meaning that it could continue to operate but would face restrictions in terms of potential changes to the business. As the staff report states:

Creating a non-conforming use that requires an annual license could have unintended impacts that are not anticipated by the City as no expansion or modifications would be allowed to occur. For instance, the City could not permit changes to ownership, operational changes, or other changes unless they were explicitly identified in the proposed regulations.

As a result, city staff is now recommending that the new buffer be reduced to 900 feet so as to avoid these potential “unintended impacts.”

But what the staff report doesn’t address is the fact that Embarc borders Martinez Adult Education’s campus, and the proposed ordinance changes include also applying the buffer to “parks, playgrounds, colleges, universities and libraries.” There are no colleges or universities in Martinez, but the adult school currently has 45 students enrolled between the ages of 18 and 20, according to MUSD Superintendent Helen Rossi (the legal age for adult cannabis use in California is 21).

By suggesting that the 900-foot buffer distance would allow Embarc to remain in compliance with city regulations, city staff appears to be recommending that the council approve a buffer that would apply to every learning facility in Martinez (plus ones that don’t currently exist) but not the school that literally borders the property of one of its two dispensaries.

At the Jan. 17 meeting, Councilman Jay Howard said he believed the adult school should be included in any new buffer, adding that he didn’t understand why Embarc was approved at that location in the first place. If at least two other council members support that position Wednesday, the issue of a 900-foot vs. 1,000-foot buffer would seem to be irrelevant because Embarc would become a “legal non-conforming use” regardless (the adult school is much closer to Embarc than any of the current or proposed buffer distances).

The issue of Embarc’s location was raised by School Board President Courtney Masella-O’Brien during a City Council-School Board Liaison Committee meeting on Thursday, where one of the topics was student drug use.

“I realize that this is a great revenue maker for the city, and it’s just the way of the future; there’s going to be dispensaries everywhere. Our struggle (with students) is that it’s across the street (from Alhambra), but it’s not OK for you to bring it to school, and also educating students why it’s not good for them,” she said.

The other proposed changes to the city’s cannabis regulations, including site security, equity initiatives, required health signage and billboard advertising restrictions, can be found at the link to the staff report: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2415866/Staff_Report_-_Commercial_Cannabis_Regulations.pdf

Though Embarc argued strenuously against it on Jan. 17, the council also appears poised to retain a requirement for 24/7 on-site security at the city’s cannabis dispensaries, though the minimum number of security guards present during non-business hours would be reduced from two to one. Though the 24/7 onsite security requirement has been in the current ordinance since 2019, it wasn’t enforced or complied with until late 2023, after the fatal officer-involved shooting at Velvet during a middle-of-the-night burglary call.

Also at the Wednesday’s City Council meeting, the city will hear a report on recommended increases to residential water rates of 6% annually over the next five years; and a presentation on the county’s Coordinated Outreach Referral and Engagement (CORE) services to the city’s unhoused, which has been a topic of ongoing concern in recent years. According to a staff report for that presentation:

The Martinez CORE team provided services to 100 unique (unduplicated) individuals and made 565 contacts during Quarter 2. Of those served, 73 individuals reported they lost their housing in Martinez, and 82 reported they have roots in Martinez (grew up in Martinez, have family, friends, etc.). The top three self-reported causes of homelessness of those contacted by the CORE Martinez team are: (1) low income 43% (43 individuals), (2) thrown out 40% (40 individuals), and (3) loss of job 38% (38 individuals).

The regular City Council meeting, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., will be preceded by a special study session at 6 p.m. on initiatives and prioritization of the proposed 2024 Planning Division Work Plan. Much of the proposed work is focused on implementing elements of the city’s Housing Element and stimulating housing development in the city to address the broader housing crisis.

The agendas for both meetings can be found at the following link: https://www.cityofmartinez.org/government/meetings-and-agendas

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