East Bay DSA 

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda

July 18th, 2021

2-4 pm

I. Introductions/Opening Statements [5 minutes] 

Meeting is Called to Order

II. Approval of Agenda

Consent Agenda 

Vote to adopt: unanimous yes

III. Committee Reports

Treasurer

• 37K+ dollars saved from switching from office to storage space;
• Monthly expenses has been $2000/$2500 per month

Recording Secretary

• We had a approved the following resolutions: 
• Proposal to Endorse/Promote Palestine Solidarity Event on July 1st in SF 
• PASSED - unanimously
• Confirm the 2021 Labor Committee chairs 
• PASSED - 12 yes and an abstention 
• Endorse the GND committee’s endorsement resolution for Hazard Pay by Labor Day Campaig.
• PASSED - 11 yeses and 2 abstentions 
• Sign a letter calling for the introduction of War Powers resolution regarding Yemen from the the anti-imperialism working group.
• PASSED - 10 yes and 3 abstained 

IV. Discussion Items

A. What are the challenges our chapter is facing?

• Improving the onboarding culture; infusion of the political education committee with the leadership. 
• We are in our silos, no concrete institution that necessarily forces us to work together, e.g. a staffer. 
• A disconnection amongst membership, i.e. paper members. Helping members feel more connected to the organization. 
• Too much of a “if you build it, they will come” mentality; would like more socials, and more discussion on the organizing culture. 
• Rectifying the harmful attributes in socialist circles

B. Staffer

• Discussion
• Electoral season will be next year
• DSA’s income sources is presented; then a present a job description
• Job Description from NYC DSA (salary was upped in last contract campaign)
• Q: does the $50k include all related expenses or just their direct salary?
• A: Just salary, not including benefits.  
• Note: 6.5% pay monthly local dues
• Basically the same number of members that voted in our sc/delegate elections
• A potential group to establish could be started within a committee. Staff would be put under national DSA. Tryin to get NYC’s MOU for their staffers to learn how much in stipend are payed. NC has a resolution to increase dues sharing to local chapters
• Doubling the dues and paying for the staffer would cause the chapter to break even
• What could be positive about hiring a full time staff person?
• Hasan: Could offset numerous admin stuff for the 
• SHane: motion to extend discussion for 10 minutes; seconded: 7 aye’s
• Maddy: no anxiety over fears of follow through from volunteers
• Ella: could potentially get more staffers; fundraising and phone banking
• Shane: expand our capacity to do more political stuff
• What are you worried about in hiring a full time staff person?
• Pretty hard to raise money from low income leftists for their own salary; having them fundraising for their own salaries; unclear of what the staffer could do. 
• Risk becoming like another non-profit industry; potentially risk having volunteers burdening staffers with more chores
• Having the volunteer feel committed to the organization, feeling like the role. 
• Politicizing non-politicized tasks, risk of overestimating the cost of staffers. 
• Maintaining the DSA’s non-NGO character at risk
• Finding someone to do this admittedly difficult job for 40 hours a week;
• Lack of follow-through in resolution that we pass 
• How would we structure the staff person’s time? 
• SKIPPED

V. New Business

A. Committee and Working Group Updates

1. Branches WG Update

Zack W: first meeting last week. Debating the bylaws free branch structure; exploring the most concrete steps needed; surveys, forums and outreach to non-oakland residents. WIll have monthly meetings with at least 2 subgroups meetings. 

Annika: ANy goals/tidbits on the potential function of branches? Data?

Zack: emerging consensus: clear hyper local hubs close to where people live. Looking to gather more input from as many people. 

Benny: definitely an interest in trying things out before trying a bylaws amendment in order to see what works

2. Resolution to Purchase a Subscription to California Target Book

Submitted by Graham D

Whereas, East Bay DSA adopted Class Struggle Elections as a priority campaign at the 2021 convention,

Whereas, DSA’s growth and revitalization as an organization are largely due to success in electoral politics,

Whereas, East Bay DSA’s electoral committee is tasked with “identifying a short list of key races, in which socialist candidates have a reasonable chance of winning,”

Whereas, California Target Book is the gold standard for political data in California and is used by every powerful state political group, including coalition partners and opponents

Whereas, East Bay DSA’s electoral committee needs high quality and regularly updated historical electoral data, including campaign finance, redistricting, and demographic data to accomplish this goal,

Therefore, be it resolved that East Bay DSA will purchase a one year subscription to the California Target Book (https://californiatargetbook.com/register) and one additional email account for $1300 plus any taxes and fees.

Be it further resolved, a Research Working Group within the Electoral Committee will have access to the data, regularly report back to the Electoral Working Group on priority races for 2022 and 2024, and assist any other electoral based campaign’s power mapping and canvassing efforts as requested.

Motivated by Graham: Would like to be on par with rival political organizations by utilizing the same resources and having the electoral committee working on this.

Q&A

Q: What does Target do that Van (from National) can not do? Cali DSA candidate that used this?

A: Has more data, ad tools, and macro level tools; can’t confirm but this is more of an organization projects, labor unions have used this;

Q: how did the other organizations use this?

A: determine where to run someone; how many votes are needed where; what is the incumbent’s regional strength; how much money needed. 

Is there a strategic group ready to use Target, now?

Lots of informal conversation about it 

Donation info; biggest problem is finding the most viable regions.

Research working group and candidate pipeline group could work on this

DEBATE

Con: Seems premature; no apparent agency to utilize so no guarantees it’ll be used upon yearly subscription. 

pro: groups with in the DSA election circles already in discussion 

Con: alot of money; not a precise request for certain data to dig into that Target would provide. 

Pro: Some of the basics of electoral info can be difficult in gathering and could be demoralizing, could be worth it. 

POI: is there a free trail? A: No

POI: who would the subscription money go to? Could we share it with other chapters?

A: Professional research compilers; doesn’t know if sharing would violate the terms. Potentially the forthcoming Cal DSA could make the purchase. Its owned by CalPirg.

Pro: we have spend more money on lots of other things. See it as a worthwhile investment

Motion to pass the resolution to Purchase a Subscription to California Target Book:

Vote: PASSES 11 ayes; 2 nays

3. Electoral Committee Update

Endorsements process

Neder: The first task is to revamp the endorsement process, beyond limited debates

The resolution draft:

Membership forum info

Feedback form

Q&A

Q: Would we only have membership go for candidates that the endorsement group recommends?

Yes, after the investment made in vetting the candidates

Q: revamping the very concept of endorsement? Moving away from rubber stamping? Explicitly Support, instead of explicit endorsement on DSA’s part. 

Candidates (Go into executive session for this)

Motion to go in exec meeting

Vote: PASSES unanimously

Motion to Adjourne

Vote: PASSES unanimously

VI Meeting Adjourned

At 4:15