Steering Committee Meeting Agenda October 13th, 2022

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hcTLbNI3G89d1nCT8-qAhHz1ytRB08n0lP-dNfyrDp0/edit

East Bay DSA

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda

October 13th, 2022

7-8 pm

Zoom link:

https://dsausa.zoom.us/j/89792215272

Meeting ID: 826 7217 1030

Passcode: 466367

Steering Committee Agenda

Settle in [5 minutes]

Approval of Agenda [3 min]

Reports [10 min]
Staff [Shane/Ella]
EBLS [Maddy Grace]
Office WG [Max M]

Consent Agenda

Adopting a Process to Fill the At-Large SC Seat Vacated by Matthew Torres

Submitted by Maddy Grace W

WHEREAS at-large SC member Matthew T has announced his resignation, effective 9/30/2022, and

WHEREAS the East Bay DSA bylaws states “There shall be eight at-large representatives who will comprise the remaining membership of the Steering Committee” without specifying a process for dealing with resignations, and

WHEREAS in the most recent instance of a SC resignation (Ella T’s at-large seat in 2021), our chapter used the process outlined in this email,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Steering Committee will fill the seat vacated by Matthew T using the following process:

Send out an email to the chapter announcing a special election for the seat and accepting nominations for two weeks. Any member in good standing will be eligible to be nominated.
Candidates receiving 10 or more nominations before the deadline will be notified and asked to submit a candidate statement.
If more than 1 person is nominated, an election will be held a week after the deadline via OpaVote using the ranked-choice, Scottish single-transferable voting (STV) method. If only 1 person is nominated for the position, they shall be appointed by the Steering Committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the initial email will be sent out as quickly as possible following both September 30 and the adoption of this resolution.

Electing an Eighth At-Large SC Member

Submitted by Maddy Grace W

WHEREAS East Bay DSA voted at its 2022 Convention to amend its Bylaws to change the composition of the committee, dissolving the Communications Secretary position and adding an 8th At-Large seat;

WHEREAS the process by which to select an eighth At-Large member was unspecified;

WHEREAS Zac Goldstein was the runner-up in the last Steering Committee election;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the at-large seat created by the dissolution the Communications Secretary position will be replaced following the same process as the replacement for Matthew Torres (take nominations for two open Steering Committee members and run an STV election for two at-large seats if more than two members are nominated)

Resolution to fund Tax Preparation for 2021 Form 990 and seek paid or pro-bono CPA assistance for future tax needs

Submitted by Graham D., Lindsey M.

Whereas East Bay DSA has a previously relied upon volunteer CPA/tax preparation provided pro-bono for the preparation of yearly Form 990’s and other filings to comply with filing deadlines regulations,

Whereas past pro-bono providers are no longer connected to the chapter or have been relied upon for numerous years in a row, or both,

Whereas East Bay DSA has been on a tax extension for the 2021 tax year, filed in April of 2022, while seeking alternative tax preparation services,

Whereas correct and precise tax return preparation is essential to the ongoing financial and legal health and wellbeing of the chapter,

Whereas the complexity of East Bay DSA’s tax returns may increase as a result of hiring staff, increased income from fundraising, increased spending from chapter growth, and more,

Whereas SFDSA provided a recommendation of Rachel Ruhe, CPA, who completed and filed their last Form 990 tax return,

Whereas the cost of professionally prepared and filed Form 990’s typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,000,

Whereas Ruhe CPA has quoted East Bay DSA $1,000 to prepare our 2021 Form 990,

Therefore be it resolved that East Bay DSA allocate up to $1,000 for the purpose of preparing and filing our 2021 Form 990,

Therefore be it further resolved that East Bay DSA authorizes the Treasurer and Staffer to continue to seek out and research new potential pro-bono providers, as well as additional options and price quotes from professional CPA’s and tax firms in advance of the 2022 filing period,

Therefore be it further resolved that the Treasurer and/or Staffer will present a report and recommendation of a provider for East Bay DSA’s 2022 tax preparation no later than February of 2022 (form 990 filing deadline May 15th 2022).

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution to Contribute to the Campaigns of Jennifer Brouhard, Pecolia Manigo, and Valerie Bachelor

Submitted by Tim Marshall, Graham Denevan, and Shane Ruiz

Whereas East Bay DSA stands in solidarity with our many Oakland Education Association comrades working in the Oakland Unified School District to defend the right to a free, quality public education for all students and families in Oakland

Whereas East Bay DSA recognizes the importance of the crucial 2022 race for the Oakland School Board,

Whereas the Oakland Educators Association and DSA have endorsed a slate of candidates for OUSD that includes Jennifer Brouhard, Pecolia Manigo, and Valerie Bachelor,

Whereas these campaigns face opponents funded by charter school non-profits and billionaire privatizers,

Whereas the campaign finance limit for each candidate is $900,

Therefore be it resolved, that East Bay DSA support our each of three endorsed candidates with a financial contribution of $800.

EBDSA Solidarity with Iran

Submitted by: Andrew R., Abigail G-G., Cyn H., Keith B.B., Mark G., Annika B.

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran is an oppressive, right-wing dictatorship,

Whereas the September 16 death of Jîna Emînî (also known as Mahsa Amini) in morality police custody in Tehran has sparked a mass uprising across Iran,

Whereas Iranian women are the vanguard of this uprising,

Whereas the wave of protests has grown beyond any opposition movement the Islamic Republic has faced since 1979 and continues to grow by the day,

Whereas students and faculty at Iranian universities have launched a national student strike, and oil workers have begun to join in a work stoppage,

Whereas the Ayatollah’s regime has responded by killing and jailing students and protestors en masse,

Therefore be it resolved that East Bay Democratic Socialists of America (EBDSA) officially expresses its solidarity with the people of Iran in their struggle for democratic self-determination and to overthrow the oppressive dictatorship of the Ayatollah and the Islamic Republic,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA stands in solidarity with university students and teachers on strike in Iran, and all workers who join them,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA urges and invites socialists, progressives, and working people in the Bay Area and beyond to join us in expressing solidarity with the popular uprising in Iran,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA rejects the notion that supporting the people of Iran in their struggle against oppression and for democracy compromises our commitments to anti-imperalism, Palestinian liberation, and an end to military interventionism around the globe,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA opposes all dictators, regardless of their alignment to the United States, and supports all people seeking democracy,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA opposes on principle economic sanctions against nations, recognizes that US sanctions on Iran (the most sanctioned country in the world) in particular have only hurt the general population and solidified the position of the country’s ruling class, and further rejects calls for expanded sanctions by the US,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA recognizes the continuity in the struggle against oppressive state structures and patriarchy between Iran and the United States and elsewhere,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA calls on the national-level DSA International Committee and National Political Committee to join in our support for and solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle and issue a statement of solidarity,

Be it further resolved that EBDSA will publish a statement in support of the provisions resolved herein on its website and relevant social media and communications channels (such as, but not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, newsletter) and in particular calling on the DSA national organization to declare its solidarity. This statement will be co-authored by representatives of the motivators, the SC, and the anti-imperialist subcommittee.