ATTENDANCE:  Zephyr Tate-Mann, chair; approximately 28 present

SPEAKERS:   Mary Caenepeel,  Incumbent Candidate for Claremont Unified School District
Gerald Kominski, Ph.D., UCLA Dept of Health Policy

Mary Caenepeel, has served on the Claremont School Board for four years and is currently the Board President.  Mary stated that she wanted ALL of the Claremont schools to be exceptional and was committed to saving many important programs in spite of the budget cuts that they have suffered.  She stated that the Board was able to save the instrumental music program in the elementary schools and that Claremont Educational Foundation, a local non-profit is currently funding an art program in the grade schools and technical education in the junior high.  Mary also discussed the importance of having the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as well as the ROP and work experience training classes.  Mary asked for everyone’s support by voting, sign placement and funding.  Her website is www.mary09.org.  Also, a party for supporters will be held on election night at 556 W. 11th Street, Claremont.

Gerald Kominski, Ph.D  - Health Care Economist.  “Health Care – What is going to Happen?”

Dr. Kominski reviewed features of the major health care bills proposed and being debated in Congress.  All proposals intend to provide universal health insurance and there is no way to do this without subsidies.  Both House and Senate bills will require an Individual Mandate and penalties will accrue if one opts out of insurance.  House Penalty tied to income, Senate wants a flat penalty.   Employer Mandate is a key component to the House.  Their bill requires all companies except those with very low payrolls to provide some health insurance.  The Senate bill exempts every company with fewer than 50 employees (that would be 20% of the US work force.)  

Subsidies for Singles up to $40,000, Families up to $80,000 incomes.  House = With subsidies, purchase insurance from an exchange.  All newly insured individuals will be on a national plan.  Senate = State exchanges, insurance companies can go outside the exchange as well.  Probably will allow the high deductible plans which won’t qualify as true coverage and for which people will pay a penalty.

Insurers can still price for age but can’t deny for pre-existing conditions, must have guaranteed renewal, no lifetime limits, have an annual out of pocket cap.  Must include certain core benefits.  4 levels of cost:  Lowest premiums cover 65% of benefits, next higher premiums cover 75% of benefits, etc. 

House will increase Income Tax on upper 5% (take back Bush tax cuts).  Senate proposal to tax four centers of the health care industry OR tax the “Cadillac” plans (plans which cost over $21,000/yr for coverage)

Public Option won’t effectively control the costs of Health Care.  In health care, competition does not seem to correlate to lower costs.   Dr. Kominski believes that this time Congress may really enact some meaningful health care reform in spite of all the wrangling.

BUSINESS MEETING called to order at 8:40pm

MSA (Merrill, Gar) Minutes of the September 29, 2009, meeting which had been posted on the website.

 -- Zephyr announced that she would like the Chairpersons of the AdHoc Committees to attend the Exec  Committee meeting on November 7, 9:30 at Scrooby Lounge, Pilgrim Place.

-- Announcement that the MTA had approved extending the Gold Line to Azusa.

-- Tuesday, 10/27/09 Police Report to the City Council  6:30 pm.  Please come if possible.

On Thurs, 11/5/09, the adHoc Committee for the Police Commission will deliver report and Human Services Commission will report to the City Council their recommendations for changes in renting City facilities and the need for security.

-- Village Venture – Carolee reported great success at our Democratic Club booth.  We passed out over 1000 of our Health Care Trick or Treat Bags, registered 7 voters and passed our lots of literature about Health Care plans, the proposed Lakoff Majority Rule Proposition, Open Primary info and candidate information.  Both Russ Warner (26th Congressional) and Darcel Woods (59th Assembly) spent several hours at the booth.      Rudy and Bob manned the booth promoting a permanent Dem HQ and stated that they had a fair amount of interest from passersby as well.  Rudy also encouraged all our members to consider donations to the Inland Communities Democratic HQ PAC.  Their fund is growing and they are looking for a site to purchase.

-- Andy Winnick reported that the TAIPD (The American Institute for Progressive Democracy) plans to address “Poverty, Unemployment and the Cost of Empire” as their next issue.  If a symposium is decided on it will probably be in the late Spring of 2010.

-- Zephyr announced that our Death Penalty resolution has been submitted to the State Party Platform Committee under the Criminal plank and she is lobbying members to support it at the next State Exec Board meeting.
 
-- Carolee announced that the Holiday Party will be on Sunday, December 6, at the Scrooby Lounge.  Meats and drinks will be provided and guests are encouraged to bring a dessert or salad.  More detailed announcement to come.

Our next Friday Luncheon will be on November 13 at noon.  We have change the location to L.Y.L. Garden, 921 West Foothill Blvd (west end of Sprout’s Center.)  Our speaker will be Darcel Woods who is running for the 59th Assembly District.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Whitson
Recording Secretary

Handouts:

President Obama’s Promises Kept
Info Alert (from united Steelworkers) “…Why Would I wan Healthcare Reform?”
Excerpts from Max Baucus “White Paper” with healthcare statistics
“Reforming the American Health Insurance…It IS ‘Rocket Science’ “
George Lakoff’s Majority Rule proposal for 2010 ballot
The Inland Communities Democratic HQ PAC

Upcoming Events/Reminders:

Exec Committee Meeting November 7, 2009
Luncheon Meeting November 13 2009 at L.Y.L. Garden
General Meeting November 30, 2009 at Pilgrim Place