Introducing the work of Saving California Communities

•  Diverse and growing group of Davis community members who agree that the challenges facing California today are only partly the result of an economic downturn.
•  We believe there are fundamental flaws in our system of government that we must address before prosperity will return
•  We came together seeking to better understand options for reform, and how our group could assist the effort.
• We developed a set of guiding principles
• At our forum a year ago we identified two key areas in which to work:
• • build knowledge and understanding of the reform efforts underway
  •  link the Davis effort to groups in Yolo County and around the state, understanding that more voices carry a stronger message
• We have made progress toward those goals
• • sponsoring a speaker series:
  •  research analysts: Eric McGhee, Kimberly Nalder and Christopher Elmendorf
  • reform stategists: Fred Keeley, Bob Hertzberg and Jim Wunderman
  • policy makers: Senators Mark DeSaulnier and Loni Hancock
  • worked with a parallel effort of Yolo city, county and school elected representatives identifying common areas of interest and collaboration; made contact with statewide efforts as well
  • advocate for the reform proposals of California Forward

Despite this progress locally, the statewide reform effort is faltering.

• We are here again, to assess and understand, and determine what next
• Looking forward to the insight our speakers will provide