About Us

BDC (Berkeley Democratic Club)

Our Mission

Mission Statement

To inspire and empower Berkeleyans to advance Democratic values and provide leadership through education and action.

Core Values

Accountability: Democratic leaders should keep their promises to the people and govern with integrity.

Equity:  We ensure equity and access across the broad range of community engagement and organizational activities.

Courage: We believe Democrats should be fearless and unwavering in the fight for racial, economic, social, and climate justice.

Centering Democracy: Our processes, undertakings, and initiatives are structured to further the democratic ideal that all voices may be heard.

Building Social Capital: We work to build networks of civic activity to foster increased levels of trust, articulation of shared values, and collaboration towards common goals.

Our Platform

Making Housing More Affordable

  • Encourage new residential housing at both market-rate and below-market rate so that our workforce, families, children, and seniors at all income levels have an opportunity to live in Berkeley
  • Continue to require developers to build or contribute a fee toward meeting affordable housing goals
  • Maintain rent stabilization for the primary benefit of low-income individuals and households and minimize costs for small property owners
  • Encourage accessory dwelling  units that increase the housing stock and help seniors age in place

Building a Stronger, Fairer Economy

  • Attract living-wage green and STEM job opportunities for Berkeley residents, paired with equitable hiring practices
  • Actively collaborate and energize our community to tackle the legacy of racial inequality in public policy by considering equity in policy decisions, including the allocation of public safety, social services, and economic development resources in historically under-served areas

Improving Community Health and Safety

  • Target funding for social services and addiction recovery to nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated record of sound management and outcomes
  • Practice compassion and provide proactive service interventions for  the homeless and those suffering from severe mental health issues
  • Nurture positive relationships between police and the neighborhoods they serve
  • Support evidence-based solutions to improve policing and provide targeted social services to improve public safety outcomes
  • Support training programs for law enforcement officers that include de-escalation; implicit, unconscious, and explicit bias; cultural competency; interacting with people with disabilities, including individuals with mental or behavioral health challenges; and dealing with individuals under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Expand investment in disaster preparedness to address the threats posed by climate change, earthquakes, and wildfires
  • Advocate and support strategies to prevent closure of essential emergency and healthcare services at Alta Bates Medical Center
  • Continue to make COVID-19 testing readily available, aggressively pursue strategies to vaccinate all eligible Berkeley residents, and enforce mask mandates

Combating the Climate Crisis and Pursuing Equitable Environmental Justice

  • Hold the City Council and staff accountable for meeting the Measure G (2006) mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050
  • Encourage Berkeley homeowners and property owners to invest in solar energy sources, reduce natural gas usage, and conserve water
  • Preserve parks and open space, actively consider environmental justice in land use decisions, encourage urban gardens and expand recreational space and opportunities for active lifestyles
  • Fund a multi-modal transportation system that facilitates walking, biking and use of public transit for all Berkeley residents, including seniors and people with disabilities
  • Implement Vision 2050 recommendations to guide planning and investment to sustain and improve Berkeley’s infrastructure
  • Produce an action plan to address deferred maintenance of the city’s streets, parks, and public facilities

Delivering Cost-Effective Government Services

  • Maintain current tax rates and service levels to ensure needs are met at cost taxpayers can bear
  • Practice shared accountability that includes increased individual contributions to pensions from newly-hired city employees, starting with non-public safety employees
  • Advocate for statewide reform of Proposition 13 to ensure commercial property owners pay their fair share

Providing a World-Class Education in Every Zip Code

  • Provide a high-quality education in Berkeley Unified School District that promotes college and career readiness, ends racial inequities and predictability, and is culturally and linguistically responsive to student needs
  • Address the digital divide among students, including the inability of students to do homework from home during COVID due to lack of broadband and computer access
  • Renew and update the 2020 Vision and partnership between BUSD, UC Berkeley, Berkeley City College, and the City of Berkeley to address inequities in educational outcomes in our schools
  • Acknowledge the pivotal role of supplemental funding for Berkeley schools while pressing state legislators to increase funding statewide
  • Advocate for increased support for K-16 education
  • Encourage delivery of essential services for children such as high-quality, affordable childcare; preschool and early development centers; and community- and school-based afterschool programs.
  • Require schools to comply with Title IX and other federal and state regulations to provide a safe environment where students are free from bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, and are protected from retaliation as they seek help

Restoring and Strengthening Democracy

  • Encourage broad participation in Berkeley’s commissions from people of all racial, social-economic, religious, gender identity, and political backgrounds
  • Oppose all attempts to disenfranchise voters through voter ID laws, closure of polling places in low-income neighborhoods, and unconstitutional purges of voter rolls
  • Make voting easier and more accessible for all by supporting automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, early voting, universal vote-from-home and vote-by-mail options, and by making Election Day a federal holiday
  • Support overturning the Citizens United decision to restrain the power of money in politics