City Council Election Reveals a Divided City Continuance

Two Opposing Political Forces Are Compelled to Continue to Share Power in Emeryville

Corporatist Elite Versus People Power: Voters Choose Both

Democratic Socialist Agenda Helped Priforce Win

Establishment Democratic Party Helped Mourra Win

News Analysis

City Councilman David Mourra
Moderate
Winner on Tuesday
He's monetarily supported by centrist Dems,
  the corporate elite and endorsed by the
Democratic Party of Alameda County.

In a two seat four person race, voters last Tuesday returned incumbents David Mourra and Kalimah Priforce, one conservative and one progressive, to the Emeryville city council.   The unchanged election results hides the veracity of the unresolved internecine battle for the soul of the town; should Emeryville go the establishment corporate Democratic way of the council majority or should it allow at least one voice representing the progressive national trend towards greater equity and empowerment of average people?  The electorate in Emeryville said YES to one progressive voice continuing on the city council.

The fact that both winning candidates are incumbents gives the causal viewer the impression that a level of conservative complacency is at play when in fact the two winners are at opposite ends of the political spectrum in East Bay politics.  Voters rewarded Mr Mourra with re-election but they were not willing to let go the only progressive on the council, Kalimah Priforce.

Both sides won easily, with plenty of votes to continue on their respective agendas in coming years.  Mourra got the most votes, getting a boost from the establishment Alameda County Democratic Party endorsement and lots of associated campaign money he spent flooding people's mailboxes with flyers.  Priforce on the other hand, ran no campaign at all and he spent no money in his run, relying on his record as the council helper for the less fortunate in town and putting his fate in their hands.  His conspicuous membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) pronounced in his candidate statement likely pushed him over the top however.

City Councilman Kalimah Priforce
Progressive
Winner on Tuesday
A DSA member, he's supported by
renters facing unfair landlord practices
 and endorsed by the Green Party
of Alameda County.

Measure BB

Voters also resoundingly said YES to Mr Priforce's Measure BB that will flatten the business tax in Emeryville a little bit.  The measure raised the regressive tax cap, a relic from the days of Mayor Nora Davis that allows big businesses in Emeryville to pay a lower tax rate than small businesses.  Emeryville's notorious big business tax break comes at the expense of Emeryville's small businesses and as such was criticized by Council member Priforce for years.  The council majority finally gave in to allowing the people to vote on it November 3rd after the City's budget deficit exploded last year.

Divided Governance

Emeryville voters chose to continue on with a divided government despite Priforce being paraded as the object of scorn in the eyes of his four conservative colleagues on the council over the last for years.  The primary behind the scenes corporate power player in Emeryville, YIMBY California, used their influence on our election trying to oust Mr Priforce to usher in a hoped for unanimous slate of five pro-corporate Emeryville council members.  But Tuesday, the voters showed they wanted none of that.  

Council member Priforce has been a thorn in the side of YIMBY California, the giant apartment builder lobbying outfit representing Real Estate Investment Trust corporations and large corporate housing developers. 

After years of a YIMBY driven apartment building boom, most Emeryville residents now have out-of-town mega corporations as their landlords and council member Priforce alone, has advocated for helping the 70% of us that are renters.  This has earned him the enmity of his four colleagues on the council, resulting in near constant sniping and worse from the dais. 

Most Emeryville residents don't pay much attention to the goings on by their city council, most just vote incumbent and that certainly helped the two opposing incumbents, but many voters might still be surprised a candidate can so easily win despite not spending a dime on a re-election campaign or not going door to door to meet the voters.  Some hundreds of Emeryville residents/voters reached out to Councilman Priforce over the years and were directly helped by the council member, likely winning their votes but nearly all voters read Mr Priforce's candidate statement declaring his DSA membership.
  

It would appear that although Emeryville has gotten more conservative in recent years with all the $3000 per month one bedroom apartments having been built and filled with would be bourgeois tech commuters, there are still more than enough progressives here to elect at least one dissenter on the Emeryville city council.

We reached out to all four candidates for the council race for comment.  Only Brandon Soublet and Kalimah Priforce responded. 

Council candidate Brandon Soublet said:

"The incumbency advantage was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, especially given the dramatic differences in policy positions and priorities between the two incumbents.  It also doesn’t seem like they work very well together, so I thought voters might vote for change. "

Council member Kalimah Priforce said::

"Be it blue wave, blue tsunami, blue nuke, whatever we want to call this historical reclaiming of our public society - the American people want material change, real safety, true democracy, and not just progressive talking points from seemingly-nice politicians with ties to big money interests and the Epstein class.  I believe a better Emeryville is possible, so zero dollars was spent on the campaign, no door-knocking, no mass texting, the people of Emeryville chose the Monkey King from Brooklyn to keep leading, keep fighting, and to keep serving and advocating for that better Emeryville we collectively strive for.  

That should send a clear signal to the Alameda County Democratic Party establishment that the seat I hold as a left populist and a Democratic Socialist, remains the people's seat for renters, single-family homeowners, small businesses, workers, unsheltered, and all those investing in lowering the cost of living, working, and playing in Emeryville.  Whether you voted for me or not, if you are facing an eviction or having trouble with your corporate landlord, need food, utilities, or mortgage support, please reach out to me, Emery Rising, or our City Manager. 

'You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20, NIV).'

• Be it blue wave, blue tsunami, blue nuke, whatever we want to call this historical reclaiming of ublic society - the American people want material change, real safety, true democracy, and not just progressive talking points from seemingly-nice politicians with ties to big money interests and the Epstein class. I believe a better Emeryville is possible, so $0 spent on the campaign, no door-knocking, no mass texting, the people of Emeryville chose the Monkey King from Brooklyn to keep leading, keep fighting, and to keep serving and advocating for that better Emeryville we collectively strive for. That should send a clear signal to the Alameda County Democratic Party establishment that the seat I hold as a left populist and a Democratic Socialist, remains the people's seat for renters, single-family homeowners, small businesses, workers, unsheltered, and all those investing in lowering the cost of living, working, and playing in Emeryville. Whether you votaving trouble with your corporate landlord, need food, utilities, or mortgage support, pleae reach out tome, Emery sing, or our City Manager. "You intended to har