Free Forum with Supervisor Wilma Chan May 24

From a League of Women Voters of Alameda press release:

Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan will discuss ”The State of Alameda County” at a League of Women Voters of Alameda (LWVA) free public forum May 24 at Cardinal Point, 2431 Mariner Square Drive from 7 to 9 p.m.

The public is welcome at this LWVA program in the Cardinal Point residential community, a wheelchair-accessible facility overlooking the Oakland Estuary.

Supervisor Chan will speak on the county budget and how state and federal decisions — such as budget cuts — affect Alameda County. She will also highlight current initiatives like the Human Impact Budget, the Adopt a School program, and Alameda County ‘s first-in-the-nation response in 2011 to the Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge (enrolling all eligible uninsured children to receive health care).

“Healthy kids make healthy communities,” said Supervisor Chan. “When it comes to eligible children, we know that enrolling them in public programs can change their lives. Enrollment also brings … federal and state matching funds into our community health care system. We are going to do all that we can, as a county and with our community partners, to enroll these children and cover them with health and vision benefits they need.”

A discussion and question-and-answer session will follow Chan’s presentation.

The LWVA began its “State of the . . . “ forum series last year in order to help Alameda residents understand the challenges faced by local legislative and policy bodies. Previous “State of” forums have offered officials such as City of Alameda Health Care District President Jordan Battani and Board of Education President Margie Sherratt opportunities to connect directly with community residents and voters.

“The League’s primary mission is voter education. This series goes beyond traditional candidate forums. Residents also need to know what issues their elected officials are facing and how they are progressing in critical areas,” said LWVA President Jeff Cambra.

Wilma Chan is the Alameda County supervisor representing the Third District. She previously served as majority leader of the state Assembly and chair of the Committee on Health of the California Assembly. (She served in the Assembly from 2000 to 2006.)

Chan was the first Asian American elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. As a supervisor, Chan wrote the strategic plan to keep the County Medical Center open and formed the Alameda County First Five Commission (Every Child Counts).

Supervisor Chan holds a B.A. in history from Wellesley College and an M.A. in education policy and administration from Stanford University. She has two grown children and one grandchild.

The League of Women Voters of Alameda, a 501(c) (3) nonpartisan and nonprofit public policy educational organization, offers voter service and citizen education activities to increase citizen participation in our democracy, study community issues, and support positive public policy solutions. Membership in the League of Women Voters of Alameda is open to all women and men.

For more information on this free public forum, please visit http://alameda.ca.lwvnet.org/Public_Events.html or contact LWVA Program Chair Tracy Jensen (510-865-6350; tjalameda@gmail.com).