- Oct 16 AAAF So Cal Fundraiser: Join comedian Dan Nainan at our annual fundraiser in LA's Chinatown. more
- September 20: AAAF-Southern California is pleased to make the following ballot recommendations on the twelve California state propositions on the ballot on November 4th.
- Prop 1: YES. This forward-thinking measure will fund high-speed rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles to San Diego — and reduce smog by getting more people out of their cars and into trains.
- Prop 2: YES. This well considered measure will stop the inhumane treatment of farm animals, by banning calves, pigs and hens from being confined in filthy, cramped cages.
- Prop 4: NO. This misguided measure would ban teenagers from getting an abortion, unless they notify their parents or obtain permission from a judge. If adopted, Prop 4 could drive desperate teens into back-alley abortions or even suicide.
- Prop 6: NO. At a time when California is saddled with a 15.2 billion deficit, this wrongheaded measure will force taxpayers to spend almost $1 billion per year on unproven criminal-justice programs.
- Prop 7: NO. Though well intentioned, this measure to boost renewable energy is so badly designed that most major environmental groups oppose it.
- Prop 8: NO. This misguided measure would make all same-sex marriages illegal in California — and nullify a courageous decision of the California Supreme Court.
- Prop 9: NO. This misdirected measure would make drastic changes to our parole and sentencing system — making our state prison’s overcrowding crisis worse and forcing taxpayers to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in additional, prison-related expenses.
- Prop 10: NO. This costly measure snubs green vehicles (like hybrids) in favor of subsidizing less efficient, natural-gas cars (not buses) — all while lining the pockets of its sponsor, oilman T. Boone Pickens.
- Prop 11: YES. While not perfect, this anti-gerrymandering measure might make races for State Senate and Assembly more competitive, by taking away the power of state lawmakers to draw their own district lines.
- Prop 12: YES. This measure will continue a valuable state program to help veterans buy homes; all costs are paid for by vets who take out the loans.
About AAA-Fund — Southern California
According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau study, Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) have significantly increased their potential power at the polls in California in recent years. The number of APAs in California eligible to register to vote (citizens who are 18 and older) increased by half a million between 2000 and 2005, from 2 million to 2.5 million. That increased their share from 10 percent to 12 percent of the state's population of eligible voters.
The mission of the Asian American Action Fund's Southern California Chapter is to encourage APA Democrats to participate in the political process and to empower the APA community so that we can address the severe under-representation of APAs in the political life of this country.
The Asian American Action Fund achieves its goals by identifying qualified Democratic candidates, providing them with financial and technical assistance, and building a local network of activists, funders, and supporters. Our membership makes this possible.
AAA-Fund members join by making a contribution to the Fund and pledging to contribute to the candidates we endorse. Through our membership, the AAA-Fund empowers our candidates with the tools, financial resources, and grassroots assistance they need for victory.
Executive Committee Biographies
Marybelle C. Ang (AAA-Fund Board Member and California Chapter Chair): A Stanford and Northwestern Law-educated attorney, Marybelle Ang currently serves as a Regulatory Manager at Southern California Edison in Rosemead, California. Prior to joining Edison, Marybelle was an Attorney at the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, DC where she counseled scientists on transportation and regulatory issues relating to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. Marybelle was also an associate at the law firms of Kirkland & Ellis and Baker Botts in Washington, DC. A visible community leader, Marybelle serves as Vice President of the Organization of Chinese Americans (Los Angeles Chapter). Before moving to Los Angeles, she was Secretary of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association in Washington, DC.
Gautam Dutta (AAA-Fund Executive Director and California Chapter Vice-Chair): A Yale and Georgetown-educated attorney and civic leader, Mr. Dutta has dedicated his career to public service. Currently, he serves as Deputy Director for the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation. Prior to that, he was Founder and Principal Attorney of the Porta Justicia law firm, and Tax Counsel to now-California State Controller John Chiang. Mr. Dutta began as an SEC Enforcement Attorney in Washington, D.C., served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Gladys Kessler in Washington D.C.'s federal district court, and as a commercial litigator at Buchalter Nemer in Los Angeles. He plays an active leadership role in the City of Los Angeles, serving as a Commissioner on the Los Angeles Industrial Development Authority and Board Member of the American Civil Liberties Union and the South Asian Bar Association. He is fluent is several foreign languages, including Spanish, German, Hindi, and Bengali.
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