Friday, 22 November 2024

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The Governing Board of the Yuba Community College District has two distinct duties.

Clearly, our first duty – maintaining the high quality of education received by the over thirteen thousand students who attend classes at one of our six campuses – must never waiver. But we have another important duty as well – to be vigilant in protecting local taxpayers.

We are extraordinarily proud of the diligence and care taken by our fellow trustees in reducing the burden to our taxpayers.

Consider this: Within the last five years, the Yuba Community College District’s Board of Trustees has approved refinancings of voter-approved general obligation bonds resulting in taxpayer savings of over $100 million. These refinancings cut taxpayers’ future school bond property tax payments by 40 percent.

Let’s stop and think about this. Imagine you were able to cut the cost of your own home mortgage or monthly rent by nearly half. For most of us, this would be an incredible financial windfall! Yet this is exactly what the Yuba CCD Board of Trustees achieved without fanfare or publicity.

But their actions were certainly applauded by members of our community who monitor the impact of the district’s financings on taxpayers.

Pat Miller, president of the Sutter County Taxpayers Association, said the refinancing of the district’s bonds was “certainly a big tax savings for property owners in the eight counties of the Yuba College district,” adding that the Taxpayers Association was “extremely pleased” with the refinancing. (Territorial Dispatch, Feb. 21, 2017)

This same commitment to fiscal conservatism is what led the Yuba CCD Board to place Measure C on the March 2020 ballot.

Our local community college campuses are among our most valuable public assets. Measure C will provide the district with a source of low-interest funding to preserve and protect these public institutions for decades to come and allow our local colleges to expand their job training and technical education programs.

Our colleagues on the Yuba CCD Board of Trustees deserve praise and thanks for their commitment to building Yuba CCD into one of the state’s top community colleges while making sure that taxpayers get the best deal possible.

As we enter the next decade, this conservative stewardship will allow Yuba CCD to continue to play a significant role in the overall economic health of our communities and neighborhoods.

Richard Teagarden is president and Michael Pasquale is the trustee representing Area 4 on the Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees. The district serves several Northern California counties, including Lake.
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Time and time again, President Trump has shown he will not make the hard choices or put in the long hours that result in progress for the American people.

Tuesday night’s State of the Union address was no different.

He did not even mention gun violence prevention and his party continues to stonewall H.R. 8 in the Senate, a bill that passed the House with bipartisan support and would help save lives right away.

He also ignored the threat of climate change, offering nothing to help us tackle this issue.

While I was glad to hear the president express some willingness to work in a bipartisan way on improving access to quality affordable health care and improving our nation’s infrastructure, the devil is in the details.

And we have already seen that this president and his administration are more focused on tearing down the Affordable Care Act and undoing the positive progress we have made under that law.

The administration has worked at every turn to take away protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.

Notwithstanding the president’s efforts to do away with these vital pre-existing conditions protections, I will continue my fight to improve the lives of people in our district and across our nation.

From defending the Affordable Care Act and its lifesaving protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, to drafting and passing legislation to modernize our infrastructure, and to ensuring we optimize our tax code to prioritize renewable energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, I will not stop in my work to help our community and our county move forward.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he chairs the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Coalition.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Party supports two candidates in the upcoming Board of Supervisors races. The date of California’s primary has been moved up to March 3 (in previous years, it was held in June).

At its Jan. 2 business meeting, the county party voted to endorse incumbent Tina Scott for the District 4 seat on the Lake County Board of Supervisors. Tina’s degree in sociology gives her specialized insight for ways to address the most vulnerable people living in Lake County. Prior to her current position, Tina served on the Board of the Lakeport Unified School District. She currently also serves as chair of Hope Rising, whose purpose is to leverage resources in a collaborative effort to find solutions to one of Lake County’s largest issues, poverty. And, she serves as a juvenile justice commissioner and a court-appointed child advocate.

Tina Scott has been an active supervisor who listens to the community, responding to questions and concerns with her open-door policy. She was awarded an Executive Leadership Certification with the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Jessica Pyska received the Lake County Democratic Party’s endorsement for supervisor in District 5. Jessica built a technology consulting business with her husband, rebuilt her family home lost in the Valley fire and currently educates children in a unique K-6 garden program while leading her community in disaster resilience and economic recovery.

Jessica serves on the Lake County Risk Reduction Authority Ad Hoc Committee. As economic development chair of the Cobb Area Council, she recently won a $200,000 grant, launched a micro-loan program for local businesses, and produced the Blackberry COBBler Festival. She provided community input on the County’s Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Ordinance, Dark Skies Proclamation, and the Tourist Improvement District. Her priorities on the Board of Supervisors are to increase the level of disaster resilience county-wide, strengthen the county’s economy and improve the health and safety of all residents, especially children and seniors, while maintaining what we love most about Lake County.

If elected, Jessica Pyska will work with state, federal and private foundation representatives to apply for Lake County’s fair share of federal, state and grant funds and ensure they are used wisely.

The Lake County Democratic Party is proud to support these candidates, who reflect our values and policies.

Now is a critical time for Democrats, especially at the local level, to guide the nation toward policies of fairness, tolerance, and better economic and educational opportunities for all of us. The Lake County Democratic Party is confident that our endorsed 2020 candidates embody these principles, and that their election will allow Lake County and California to continue to lead the nation in fostering the kind of communities we all want for ourselves and for our children.

The Lake County Democratic Central Committee serves as the official representative and governing body of the California Democratic Party in Lake County, carrying out such duties as are consistent with the Elections Code of the State of California and the by-laws and policies of the California Democratic Party and Democratic National Committee.

Lake County Democratic Central Committee voting members are Susan Cameron, Ron Green, Doug Harris, Sissa Harris, Shirley Howland, Vanessa Mayer, Ceva Giumelli, Deb Baumann, James Evans, Louie Rigod, John Sheehy, Trish VanDenBerghe, Larry Bean, Virginia Cerenio, Tom Jordan, Chloe Karl, Dave Rogers, Becky Curry, Adckinjo Esutoki, Mary Borjon, Juliana Vidich, Cathy McCarthy, Stephanie Pahwa, Dirk Slooten, Sorhna Li and Shao-Jia Chang.
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Cate Kortzeborn, Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories. Courtesy photo.

Medicare helps pay for a wide variety of medical services and goods in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare settings. But it doesn’t cover everything, and it’s useful to know what is and isn’t covered.

Services and goods are covered either under Medicare Part A or Part B. If you have both Part A and Part B, you can get many Medicare‑covered services whether you have Original Medicare or a Medicare health plan, such as Medicare Advantage.

Part A is Hospital Insurance and it helps pay for:

* Inpatient care in hospitals;
* Inpatient care in a skilled nursing facility (but not custodial or long‑term care);
* Hospice care;
* Home health care;
* Inpatient care in a religious nonmedical health care institution.

Part B (Medical Insurance) helps cover medically necessary doctors’ services, outpatient care, home health services, durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers, and other medical services.

Part B also covers many preventive-care services, such as vaccinations and cancer screenings.

You can find out if you have Parts A and B by looking at your Medicare card. If you have Original Medicare, you’ll use this card to get your Medicare-covered services. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, in most cases you must use the card from the plan to get your Medicare-covered services.

Under Original Medicare, if the yearly Part B deductible ($198 in 2020) applies, you must pay all costs (up to the Medicare-approved amount) until you meet the Part B deductible before Medicare begins to pay its share.

After your deductible is met, you typically pay 20% of the Medicare‑approved amount of the service, if the doctor or other healthcare provider accepts assignment. (“Accepting assignment” means that a doctor or other provider agrees to be paid directly by Medicare, to accept the Medicare payment amount for the service, and not to bill you for more than the Medicare deductible and coinsurance.)

There’s no yearly limit on what you pay out-of-pocket under Original Medicare.

If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan (like an HMO or PPO) or have other insurance, your costs may be different. Contact your plan or benefits administrator directly to find out about the costs.

Under Part B, Medicare pays for many preventive services that can detect health problems early when they’re easier to treat. You pay nothing for most covered preventive services if you get the services from a doctor or other qualified provider who accepts assignment.

However, for some preventive services, you may have to pay a deductible, coinsurance, or both.

Medicare doesn’t cover everything, of course. If you need certain services that aren’t covered under Part A or Part B, you’ll have to pay for them yourself unless:

* You have other insurance (including Medicaid) to cover the costs;
* You’re in a Medicare Advantage plan that covers these services.

Some of the services and goods that Medicare Parts A and B don’t cover are:

* Most dental care;
* Eye exams related to prescribing glasses;
* Dentures;
* Cosmetic surgery;
* Massage therapy;
* Routine physical exams;
* Long-term care;
* Concierge care (also called concierge medicine, retainer-based medicine, and boutique medicine);
* Hearing aids and exams for fitting them.

Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
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I had a long conversation with a friend who is unable to find employment despite the multitude of jobs available.

She is not the first to seek out some advice in the past couple of weeks so I will put this out there in hopes it helps someone.

When I am looking for candidates and conducting interviews, I am looking for a “good fit” for our office.

First and foremost, I won't hire anyone that is negative. That upsets the current staff and I don't want to deal with it. Do not bad mouth current or past employer or coworkers during the interview. When you do, you are not telling the interviewer anything about your previous employment – you are speaking volumes about yourself though, and it is a deal-breaker.

Also, I view the application as your best effort to sell yourself. If you misspell words, use poor grammar and especially when you even misspell your own name, those are instant rejects for me. Have someone proof it for you.

Take the time to truly document your skills and experience. These are the tools used to get you in for an interview and it is shocking how many times, after a candidate is screened out, they call and explain they had more experience but just didn't include it on the application. Too bad, too late.

I have had multiple candidates that are equally qualified for a position and I always select the one I feel will be a team player, with a positive, “can-do” attitude.

With the many job opportunities available right now, any serious candidate should find a job. I advise people to take what they can to get a foot in the door. If you are good, you will promote quickly. Don't wait to try to start at the very top. I know staff that took entry-level positions to start and worked their way up to management positions within two years.

I hope this can help those that are struggling.

Jan Coppinger is the administrator for Lake County Special Districts, headquartered in Lakeport, California.
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Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s new regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and the Pacific Territories. Courtesy photo.

Did you sign up for a Medicare Advantage health plan last year only to find that it doesn’t meet your needs? Not to worry.

You still have time to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.

Between Jan. 1 and March 31 each year, you can make the following changes during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period:

• If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage), you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage).

• You can drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. You’ll also be able to join a Medicare prescription drug plan (also known as a Part D plan).

During this period, you can’t:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.

• Join a Medicare prescription drug plan if you’re in Original Medicare.

• Switch from one Medicare prescription drug plan to another if you’re in Original Medicare.

You can only make one change during this period, and any changes you make will be effective the first of the month after the plan gets your request.

If you’re returning to Original Medicare and joining a drug plan, you don’t need to contact your Medicare Advantage plan to disenroll. The disenrollment will happen automatically when you join the drug plan.

In most cases, you must stay enrolled for the calendar year, starting on the date your coverage begins.

However, you can make changes to your Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage when certain events happen in your life, like if you move or you lose other insurance coverage. These opportunities to make changes are called Special Enrollment Periods, or SEPs.

Rules about when you can make changes and the type of changes you can make are different for each SEP. You can learn more about SEPs here: https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/when-can-i-join-a-health-or-drug-plan/special-circumstances-special-enrollment-periods .

How do you switch? Follow these steps if you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch:

• To switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan, simply join the plan you want. You’ll be disenrolled automatically from your old plan when your new plan’s coverage begins.

• To switch to Original Medicare, contact your current plan, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

If you don’t have drug coverage, you should consider joining a Medicare prescription drug plan to avoid paying a penalty if you decide to join later. You may also want to consider buying a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy if you’re eligible.

You can find out more about Medigap here: https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/when-can-i-buy-medigap/4-steps-to-buy-a-medigap-policy .

For more details about Medicare Advantage plans, visit www.Medicare.gov/publications to view the booklet “Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans.”

If you believe you made the wrong plan choice because of inaccurate or misleading information, including information from Medicare’s online Plan Finder, call 1-800-MEDICARE and explain your situation. Call center representatives can help you throughout the year with options for making changes.

A final note: If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period (when you first became eligible for Medicare), you can change to another Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage) or go back to Original Medicare (with or without a drug plan) within the first three months you have Medicare.

Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

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