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Rebecca Saltzman

@rebeccaforec.bsky.social

730 followers 270 following 640 posts

Mom, El Cerrito City Councilmember, Bike East Bay Co-Executive Director of Development and Engagement, and former BART Director

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · Sep 10

BIG personal / @bikeeastbay.bsky.social:

I'm stepping up into the role of Bike East Bay Co-Executive Director of Development and Engagement.

I'm thrilled to join Co-EDs Jill Holloway & Justin Hu-Nguyen in leading our efforts to make the East Bay a place where people come first, not cars!

Photo of me

Rebecca Saltzman promoted to Co-Executive Director of Development and Engagement

Bike East Bay Staff Announcement:

Rebecca's significant experience has prepared her well for this new role. She has been reporting to both Justin and Jill since they began as Co-EDs and has served as a key thought partner on development, engagement, and organizational strategy. While Jill was on parental leave for four months in 2024, Rebecca stepped in as interim Co-ED, leading the organization with Justin, heading the operations team, and delivering our biggest fundraising year to date. Rebecca has worked in leadership roles at non-profits for two decades, including as Interim Executive Director of California League of Conservation Voters (now California Environmental Voters) and Deputy Director of Breast Cancer Action.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 12h

Transit is quite robust in LA. Could it be better? Of course. But it has improved so much.

I was amazed at how easy it was to get from Long Beach to Studio City yet, riding two trains and one buses. Easy to navigate, short wait times for transfers, and got dropped off a block from my destination.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 12h

Absolutely, that’s why we need more housing! Costs have risen so much because demand far exceeds the supply.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

I’m frequently blown away by how cheap it is to ride @metrolosangeles.bsky.social.

My ride today, all the way from Long Beach to Universal/Studio City on two rail lines, costs $1.75!!!

Imagine how many more folks would ride transit in the Bay Area if our fares were this low.

Metro route from Long Beach to Universal

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Riding @metrolosangeles.bsky.social from Long Beach for the first time, imagining how much more housing there will be around these stations in a few years thanks to @scottwiener.bsky.social’s SB 79.

And with more housing near transit there will be more transit riders and fewer car trips.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Contra Costa and all tier 3 counties were removed in the last set of amendments. 😐

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

I’m at a California League of Cities presentation on building trust right now and I am super tempted to shout out that SB 79 was signed!

Not going to do that, but trying to figure out how to frame a relevant question and slip in that SB 79 was signed.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Oh well. We don’t need state law to change to get us to approve housing.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Woo hoo!!!!

Huge congratulations to Senator Wiener, @cayimby.bsky.social, and everyone who worked to pass SB 79.

Though it doesn’t apply to El Cerrito, we’ll continue to build lots of housing near transit. Look forward to more of our neighboring cities doing the same.

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 1d

MAJOR NEWS: @GavinNewsom signed SB 79, my bill allowing more housing near public transit — rail, subway, rapid bus.

It’s a huge step for housing in California. It’ll create more homes, strengthen our transit systems & reduce traffic & carbon emissions.

Thank you, Governor!

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 2d

Seal Beach wanted to increase rates at their beach parking lot.

They submitted the proposal to CA Coastal Commission in October 2023…and it wasn’t approved until May 2025!

Increasing parking fees based on demand INCREASES coastal access.

The approval process is clearly broken & needs to be fixed.

Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

Californians for Electric Rail @calelectricrail.org · 3d

This one highway is projected to cost 85% of what CA has spent on high-speed rail over 15 years and hundreds of miles. If we can afford this, we can afford high-speed rail.

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 4d

The entire proposed Highway 37 Solano-Marin super bridge is estimated to cost $11 billion, all to replace an existing road between a couple of suburbs. And it's proposed at 114 feet wide.

For comparison, the Golden Gate Bridge is 90 feet wide.

Warren Wells, AICP @warrenjwells.bsky.social · 4d

Caltrans has released a cross section for the ultimate (raised viaduct) version of SR-37.

Now maybe I'm just being paranoid, but if you were building a road that you planned to keep at 4 lanes wide, I don't think it would look like this.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

Obama Administration FTA put out draft rules to make regional planning boards (MPOs) more representative, including mandating transit agency reps.

MPOs, including Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission, fought the rule change and it was super watered down.

Clearly, change is still needed:

Saad Asad @realsaadasad.bsky.social · 3d

America’s regional planning boards are stacked against transit riders.

New research from Urban Institute. And here is
@cayimby.bsky.social's summary:

cayimby.org/blog/how-ame...

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

Ugh, thanks.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

Where? Bike East Bay has been reaching out to cities that are doing this, trying to get them to take a different approach.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

Advocating for safe access to medical cannabis was my first experience with NIMBYs and how I learned about the power of land use and zoning.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

Nearly 20 years ago I attended my first @calcities.bsky.social conference as an advocate with Americans for Safe Access, trying to stop flood of CA bans/moratoriums on medical cannabis dispensaries.

Today I returned as a councilmember of El Cerrito, where we have 2 licensed adult use dispensaries.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 3d

This is what we hope to do in El Cerrito - build a new library at Plaza BART, along with 743 homes.

This is our best opportunity for a new library, as there’s not space to rebuild on current site and the lease for the BART site will be $1.

A citizens measure is circulating now to fund the library.

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 3d

Cities are developing a new approach to developing housing: Integrating it into mixed-use library projects. These investments improve neighborhood vitality, add housing & improve services.

In new research @urbaninstitute.bsky.social, I create a database of such projects & point to success stories ⏬

Aging Libraries Could Offer Cities a Unique Opportunity to Build New Housing While Improving Public Services

Since 2000, more than 1,800 apartment units have been built in combined library-housing developments. These projects not only address local housing needs but…

www.urban.org

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Days like this are exhausting but absolutely worth it to have the opportunity to improve our city and beyond.

Also, these days would be impossible without my wife, who picked up our daughter from school and is making dinner for all of us.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

A surprising number of people I meet think councilmembers are paid full time.

Reality: we get a small stipend.

So today I worked a full day at Bike East Bay, BARTed home and took my daughter to her swim lesson, will quickly scarf down dinner after this, and then will go to a City Council meeting.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks @davebikes.bsky.social for writing about @bikeeastbay.bsky.social's co-leadership model.

"BEB’s decision to have 3 co-EDs is...a glimpse of the democracy we’ll build next: instead of powerful single rulers, shared power rooted in community."
themovementnewsletter.substack.com/p/sharing-po...

Sharing Power, Building Power

Bike East Bay’s Co-Executive Model as a Blueprint for a New Democracy

themovementnewsletter.substack.com

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Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 4d

Conversion therapy of LGBTQ kids is psychological torture. Generations of LGBTQ people know this firsthand.

It’s why we banned it in California & why others states also have. Therapists don’t have a right to torture kids.

The Supreme Court will harm so my if it overturns these laws.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Amazing! Let me know if you have any questions.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

bikeeastbay.org/board_applic...

Bike East Bay Board Application - Bike East Bay

Join our board APPLY TO JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bike East Bay seeks energetic board members committed to forwarding our mission of mobilizing by bike to build thriving communities […]

bikeeastbay.org

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Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 6d

wrote this line yesterday:

"If President Trump were, in other words, trying to instigate some kind of national divorce, it is hard to imagine what he would be doing differently than this."

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 6d

Statement from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.
We must now start calling this what it is: Trump's Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state's military troops.
I call on Governor Abbott to immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate. There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation.
The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you Attorney General Bonta for continuing to stand up for California and our nation!

AG Rob Bonta @agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov · 6d

Breaking: we’ve secured a court order BLOCKING Trump’s unlawful deployment of the California National Guard in Portland.

This fight isn’t over, but today’s rebuke of the President’s illegal actions is a step in the right direction.

The National Guard is not President Trump’s personal police force.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 6d

I’m so sorry that happened to you. If you’re willing to, I recommend sharing your story with the Board. Hopefully they will work on this so it doesn’t happen again.

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