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A Voice for Citizens, a Force for Change
e-bulletin
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Message from the Steering Committee |
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A Message From Chair of the Month, Rebecca Fricke |
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Dear LWVA Members and Friends,
As many of you know and some of you might not know, our local league is run through a Steering Committee (SC). Some members of the SC have specific roles, but many do not and everyone takes a turn as Chair at some point during the year. It is a cooperative effort. I came onto the SC this past fall as a voting member and liaison to the Racial Justice Committee and I was asked if I would be the chair for January. I gladly accepted.
As the new year approaches and passes it is often a good time for us to reflect on what we have done and what we would like to do differently. Our January SC meeting agenda will have time for just this type of reflection. Some of our SC members are new to the league and it is an excellent time to see the League through their eyes. I feel a little new myself, despite my twenty years of membership because I stepped away from the board a few years ago when we had a different leadership structure. I am looking forward to an insightful discussion.
And friends—how about you? What kinds of programming would you like to see? What have you appreciated about the Judy Brooks series? Did you see the Sheriff Candidates’ Night live or recorded? Are you enjoying the e-Bulletins? Are you still reading through a stack of books you bought from the LWVA Book Sale this past summer and already dreaming of the next sale? (I am!) Do you think you might like more outdoor gatherings? Our local actions depend on the interests and energy of the membership so it is essential for our members to step up and help the SC. Most likely we will be having a Program Planning meeting in the next few months, but I encourage you to reach out to the SC and let us know some of your reflections and priorities for 2023.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Rebecca Fricke, SC Chair of the Month
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Amherst, MA Climate Action Monthly Update
December 2022
What’s on the Town Council agenda this month?
Town Manager 2023 climate action goals - Dec. 12 and 19
Climate action in the FY24 budget and budget guidance letter - Dec. 5 and 19
Artificial vs. natural turf resolution - Dec. 12
Local climate activist groups are advocating to:
Amherst Climate Justice Alliance (Includes all the activist organizations below): meetings first and third Thursday, 7 pm, Zoom
- Strengthen Amherst Town Manager 2023 climate action goals
- Increase climate commitment in FY24 policy, budget and staffing, include commitment in Budget Guidelines
- Support the use of natural turf in Amherst
- Increase/create an intersectional climate action budget for Amherst
- Convert buildings from gas and oil heat to electric
- Build Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) and local renewable energy sources
- Implement Induction Cookstove Lending at Jones Library
- Ensure implementation of ZeroEnergyAmherst Municipal Building bylaw
- Support the launch of Valley Green Energy (CCA)
- Provide donation and volunteer opportunities for Greenhouse Gas (GhG) reducing area projects
- Induction Cookstove Lending Library
- Heat pump hot water heaters for Habitat for Humanity homes
Official town climate goals, plan
- Town climate action goals - adopted 11/2019
- Town Climate Action, Adaptation and Resilience Plan - presented June, 2021
- Town Solid Waste Master Plan - presented 2017
Climate Action related town department/committees
- Sustainability Department - Stephanie Ciccarello, Director
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Energy And Climate Action Committee - meetings alternate Wed, 4:30 - zoom
- Solar Bylaw Working Group
- Valley Green Alliance Working Group
- Elementary School Building Committee
- Jones Library Sustainability Committee
- Transportation Advisory Committee
~ Darcy Dumont
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Learn About the New Federal Climate Policies
Policy is the key to necessary transformative change to address the climate emergency. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a major imperative. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, and The Inflation Reduction Act(IRA) represent the largest federal investment to address climate change in our nation’s history. These three laws are designed to work together to rebuild US infrastructure, manufacturing and industrial capacity to power the shift to clean energy; with equity and attention to the needs of vulnerable communities built in as a requirement. Continue reading.
~ submitted by Susan Millinger from lwvma.org
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Greetings from the Racial Justice Committee (RJC) December, 2022
Judy Brooks Conversation Series
We have hosted two recent thought-provoking Judy Brooks Conversations. On Nov. 30, Kate Glynn and Marisa Pizii, Co-Chairs of the Abortion Rights Fund of Western Mass. spoke about their work to help ensure that all women have access to abortions as part of reproductive health care. The Fund will cover medical costs and travel expenses for women seeking abortions.
On Dec. 6, Lev BenEzra, Executive Director of the Amherst Survival Center, presented sobering statistics on the extent of food insecurity in Hampshire County and described the inspiring ways the Amherst Survival Center has expanded its services, not only to address food insecurity, but to serve many other human needs as well.
You can view all the Judy Brooks recordings and register for future programs at www.lwvamherst.org
Our January 18 guest will be former LWVA member, Dean Sudha Setty of City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, discussing “Our Fragile Democracy and the Role of an Engaged Citizenry”. She will consider developments of the last several years that have illustrated the fragility of our democracy and offer some ideas for how an engaged citizenry can play a meaningful and significant role in protecting democracy and its institutions. We chose the theme of Democracy because that was an important theme for Dr. King. Please start the New Year by joining us at 7–8 p.m., Wednesday, January 18!
~Martha Hanner, for the Racial Justice Committee
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Housing Issues – report to the League
1. Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) held a hearing on funding. There are over $8 million in requests and less than $2 million available. I spoke briefly in the name of the LWVA in support of affordable housing. I said LWVA has supported affordable housing in Amherst for decades; I was there to say it again; we did not choose among the various projects.
2. The Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust is asking for funds that can be held by the Trust for use to plug gaps in funding when they occur. In the past such funds have been used to demonstrate local commitment to a project in order to leverage much larger amounts from other funders, especially the Commonwealth’s Department of Housing and Community Development. As another example – this fund was used to set up the emergency rental project during the early days of the Covid pandemic.
3. Possible projects in the future include:
- Some units on land already owned by the Town on Strong Street (it’s steep and wooded with limited access and no utilities to it yet, so this is a challenge)
- Hickory Ridge – possibility of affordable housing on the 5-12 acres along West Pomeroy Lane; however there are lots of other potential uses, including a fire station in south Amherst. An overall planning process is underway.
- Ball Lane – Valley Community Development Corporation (CDC) has purchased a parcel and plans to build 15 duplexes for home ownership, mostly for those who earn 80% to 100% of the Area Median Income. This proposal got lots of support from neighbors during the hearing held by CPAC.
~ Elisa Campbell
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Health Care for All
Single Payer Ballot Question Results
LWVMA supports single payer health care as a legislative priority this session with the bill H.1267/S.766 An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts. MassCare, the Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care, placed non-binding ballot questions in twenty districts and they all passed. Speaker Mariano’s district passage rate was 61%. Read the full results. LWVMA expects the bill to be re-filed in the new legislative session.
~ submitted by Susan Millinger for Barbara Pearson, Healthcare Committee Chair
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Dec. 31 is the deadline to renew your membership. Members can renew on line or by mail.
The League has many programs and speakers to keep you active and informed. Stick with us. Thanks.
~ Phyllis Lehrer, membership
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VOTE411 Impact in Massachusetts
In the midterm election, 2022, VOTE411 shared election information with 80,100 voters in Massachusetts. Of those 80,100 voters, 11,318 were from gateway cities.This year we reached 57,389 more voters compared to our reach in the 2018 midterm election.
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LWVMA Town Hall: Program Planning
LWVMA Town Hall has been postponed to:
January 11, 7 p.m.
The meeting will focus on how local Leagues can get involved in program planning and other substantive areas as we prepare for the LWVMA Convention (scheduled for June 17, 2023).
Register here for the January 11 Town Hall.
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Want to Get More Involved in LWVMA’s Legislative Work?
Positions Available for Legislative Specialists and Envoys
Interested in criminal justice reform? We have an opening on the Legislative Action Committee for someone who would like to partner with the current specialist to advocate for reform starting in January 2023. As a specialist, you would collaborate on identifying priority bills, plan and conduct educational events/webinars, become familiar with the legislative process, provide written and oral testimony for legislative hearings, work with advocacy coalitions and develop relationships with legislators. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact current specialist Nancy Bettinger. If you would like to join us to be a specialist in this or another topic area such as affordable housing, education, and more, please contact the Legislative Action Committee chair, Jennifer Muroff.
Be a Legislative Envoy for your local League. Envoys connect the LWVMA Legislative Action Committee with local Leagues and legislators. Read more about the program. Contact Mary Cummings, Program Coordinator, for more information at [email protected].
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Save the Date for LWVMA Convention
LWVMA Convention will be held on June 17, 2023. Interested in joining a state-wide committee to prepare for the LWVMA Convention? We need volunteers for the Program Planning Committee and the Budget Committee. If you are interested in participating in the process to recommend program planning priorities and/or the state-wide budget for the next biennium (2024-2026), please contact Lily at [email protected].
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Elections Past:
See the LWVUS Preliminary Election Impact Report here
Pro-Voter Victories Across the US
November saw pro-voter victories in states including Missouri, Tennessee, and Arizona.
Following a suit brought by the LWV of Arizona, federal courts issued an order to block voter intimidation at the ballot box.
Shortly after, a Missouri judge blocked the enforcement of several provisions criminalizing voter engagement; LWV were plaintiffs on this case.
On the same day, the LWV of Tennessee and ACLU of Tennessee secured the right to vote for the citizens of Davidson County, hundreds of whom had received incorrect ballots.
Elections to come:
Volunteer to work on VOTE411 for 2023
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the 2022 VOTE411 election cycle the best midterm cycle yet! Because of your work, VOTE411 provided voters with the detailed candidate and election information they needed to successfully cast their ballots. Voters appreciated the hard work, sending thank you messages like: “We voters are desperately in need of objective information about candidates. I don't know of a better source than VOTE411.”
If you’re ready to get started on the 2023 cycle, sign up for the VOTE411 program here, and VOTE411 staff will reach out with additional information. Work alongside colleagues from around the country to provide much-needed candidate information in the upcoming odd-year election cycle! If you have any questions, please contact Megan Brown at [email protected].
Reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887 (ECA): Messaging Guidance
Congress has been considering legislation to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which outlines the process of how votes are counted and cast by the Electoral College. We’ve recently drafted talking points and guidance for Leagues speaking about the proposed reforms, available on the League Management Site. Talking points and guidance at this link.
~From Dr Deborah Turner in the Dec 1 League Update
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"Vote" Milwaukee, WI, USA 4/21/2021 by Tom Barrett on Unsplash Free to use under the Unsplash License.
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FORWARD THIS MESSAGE!
This monthly message is for anyone interested in the League, not just members. If you know someone who might be interested, forward this message and invite them to subscribe themselves, using the link below.
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e-BULLETIN STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS IN DECEMBER
The Editor of the LWVAmherst e-Bulletin, Jessica Ryan can be contacted here. The Associate Editors are Trish Farrington and Susan Millinger; Assistant Editors are Phyllis Lehrer, Sue Lowery, and Kay Fite who checks the links. Contributors to this month's e-Bulletin include LWVA members: Elisa Campbell, Rebecca Fricke, Phyllis Lehrer, Martha Hanner, and Susan Millinger. Material on LWVMA and LWVUS comes from Mass League Action newsletter and lwvma.org; League Update and lwvus.org, respectively, selected by Susan Millinger.
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