Archive for Action
Moral Monday Protest 6/3/13
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RALEIGH – More than 100 people were arrested Monday at the largest demonstration yet of the state NAACP’s weeks-long protest of the conservative policies of the Republican-led General Assembly.Police estimated that roughly 1,000 people attended the rally late Monday afternoon behind the Legislative Building on Halifax Mall. Hundreds then entered the building. Upwards of 150 people were arrested outside the doors to the state Senate chambers, where demonstrators chanted, sang and delivered speeches decrying what they called a regressive agenda that neglects the poor.
Others estimated about 1600 at the rally.
Moral Monday
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Growing numbers of people are gathering on Mondays in Raleigh to voice their strong support for the things that keep our society and economy ticking – Education, Health Care, and Voting Rights among them. The weekly gatherings are called Moral Mondays. Supporters have gathered outside and inside, and many have been arrested for refusing to end their peaceful occupation of public buildings. NC Policy Watch has a statistical list up today regarding the NC Senate budget. Excerpt:
Thousands and thousands – Number of low-income, pregnant women who will be kicked off of the state Medicaid plan and forced into the private insurance market under the Senate budget plan (“Senate budget plan kicks pregnant women off of Medicaid,” The Progressive Pulse, May 23, 2013)
25 – Years since former Republican Governor Jim Martin helped launch a major statewide effort to reduce North Carolina’s infant mortality rate (which was then highest in the nation) by expanding eligibility to Medicaid for low-income pregnant women (Ibid)
185% of the federal poverty level (or about $20,000 per year for a single person) – Income eligibility threshold for Medicaid health insurance for pregnant women that was ultimately enacted as part of that successful effort (Ibid)
From 13 per 1,000 to 7.2 per 1,000 – Amount infant mortality rate has fallen in North Carolina during that period (Tom Vitaglione, Senior Fellow for Health and Safety at Action for Children N.C)
133% of the federal poverty level (or about $15,000 per year for a single person) – Income threshold under the budget adopted by the North Carolina Senate (The Progressive Pulse, May 23, 2013)
It’s this kind of thing that has prompted the Moral Monday demonstrations that have grown week after week. Below you’ll find a video with lots of excerpts from previous events. There’s a big demonstration scheduled for today.
Standing Up to Unjust Laws
Posted by: | CommentsThe Campaign for Southern Equality is marching across the south, calling for full federal equality for LGBT citizens. Watch the new video. All of us have a responsibility to be as brave as the couples who are requesting marriage licenses and standing up for a more perfect union. With all of the unjust laws being considered here in North Carolina against the poor, the middle class, minorities, college students, the elderly, pregnant women, etc. – understand that our LGBT compatriots are fighting to speed the day when they will be allowed recognition under the law.
After you watch the video, here’s a link that may help you know what to do next.
ACTION on #AVLH2O – Gov. McCrory
Posted by: | CommentsThis hit my inbox yesterday, and I thought I’d share it here:
Despite the sincere appeals from many of you, and the principled arguments made by representatives of the City of Asheville, the NC General Assembly has passed House Bill 488, the “Regionalization of Public Utilities”.
The main intent of this bill is to forcibly remove control of the Asheville water system and pristine 22,000 acre watershed from Asheville’s elected officials, and put it in the hands of an unelected Board controlled by the State. The studies have all been finalized: there will be no economic benefit to ratepayers from transferring control of Asheville’s water, there will be no “efficiencies” gained – this is about wrenching control of water from the people into the hands of the State.
The threat of privatization of this vital resource still exists, and the threat to make this the first of many such seizures across the State still exists. We need to take a stand now just as was done last November when 86% of Asheville voters expressed opposition to the sale or lease of the water system. To date, over 50 municipalities in North Carolina have passed resolutions opposing the forced transfer of local government infrastructure.
Our best hope to derail this ill-advised juggernaut lies with NC Governor Pat McCrory. As a former Mayor himself, he has to see that the State seizure of municipal assets is a terrible idea. What City or Town will make investments and improvements in their infrastructure (the kind that Asheville has recently made in their water system), once the precedent has been set that if one greedy neighbor wants your assets, the State may step in and take them? This is what is happening to Asheville.
Please take the time to send an email to Governor Pat McCrory.
Or give his office a call (919) 733-5811. As always: be polite, don’t attack the bill sponsors, be persuasive. Mention “Asheville Water” or the “Regionalization of Public Utilities” bill. Should the bill reach his desk, ask him to please Veto!
For more info & other ways you can help, you can always visit SaveOurWaterWNC.com
Thanks for speaking up for safe, publicly-controlled drinking water!
Barry & the whole crew at Save Our Water WNC
Equality and Leadership
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Back in 2010, I introduced same-sex domestic partner benefits policy for employees of the City of Asheville. Recognizing the relationships and health needs of our LGBT employees was a big step forward. As city officials it’s important that demonstrate leadership to ensure the values of our community are reflected in government. A year after passing same-sex domestic partner benefits, I worked with over 50 clergy from the area to introduce and pass the City’s Equality Resolution, which included a Domestic Partner Registry, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s non-discrimination policy, taking a stand against bullying, and endorsing same-sex marriage. I’m grateful to the Council members who supported providing increased safety, opportunity, and acceptance for those citizens marginalized by unjust laws and policies.
Since that time we’ve seen Mission Hospital and Care Partners, two of Buncombe County’s largest employers adopt same-sex domestic partner benefits. Most recently, leaders in the Buncombe County Commission have taken similar steps to protect and recognize their LGBT employees. Their wise decisions mean that thousands of area workers are treated with respect.
We can do more. It’s still legal to discriminate against LGBT citizens when offering housing, and that’s something we have a responsibility to address. When offering economic incentives to business partners, we can guarantee that they include sexual orientation and gender identity in their non-discrimination policies.
Anything short of full equality for our LGBT citizens is unjust, and I will work to continue our march toward a city that demonstrates its values in all of its policies.
If you believe that these steps are the right ones, then please take the time to visit my campaign website and volunteer or donate. It’s critical that we have leaders on City Council who have demonstrated ability to get things done, and I’m asking for your help to continue this important work.
LIVE at noon: 2 Million Americans Say No to Cuts to Social Security, Medicare
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Organizations Representing Tens of Millions of Americans to Deliver Over 2 Million Petition Signatures Directly to the White House Rejecting Cuts to Social Security Benefits
Will Be Joined By U.S. Senator Who Vows to Block Benefit Cuts
Coalition Includes AFL-CIO, MoveOn.org, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, CREDO, National Organization for Women, Social Security Works, Alliance for Retired Americans, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Democracy For America, Campaign for America’s Future, The Other 98%, Progressives United, Blue America, Rebuild the Dream, Center for Community Change, Health Care for America Now and Others
(Washington, DC) – Senator Bernie Sanders and Reps. Mark Takano and Rick Nolan will join organizations representing tens of millions of Americans to deliver more than two million petition signatures opposing cuts to Social Security benefits to the White House on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
ACTION on #AVLH2O Part II
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Thanks to all of you who have written your legislators as part of a broad action letting them know the facts about the forced water/sewer merger. More shoes have dropped, and we’ve learned that the water takeover coupled with other bills will hobble our city budget to the tune of over four million dollars. During a town hall budget meeting today, the representative from NC116 introduced legislation to de-annex the airport from the city. Insult to injuy, and Asheville’s residents are the ones left to pay the price of this hostile, irresponsible attack on our city.
You have already written to your legislators, and today I’m asking you to take another step. Take that email you wrote, and turn it into a letter to the editor for publication across the state. Below you’ll find links to newspapers’ LTE pages. 200 words or less is an appropriate length. To reference the facts for your letters, check this post. Choose your favorite, or send letter to them all. This is a statewide issue, as setting precedent for seizing assets will have a chilling effect on infrastructure investment and economic development across North Carolina.
Email letters to the Charlotte Observer to opinion@charlotteobserver.com
Raleigh News and Observer
Email letters to Hendersonville Times-News to tnletters@blueridgenow.com
Email letters to The Herald-Sun to letters@heraldsun.com
Email letters to Watauga Democrat to editor@wataugademocrat.com
Email letters to Chapel Hill News at editor@nando.com
Fayetteville Observer
Email letters to Greensboro News & Record to edpage@news-record.com
Email letters to Jacksonville Daily News to localdesk@jdnews.com
Statesville Record and Landmark
Winston Salem Journal
If none of these suit your fancy, then have a look at this list of newspapers across the state. Your voice will make a difference as we make our case to all of NC’s legislators. If you don’t do it, who will? We are all we’ve got, and it’s time to rally to defend our public water system.
ACTION on #AVLH2O
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The North Fork Watershed
(If you’d like to skip straight to the Action Step – click here.)
It began well over a year ago when the representative from NC’s 116th district filed a bill that would forcibly merge the City of Asheville’s public water utility with the Metropolitan Sewerage District. He didn’t bother to tell Asheville’s elected officials about it, even though they were in his office the day before. Quickly backpedaling, the representative reformatted the seizure into a “Study Committee” process. The “Study Committee” went through the motions, ignored the opposition, and came up with a recommendation that mirrored the original seizure bill. The bill itself was filed this past Thursday, HB488. It is an outright taking, offering no compensation for loss of the asset.
Asheville’s legal team is looking the bill over, and we’ll get more interpretation from them in coming days, but there are many truths that are painfully clear and that have been effectively ignored by those supporting this attack on Asheville.
- The legislation was not requested by the people of Buncombe County. 86% of Asheville’s voters opposed the merger in a recent referendum. Major business interests, including our Asheville Brewers’ Alliance and Downtown Association, oppose the merger. The NC League of Municipalites opposes it. Cities across North Carolina have passed Resolutions against it. The legislation solves no problems, but it creates a host of them.
- No compensation is offered for the seizure of this municipal asset. Various estimates value the asset between $57 million (lowball MSD estimate) and $1.3 billion. Only by taking the system without compensation can they demonstrate a cost savings to customers.
- Asheville is offered only a tiny minority of MSD Board representation despite the fact that the majority of water customers live in the city.
- The instability and unpredictability of the status of municipal assets will undermine future infrastructure investments and could also impact bond ratings. This means higher interest rates, paid by taxpayers, when it’s time to invest in infrastructure. And what city’s going to make big investments knowing that the state legislature may just swoop in and seize their assets?
- Asheville stands to lose $1.9 million/year from the water utility’s portion of shared central services.
- As it is proposed now, other legislation surrounding revenue reform does not promise to hold cities harmless. That is, we’re being told to expect deep drops in revenue, revenue that funds everything from firefighters to parks to street repair.
- In Asheville, we have no access to other sources of regional revenue (occupancy tax, food and beverage tax, etc.). In addition, Asheville is unique in its position in NC as a regional hub. Asheville has the highest daytime to resident population ratio among all cities in North Carolina with populations of 50,000 or greater. The daytime population, which includes people who commute into Asheville for work, is approximately 43,000 people higher than the resident population. That’s without counting people who travel in for shopping, services or tourism. With over 50% of Asheville’s budget directed to Public Safety (Police and Fire), a significant portion of city services are provided to non-residents yet paid for by city residents.
· The economic interdependency between Asheville, Buncombe County and the surrounding region has an impact on the lives of more than 1.3 million citizens living in 23 counties. Strengthening this type of urban-rural network requires partnerships to support regional economic relationships. Legislation that impacts Asheville impacts almost a quarter of counties in the State.
· The repeal of Asheville’s ability to access water revenues for regional infrastructure only adds to the financial stress of the current economy. Cities will be faced with two decisions – to raise taxes or to forego regional investments that support jobs and business growth – both of which are negative for North Carolina’s economy.
Equality in Buncombe County – ACTION
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Tomorrow, your Buncombe County Commission will deliberate regarding equality in their health benefits and non-discrimination policy. On the agenda: Same-sex domestic partner benefits. Also likely to be discussed is whether to include sexual orientation and gender identity in the County’s employment non-discrimination policy. The latter is not on the printed agenda, and in order to consider it according to their rules, all seven Commissioners must agree to do so.
You’re encouraged to attend the meeting on Tuesday, March 19 at 4:30pm in the Commissioners’ Chambers at 200 College Street, Suite 326 in downtown Asheville. If you’d like to email the Commissioners to let them know your position, you can use this handy list:
commissioner@davidgantt.com, holly.jones@buncombecounty.org, brownie.newman@buncombecounty.org, mike.fryar@buncombecounty.org, ellen.frost@buncombecounty.org, joe.belcher@buncombecounty.org, david.king@buncombecounty.org
After the jump you can read the email I sent earlier today. I’m excited to see our Commissioners have this opportunity to join the march of history toward full equality for all of our citizens.
They will not know your position unless you show up at the meeting or take a moment to write your representatives.
State Takeover Fight Moves to Triangle
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Opponents of a state measure to take over the Asheville city water system and forcibly merge it with the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County met in Durham Saturday with members of the State Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party. State, city, and county legislators from every corner of the state were among the hundreds of delegates at the meeting to elect new state party officers.
The merger bill cosponsored by Reps. Tim Moffitt (R-Buncombe) and Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) is expected to force a merger of the Asheville city water system with the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County. It will be introduced within days and likely fast-tracked through the committee process. The House Standing Committee on Regulatory Reform, chaired by Moffitt, could review the bill.
Jake Quinn, a DNC member from Buncombe County, went to the microphone to address the assembly about the legislation.
