March 2009
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LWVCT BOARD REPORT March 12, 2009
CALENDAR 2008-2009
March 2009 3/14 LWV Bridgeport Area general meeting on NPV, Stratford 3/18 LWV New Canaan open forum on No Child Left Behind 3/30 LWV Brookfield open forum on NPV, Brookfield 3/24 LWV New Haven, et. al., Regional Round Table Luncheon on Health Care
April 2009 4/1 4th quarter PMP becomes due 4/1 LWVCT/UConn NPV forum 4/6 LWV Hamden-North Haven forum on smart growth and regionalization 4/14 LWVCT/EF Board meeting, Hamden. 4/23 SIR, Quinnipiac University 4/29 LWVCT LOB/Capitol “Advocates’ Tour”
May 2009 5/1 deadline for LWVUS National Popular Vote consensus responses 5/14 LWV Bpt Area fundraiser: “Moonlight and Magnolias”
June 2009 6/6 LWVCT Convention, Hartford Lyceum 6/13 LWVUS Virtual Council (primarily for state League presidents)
Announcements:
Regional Round Table Luncheon: “Health Care Reform”
The LWV of New Haven and the LWVs of Amity, Cheshire/Wallingford, Hamden/North Haven, and East Shore invite you to a Regional Round Table Luncheon Buffet at the Graduate Club, 155 Elm Street, New Haven, at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 24, 2009. The cost is $15.00, to be paid at the door. The featured speaker will be John Hughes M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Yale University, and his topic will be “Health Care Reform.” Please let Margot Kohorn of LWV New Haven know if you are coming – 203 795 3151.
Facebook Point Person?
The LWVCT is considering starting a Facebook page. Is there anyone reading this who could manage it for us? If so, e-mail the office at lwvct@lwvct.org. LWV New Canaan Open Forum on "No Child Left Behind"
New Canaan Schools Superintendent David Abbey will speak on “No Child Left Behind: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly and The Future” at an open forum sponsored by the LWV New Canaan, at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, at the Lapham Community Center.
Lunch is available at the Lapham Center starting at noon; the cost is $4.00 for those 60 and older and $5.00 for those 59 and younger. Please call 203- 594-3620 by Friday, March 13, to make a reservation.
UConn/Hartford Forum on NPV
On April 1, the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work at the UCONN School of Social Work and the LWVCT will be co-sponsoring a forum focusing on the National Popular Vote (NPV). Details have been finalized as follows: Time: 12:30 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Place: Zachs Community Room, UConn School of Social Work, 1798 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117 Keynote Speaker: Miles Rapaport, President of Demos in New York City and former Connecticut State Legislator and Secretary of State Reaction Panelists: Sen. Gayle Slossberg, Co-Chair, Government, Administration and Elections Committee; Fernando Betancourt, former Executive Director of the State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission and current community activist Moderator: Dr. Nancy A. Humphreys.
LWV Brookfield Forum on NPV
The Brookfield LWV will present a forum on the National Popular Vote Compact on, Monday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m. at the Brookfield Library Community Room. The moderator will be Chris Kuuk, Western CT State University, and the panel includes Elena Goletz, League member and attorney; Robert Marconi, League member and attorney; David Scribner, State Representative 107th district; and a representative from the office of Chris Murphy, US Representative, 5th Congressional District. Governor M. Jodi Rell and Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz have been invited.
The panel will explain how the compact would work, and discuss the pros and cons of using this method to elect the president of the United States. Discussion topics will include the Electoral College, Constitutional and States’ rights issues, and mechanisms for enforcing the compact. The panel presentation will be followed by an opportunity for discussion, questions, and consensus of members of the Brookfield LWV.
For further information contact Dotti Dori at 203-775-2019.
LWV Hamden - North Haven forum on Connecticut In The 21st Century
On April 6 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. in the Thornton Wilder Auditorium, the LWV of Hamden - North Haven will hold a program called “Connecticut – Living In The 21st Century.” Hamden Town Planner Leslie Creane, will speak on Smart Growth, and State Rep. Brendan Sharkey will discuss Regionalization. For further information please contact Joanne Iacobellis at jojo3030@comcast.net.
Voter Service Re-Examining Debate Criteria
The LWVCT board has agreed to form a an ad hoc committee to examine the LWVCTEF criteria for inclusion of candidates in non-local debates and the effect of these criteria on league-sponsored debates. The scope of work will include the examination of LWVCTEF criteria for Inclusion, choice and evaluation of options for the future, and the potential effect of these choices on debate participation and sponsorships. The committee will be chaired by Jara Burnett. Volunteers are welcome! Please call or e-mail the office (203-288-7996) for additional details.
Want Any Directories of Elected Officials?
The League’s 2009-2010 Directory of Federal and State Elected Officials is now available both on line and in print. The LWVCT will mail a copy to every public library in the state; but if you know of any other facility or group in your area that might like one, and/or your would like some for your League, please contact the LWVCT office. We charge for postage and shipping any time we mail out multiple copies. Can you help us get the information out to the public?
Public Issues Team Report by Cheryl Dunson and the Public Issues Team Specialists
Money: As of this writing, Jean reports that we have received $3,225 in contributions in response to our PI Team fundraising mailing toward our goal of $7,500. Cheryl Dunson and the Public Issues Team expresses their sincere thanks to those have donated thus far. The upcoming edition of the Voter will have a detailed mid-session update – we hope that will encourage more people to support the League’s advocacy work in Hartford.
Reminder: Please periodically check the Action Page of the LWVCT website to view testimony, action alerts, etc. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
GOVERNMENT submitted by Christine Horrigan, Director
Election Laws/Good Government/Voting Machines: The League testified before the Government Administration and Elections Committee on 14 different bills and proposed resolutions. The subject matter of these bills and resolutions ranged from Election Day registration to proposals for “no excuse” absentee ballot voting, early voting, absentee voting by military personnel overseas, no-fault provisional ballots to changes to election processes and audit procedures. The League’s testimony included support for many of these measures and suggestions for improvement to some.
Campaign Finance Reform: The League testified before a subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee urging the Committee to refrain from making further cuts to the Citizens’ Election Program, which provides public financing of campaigns. The deficit mitigation bill passed during February contained a $1 million cut to the program. The CEP could be cut again as negotiations continue regarding how to address the significant deficit.
Last December, the federal district court ruled that the bans on state contractor and lobbyist contributions enacted as part of Connecticut’s sweeping campaign finance reforms are constitutional. An appeal has been filed. The Republican Party of Connecticut has filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit for the purpose of joining in the appeal, claiming that, as a major political party, the Republican Party is uniquely situated to challenge these bans.
Media (Broadband access/Net Neutrality/PEG Access TV): Specialist Pua Ford submitted testimony in support of HB 6426 AA Improving Broadband Access after a crash study of the website for the CT Broadband Internet Coordinating Council (www.ct.gov/cbicc).
National Advocacy
DC Voting Rights: In response to an LWVUS action alert, LWVCT contacted our US senators urging support for cloture on the DC House Voting Rights Act. The principle that all citizens are entitled to a vote in their national government is a cornerstone of American democracy. The Senate passed the bill late on February 26 with Sens. Dodd and Lieberman voting in support. LWVUS is now urging members to contact their House members. To view the LWVUS alert, go to: http://capwiz.com/lwv/issues/alert/?alertid=12768106&type=CO
NATURAL RESOURCES submitted by Karen Burnaska, Director
Air Quality by Chris Halfar: Testimony was submitted to the Environment Committee in support of Raised Bill 792 AA Prohibiting Idling of Motor Vehicles. The League believes the bill will be a major step toward reducing vehicular pollution and improving air quality in the state. This bill will place DEP regulations on idling vehicles in the statutes, making them enforceable by police.
Climate Change by Lynn Taborsak: Testimony was submitted to the Appropriations Committee on the Governor’s Proposed Budget opposing transfer of $100 million from energy conservation funds to the general fund. The League believes that revenues for renewable energy and conservation should be used for the purpose for which they were created.
DEP Funding by Karen Burnaska: Testimony was submitted to the Appropriations Committee in support of maintaining adequate funding for DEP staffing and continuing to fund the Council on Environmental Quality as an independent agency.
Transportation by Jara Burnett: Statements of support for various bills on congestion pricing, restoration of freight rail, and continued funding of bus transit were sent to the Transportation Committee’s public hearings on February 23 and 24.
Water Quality by Cheryl Dunson: Testimony was submitted to the Environment Committee in support of SB 747 AAC Consistency in Permitting Requirements for Alternative On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems. This bill will support consistency in the review of alternative sewage treatment systems by requiring the DEP to consider the same criteria in permitting large systems (5000 gallons/day) that the Department of Public Health applies when evaluating applications for small alternative on-site systems.
Testimony was also submitted to the Environment Committee in support of SB 569 and HB 5820. SB 569 will aid local volunteer boards by clarifying that applicants must provide evidence to prove that their project will protect the functions and features of existing inland wetland resources. It further clarifies that local volunteer board members can rely on input provided by state officials, expert environmental review team reviews, and local companies in reaching their decision. HB 5820 recognizes the substantial research findings that natural vegetation surrounding rivers and watercourses is vital and cost-effective means to preserve water quality and reduce risks of flooding. This bill solely increases the level of scrutiny on regulated areas (i.e., does not expand regulated areas) with an eye toward protecting vegetation to the maximum extent possible.
Waste by Cheryl Dunson: the budget mitigation bill, HB 6602, “An Act Concerning Deficit Mitigation Measures For The Fiscal year ending June 30, 2009” that passed on Wednesday 2/25/09 included expansion of the 5-cent deposit-redemption program to include water bottles, as of April 1st. As of this writing, the bill awaits the Governor’s signature.
SOCIAL POLICY submitted by Naomi Schiff Myers, Director
Death Penalty by Jara Burnett: LWVCT submitted testimony in support of bills to eliminate the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without release.
Education Cost Sharing by Kathy Wilson: In February, we submitted testimony on two bills pending before the General Assembly. We supported the Governor’s budget proposals for aid to education (HB 6365), which fund ECS and other grants at 2009 levels, in the belief that they represent the best we can hope for in the current fiscal crisis. We opposed a bill adding two years of World Language to high school graduation requirements (SB 945) because it provided no funding to cover the additional costs entailed.
Universal Health Care by Phyllis Behlen: We submitted testimony to the CGA Committee on Health Care in support of HB 6600 – An Act Concerning The Establishment Of The Sustinet Plan. Sustinet builds on existing health care coverage that Connecticut taxpayers are already funding and includes best practices from other states and other innovative health plans. It will establish a policy that focuses on patient well-being, public health programs and fair payments to health care providers. Because the plan will create a large public-private insurance pool, SUSTINET will negotiate more competitive rates and create savings for individuals and businesses.
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Space Available for Special “Advocates’ Tour” of the Capitol
The LWVCT’s “advocates’ tour” of the Legislative Office Building and Capitol on April 29th, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon is designed for individuals who want to learn more about the legislative process in order to become better advocates for the causes they care about. Presentations by selected officials will precede the tour. Space is limited. Tour is free but reservations are required by emailing lwvct@lwvct.org. More details to follow.
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Getting the Word about LWV Advocacy to Your Members
Just a reminder: Many League members have no idea about the breadth and depth of the League's advocacy work in Hartford. If your League is publishing a regular bulletin/newsletter, why not include some (or most) of the PI Team Report we send you in this Board Report every month? Alternatively, why not provide your readers a link to the LWVCT website where we post the Board Reports, which include the PI Team updates? That’s http://www.lwvct.org/members/pbmr/index%20.htm
Local League Service Is Your League in the News?
The LWVCT office would like to help our Leagues spread the word about what we’re doing. If you’ve been mentioned, quoted, or featured in a news article, either in print or on line, can you e-mail the link to Director Carole Young-Kleinfeld at ctyk@optonline.net so that she can post it on CTTopics?
Can People Find You On Line? Can They Join Up?
Does your Town or City website have a link to your League’s website or to the LWVCT’s? If it could but doesn’t, can you encourage your Town’s webmaster or web service to create the link? Many Towns have a “local organizations” web page, and too few of them mention the League. Have you checked yours? Let’s get those missing links fixed!
And if your website doesn’t have a membership (“Join Us”) page, how about creating one? The LWVCT office and webmaster will be glad to help – feel free to ask.
Please Help Us Start a Master Calendar
To further help tell the world (or at least Connecticut) about what the League is doing, the LWVCT is planning to post a master calendar of all state and local League activities on our website. (We already add local event to the running calendar on the front page of every Board Report.) If you want to be included, please e-mail as much of the following as possible to Jean Rabinow at the Hamden office: · Description and title of event (e.g., forum on health care: “Medicaid After the Budget Cuts”) · speaker or panelists · location · date and time of day · cost, if any · where to RSVP
NPV Concurrence News FYI
The New Mexico House of Representatives has become the 23rd state legislative chamber in the U.S. to approve the National Popular Vote bill. The bill now goes to the New Mexico state Senate.
The 23 state legislative chambers that have approved the bill include one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The National Popular Vote bill has been enacted by states possessing 50 electoral votes — 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect. The four states are Hawaii (4 electoral votes), Illinois (21), Maryland (10), and New Jersey (15).
The National Popular Vote bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes — that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill is in effect, all the electoral votes from the states that enacted the bill would be awarded, as a bloc, to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
LWV’s 90th Anniversary Coming – Let’s Celebrate!
In 2010 the LWVUS turns 90, and in 2011 the LWVCT turns 90 likewise. The LWVCT Board is looking for ideas that we can use locally, regionally, and statewide to mark the anniversary. If you have any thoughts, please contact the LWVCT office.
Convention 2009 Convention Update
The LWVCT has been able to get Ellen Andrews, Executive Director of the CT Health Policy Project, to be our luncheon speaker at Convention. Three workshops are planned and being organized. Additional details and registration flyers will be sent to all leagues in April. Look forward to seeing you there!
Send Us Your Brags
This year, the LWVCT would like to try something a little different from the usual “parade of Leagues” during the morning plenary session of Convention. Instead, we’d like your delegates to e-mail us with an item or two that might be of help to your sister Leagues: has anything worked to increase membership? Is there a better way of lobbying your Town Council? We’ll collect the suggestions and send them back out to the delegates, and we might be able to schedule an after-lunch workshop so that you can ask questions about the ideas that might be of use to your League.
We’re also planning on making space available for Leagues to set up table displays. Let the Hamden office know if you’re going to want to reserve a section.
SIR 2009 BRIC
The 2099 SIR will be “BRIC: Brazil, Russia, India, and China – Giants on the Move.” It will be held on Thursday, April 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Alumni Hall, Carl Hansen Student Center, Quinnipiac University (275 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden, CT).
The presenters will include Zaida Arguedas, Deputy Executive Director of the LWVUS and Senior Director of its Global Democracy Programs; Anne S. Evans, District Director, U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration; and Alex Liu, VP/Global Prepayment Systems, MasterCard Worldwide. There will also be four speakers giving their personal perspectives on BRIC Nations: Eugene B. Kogan (Russia); Vanessa Ivanovski (Brazil); Jun Zhang (China), Rama Ramesh (India). The moderator will be Yale’s Dr. Nancy Ruther.
The flyer and registration form are being mailed out now. For further information, contact our office at 203-288-7996 or lwvct@lwvct.org. Student tickets will cost $10; adults $20, but if you pay after deadline or at the door, the cost will be $25 per person.
The 1st Annual Jane Addams Forum on Electoral Reform
Join us for lunch to discuss the National Popular Vote Movement And other Issues of Electoral Reform
When: Wednesday, April 1st 12:30 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Where: Zachs Community Room UCONN School of Social Work 1798 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117
Keynote Speaker: Miles Rapaport, President of Demos in New York City and former Connecticut State Legislator and Secretary of State
Reaction Panelists: · Sen. Gayle Slossberg, Co-Chair, Government, Administration and Elections Committee · Fernando Betancourt, former Executive Director of the State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission and current community activist
Moderator: Dr. Nancy A. Humphreys
Co-sponsored by: University of Connecticut School of Social Work League of Women Voters of Connecticut The Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work And in cooperation with the New Haven Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Program is free but space is limited and reservations are required. To make a reservation or for more info, contact LWVCT at 203/288-7996 or email at lwvct@lwvct.org For directions go to: www.ssw.uconn.edu/index.php?path=ssw/directions
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