LOCALLY SPEAKING.....
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WAMC Reporter Karen DeWitt to Speak at LWV Post-Holiday Party
The LWV of Rensselaer County will hold its annual post-holiday party on Thursday, January 26, at the Brunswick Community Center starting at 6:00 p.m. The center is located just off Hoosick St./Rt. 7 at 18 Keyes Lane. A light supper will be catered with homemade desserts courtesy of LWV Board members.
Ms. DeWitt will speak on: "Politics in New York State in 2012". Ms. DeWitt is the NYS Capitol correspondent for WAMC, Northeast Public Radio. Karen has covered state government and politics at the state capitol since 1990 and is a contributor to the statewide public television program New York Now. She has also written for numerous publications, including Adirondack Life, Empire State Report, and Metroland.
For more information, call 271-6885.
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Home of First President of LWV Rensselaer County Demolished
After two years of debate the Fort Orange Club of Albany has succeeded in its quest to demolish two 19th century structures adjacent to their main building on Washington Avenue. The Historic Albany Foundation had worked to create a historic district in this area. In its quest to save the buildings, Historic Albany revealed that 118 Washington Avenue had been the home of Beulah Bailey Thull, first president of the LWV of Rensselaer County. She also served as president of the NYS Association of Civil Service Employees (now CSEA) and worked as a speechwriter for Gov. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In place of the buildings, the club has installed an expanded parking lot behind a 12-foot brick and wrought-steel wall. A bronze plaque, placed on the site, will present a brief the history of the buildings.
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Traffic Report: On-line Voters Guide for Rensselaer County
For the 2011 elections, the League of Women Voters of Rensselaer County inaugurated an on-line (web-based) Voters Guide for Rensselaer County. Voters used a link from this website to reach information on their candidates and to produce their own personalized ballots. Voters from around the county accessed the guide 223 times - not a bad level of traffic for a first-time effort!
For many years the League of Women Voters of Rensselaer County produced voters’ guides the old-fashioned way – on paper. These guides were made available around the county in libraries and numerous other locations. The old guides simply listed the names of candidates running for elective office, because the cost of providing detailed information would have been prohibitive. The new, on-line guide, however, made much more detailed information available to voters who, with the click of a mouse, were able to learn about candidate qualifications and to compare candidate positions on a number of key issues.
Candidates for five different races were asked to provide information about themselves and to answer a series of questions formulated by the League.
Not all candidates responded to our request, but many did. The races covered this year were:
Rensselaer County District Attorney
Rensselaer County Sheriff
Troy Mayor
Troy Council Members-at-Large
Town Supervisor in all 14 Rensselaer County town
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"Voter" Newsletter Going On-line
In keeping with the times, the LWV of Rensselaer County has decided to start issuing its newsletter on-line. Members who do not have Internet access can still get their "Voters" through the regular mail, but most members will receive their newsletter by e-mail. The next two newsletters will be sent both through the mail and via e-mail and then the full switch will occur.
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Local Leagues in Our Neighborhood
To learn what nearby Leagues are doing, check out their websites:
STATE NEWS......
(For extensive news from the League of Women Voters NY, click on "lwvny" at the top of this page. For a short summary of news, CLICK HERE.)
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Steps to a Better New York: New York State Releases the 2012 Legislative Agenda
Election Reform - Improve election processes to extend, encourage and protect voting, including paperless and Election Day registration, better ballot design, improved polling place management/poll worker training, and measures to ensure the integrity of all ballots.
Campaign Finance Reform - Support lower contribution limits, increased disclosure and public financing. In particular, support stronger and effective campaign finance enforcement with increased civil and criminal penalities for violations.
Other Government-Related Positions - Support structural reform to legislative redistricting; support effective ethics enforcement and open and transparent government processes; monitor impact of the property tax cap on localities and schools.
Health Care -- Support affordable and effective health care for all New Yorkers.
The League also has positions on Natural Resources, the Judiciary; State Finances, and Social Policy.
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"Capitol Beat" Returns
The League has announced the
return of "Capitol Beat," an informative
and entertaining column/blog, written by the
LWVNYS Legislative Director Barbara
Bartoletti. It contains timely updates on legislative action pertaining to League concerns and shares a bit of political
gossip, as well. Barbara has also been appointed to Governor Cuomo’s Mandate Relief Redesign Team which will look for ways to reduce the costs of mandated programs on schools and local governments. She will be providing updates on this work in her column/blog. CLICK HERE to reach the blog.
State Government Transparency and Legislative Websites Provide More Information to the Public
* SeeThroughNY - http://www.seethroughny.net/.
Managed by the Empire Center listing 8,250 member items approved for this fiscal year by the NYS Assembly and Senate.
* Open Book New York - www.openbooknewyork.com/.
Gives taxpayers better access to the financial workings of government. Sections include: (1) Track New York's Stimulus Spending, (2) Search State Agency Spending, (3) Search State Contracts, and (4) Search Local Government Spending.
*NYS Legislature:
NATIONAL NEWS.......
(For extensive national news, click on "lwvus" at the top of this page.)
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VOTING RIGHTS
Leagues Around the Country Work to Protect Voting Rights
In South Carolina, the state League signed on to a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking the government to deny pre-clearance on the newly-passed state voter ID law. In New Hampshire, the state League has been in the spotlight for its work to sustain a veto of the controversial voter ID requirement in the state.
Federal Judge Upholds Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
Late this month, in a significant ruling, a federal judge upheld section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires states with a history of voter suppression to seek approval before implementing changes to their voting laws. Recent state legislative sessions demonstrate the need for such continued oversight – multiple legislatures implemented voter photo ID and proof of citizenship requirements as a prerequisite to voting as well as shortening early voting periods and attacking Election Day registration.
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REDISTRICTING
Justice Department Aligns with League on TX Redistricting
Recently, the League submitted a comment letter urging the Department of Justice to reject the blatantly racial gerrymandering of congressional districts in Texas. The Department indicated that it believes the plan fails to comply with requirements set forth by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The League was joined by a significant number of individuals and civil rights, civic, and community organizations in repeatedly testifing that the map was clearly designed to benefit lawmakers’ partisan interests, while egregiously shortchanging minority voters and fracturing close-knit communities of interest.
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CLEAN AIR
Recently, the League sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives asking them to make the Clean Air Promise. Despite this, the House in September passed a sweeping anti-clean air (TRAIN) Act. The White House threatened to veto this legislation. While the League and other Clean Air coalition groups commended the White House for its threat, they voiced disappointment with President Obama’s decision to delay issuing a new clean air standard for ozone smog pollution. They expressed deep concern that the Environmental Protection Agency will not meet its commitment to propose long overdue Clean Air Act standards that would limit dangerous carbon pollution from new and existing power plants. The League asked the President to reaffirm the administration’s commitment to issue strong standards as the Clean Air Act requires.
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