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Wednesday, March 31
Doors 5:30 p.m. | Program 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Macalester College, Weyerhauser Hall
62 Macalester Street, St. Paul
Admission: $5 for members; $10 for nonmembers
Light appetizers providedRegister now Be a trail blazer! Help the Citizens League build the right process to engage Minnesotans on how funds from the constitutional amendment for parks and trails should be spent, and weigh in with your opinion. The Citizens League is working with the Department of Natural Resources to design a public participation process for the Parks and Trails Legacy Project, which will create a plan for how to spend money from the constitutional Legacy Amendment and other traditional sources of funding. Find out more about the project on our policy blog, find out more about the Mind Opener, and register now. |
Join the Action Groups: Advance Citizens League Policy and Build Your Civic Skills and Network
 The 2010 Action Groups program will kick off on:
April 15th
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis
The Action Groups are self-led groups of young members who will
organize to advance work in core Citizens League policy areas while
receiving support and training from the Citizens League. You do not need to be a member to sign up.
Potential areas
for policy focus include: Find out more and sign up now.
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Collegeville Policy and a Pint: The Culture of Food
Thursday, March 25
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Brother Willie's Pub, St.
John's University
Free and open to the public. No registration required. Policy and a Pint ® is coming to Collegeville! Community supported agriculture farms and community gardens are
sprouting up everywhere. Discover what the craze is all about with Gary
Brever, award-winning owner of Ploughshare Farm, and Diane Veale
Jones, an environmental studies professor who specializes in food
culture and agriculture.
Hosted as always by 89.3 The Current DJ Steve Seel.
And stick around until 11 for music by Chris Koza and 89.3 The Current DJ Mark Wheat.
Policy and a Pint is presented by 89.3 The Current and the Citizens League and is generously sponsored by Best Buy. |
At the Capitol:
Impartial Courts Bill Advances to Next Senate Hearing
The bill proposing a constitutional amendment that would preserve the independence of Minnesota's judges by creating a system of retention elections (SF 70 in the Senate) is scheduled for a hearing in the Judiciary Budget Division of the Senate Finance Committee tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. in Room 112 of the Capitol.
We encourage Citizens League members to attend the hearing and to call Committee members urging them to support the bill.
The Committee members are:
Talking points are available on our website. Please let us know if you contact senators or representatives.
Background:
The Citizens
League, along with our partners in the Coalition for Impartial Justice,
supports legislation to establish a ballot initiative in November 2010
to improve our system for selecting and electing judges (HF224/SF70).
You can find more information
about the change we are proposing on the Citizens League's website. If
you would like to receive additional email updates about this policy,
please sign up here.
Alternative Teacher Licensure Proposed
A bill has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would expand teacher licensure in Minnesota. At the core of this issue is a problem identified by the Citizens League's 2009 report on immigrant students and higher education: our schools' faculties and administrations should better reflect the student body. Minnesotans of color and from immigrant families are underrepresented in these positions, though they make up an increasing portion of the student body.
Our state should increase the opportunities for these Minnesotans to become teachers, counselors and school administrators, especially though nontraditional avenues. These positions not only serve as resources for families from their communities but also as role models for students.
Read more...
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Member Profile: Stacey Millet
The Citizens League builds civic imagination and capacity in Minnesota through civic policy making, building the ability of people and organizations to define and solve problems and to set policy. Once a month, we will profile an active Citizens League member who is a civic policy maker in their work and everyday life.
 This month, we're profiling Stacey Millett, Director of Family Services, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity; Citizens League member for one year; and participant in the Minnesota Anniversary Project Steering Committee and the Pathways to Prosperity committee.
Stacy says:
In her work: "'We believe in the power and potential of all citizens' applies to how I have wanted our department and whole organization to think about homeowners as assets who deserve the opportunity to be involved in our work and in their local communities long after closing on their home.... Civic participation at any level is equally important to successful homeownership as maintaining financial and physical upkeep obligations of homeownership."
On membership in the Citizens League: "It is crucial in these times to have a body of active citizens whose interests extend beyond partisan divide. I'm impressed with the Citizens League's focus on drilling down to the systemic roots of policy issues with much needed rigor.
"I like the mix of citizens who span multiple viewpoints and backgrounds but gather together for the benefit of the common good. There are multiple ways to get involved...at a minimum, membership alone keeps you informed through comprehensive publications and a website that contains detailed policy analysis of issues that are important to Minnesota."
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 Have ideas of how to reduce obesity in your community? Think one of them is worth $15,000 to make it happen (plus a $500 prize for you)? Get it in the running now at www.MNIdeaOpen.org! The first ever Minnesota Idea Open challenge is on! The Citizens League is proud to partner with the Idea Open in an effort to develop citizens' solutions to Minnesota's important policy problems. Read more...
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