League of Women Voters of NYS

 STATE VOTER

December 2013 



From the President

As we approach the New Year, it is natural to reflect on the year past and make plans for the upcoming year. Despite the energy and hard work of League members, we did not accomplish all we hoped for legislatively in 2013. The Legislative session will begin again in January and we will be aggressively working in 2014 on many of the same, and some new, issues.

 

However, we also had some major successes in 2013. Most notably, over 40 local Leagues implemented Vote411.org and this online voter guide gained prominence among New York voters as the place to get essential information before voting. We received much positive feedback on the information we provided on the six ballot proposals. It is clear that we have a reputation people respect. Voters turn to us year after year, and we are there.

 

To make sure you have the resources you need, we are organizing regional training workshops across the state for all members in March and April, and LWVUS National Convention is in Dallas in June. Next year also brings a busy election season with state level races - get ready for more Vote 411 and voter services.

 

I am confident that we make a difference every day for the people of New York. Your commitment to our cause fuels my leadership and I am grateful for all you do in your communities around the state. With that passion behind us, 2014 will be another year we can be proud of as League members.

 

If you have not already made a donation to the state League, please join me in making a gift by December 31st! Send in your donation today or go to our website and click on the red Donate ED Foundation button at the top, right of the screen. To find out how to double your online gift, please see the Development Update below. Thank you.

 

Sally Robinson, President
League of Women Voters of NYS
[email protected]
Facebook: League of Women Voters of NYS
Twitter: @LWVNYS
IN THIS ISSUE
Support the EF
2014 Legislative Agenda
Lobby Day 2014
Regional Workshops for ALL
Issues and Advocacy
Grassroots Lobbying
Transportation Issues
Vote 411
Youth Programs
Local League News
State Office Staff

Happy Holidays from the State Office! From left to right, Kate Jankowski, Katrina McEwan, Sarah Podber, Laura Ladd Bierman, Lisa Allendorph. 
Support the Education Foundation

 

Double your year end gift!

Our board president, Sally Robinson, has generously agreed to match all online gifts to the Education Foundation received between now and December 31, 2013. To double the impact of your gift, click on the red DONATE ED Foundation button on the state website! 

 

Create a Lasting Legacy for the League

The League has been around for almost 100 years, in part because of the vitality of our members and mission, and also because members who have passed away have remembered the League in their wills. Bequests are the most popular way donors make deferred gifts. By making a bequest to the League, you can maintain control of your assets during your lifetime and still support the League for the next generation of members. You can make a bequest that is a percentage of your estate or stipulate a specific dollar amount. To find out more about naming the League in your will, contact Kate Jankowski, Communications and Development Coordinator, at (518) 465-4162 or via email at [email protected].

2014 LWVNYS Legislative Agenda

The state Board approved the language for the 2014 Legislative Agenda at is meeting in December:

 

Making New York State Work

2014 Legislative Agenda

 

Campaign Finance Reform 

Support lower contribution limits, increased disclosure and a system of small donor matching funds. In particular, support stronger and effective campaign finance enforcement with increased penalties for violations.  

 

 Election Reform  

Improve election processes to extend, encourage and protect voting, including paperless and Election Day registration, early voting, better ballot design, improved polling place management/poll worker training, a single June primary, and measures to ensure the integrity of all ballots.  

 

Natural Resources

Support protection and management of New York's natural resources in the public interest, including energy conservation and energy options from renewable sources.  

 

Women's Equality Agenda

Support equality for women and their families through preserving access to reproductive health care, ensuring fair treatment at work, and helping survivors of violence. 

Other League Positions

The League also has positions on other Government Issues including Ethics, Transparency, and Individual Liberties, as well as Health Care, the Judiciary, State Finances, and Social Policy, including Transportation Policy, under which we can and do take action.

The 2014 League Legislative Agenda brochure will be available in early January. Contact your local League to receive a copy. It will also be posted on the state League website. 

Lobby Day (Advocacy Training Day)

 

 
Want to come learn more about the League's positions and what we expect for action this legislative session? Lobby Day (or more accurately, Advocacy Training Day) will be held on MONDAY, FEB. 3, 2014. The date of Lobby Day has changed from Tuesday, Feb. 4 to Monday, Feb. 3rd - please note the change in date! All members are encouraged to attend. Explanation of the state League's positions and projected action will be discussed. The state League Issue Specialists will present information on the current status of legislation in their areas. Attendees will be able to observe either the Senate or Assembly from the Galleries and attend committee meetings scheduled for that day (schedules won't be available until the week prior to Lobby Day). If members wish, they can schedule meetings with their own legislators. Click here for the sign up sheet- or call Katrina (518-465-4162) by Jan. 17 to reserve your spot!   

Regional Training Workshops Open to ALL

The state League is organizing regional workshops around the state during March and April 2014. Currently, dates have been set as follows:

  • Saturday, March 8    Binghamton Public Library, Binghamton
  • Saturday, March 29  Cold Spring Harbor Library, Cold Spring Harbor (Long Island)

Additional dates and locations are being set for Albany and Rochester. Mark your calendar now to attend one in your area.

 

Workshops will include topics such as Vote 411, Membership and Leadership Issues, Fundraising, Issues and Advocacy, Candidate Forums Issues (organizing and moderating), and more! Local Leagues will be sharing their best practices and success stories - come network with Leagues in your area and learn what more you could be doing. All members are invited to attend all or part of the day (all Saturdays from 10:00am - 4:00pm) and all local League Board members are STRONGLY encouraged to attend at least one of the workshops. More details coming soon.

 

Issues and Advocacy
Sally Robinson, [email protected]

Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption

The Moreland Commission has released its Preliminary Report; click here to read the full report. The League joined our good government groups and held a press conference highlighting the letter we sent to the Governor urging him to take action on the Commission's recommendations, including the campaign finance reforms for which the League has been advocating for decades; click here to read the press release and letter to the Governor. We sent a model Letter to the Editor to all local Leagues asking them to submit the letter to your local papers. Please share with us any letters that are published in your papers.

 

Election Reform

Kate Doran, LWV of New York City, with Sally Robinson, LWVNYS President, presented testimony for the state League before the Assembly Standing Committee on Election Law on December 9. The testimony focused on our positions for a single, June primary, and issues of voter accessibility such as ballot design, early voting, voter registration procedures and poll worker training. The testimony is  posted on the state League website; click here. During the Committee meeting, Assemblywoman Schimel praised the League and Jane Thomas, President of LWV of Port Washington/Manhasset, for the Leagues' work on voter services - great job, Jane and the Leagues of Nassau County!

 

GRASSROOTS LOBBYING
Carol Mellor, [email protected]

We held the first of what we hope will be many Update on Issues Conference Calls on November 6. Over 20 members signed up in advance and more tuned into the ninety-minute discussion about the Women's Equality Agenda.   

 

Two issues were raised during that meeting that I have looked into:

 

Do we have a position which would cover the portion of the WEA which provides for the award of attorney's fees in law suits seeking to enforce the rights of women in discrimination cases dealing with employment, credit and lending? We do have a position which advocates in favor of providing free legal counsel to people who cannot afford it in civil (as well as criminal cases) but the concept of attorney's fees paid by an unsuccessful party is not the same as government provided counsel, and so it was concluded that our current position does not cover in this portion of the WEA. We continue to advocate for all other aspects of the proposal.

 

Does the proposed law provide protections coextensive with Roe v. Wade or, as some in the media have suggested, will New York law be broader than the Roe protections? The proposed legislation states:

 

Access to Reproductive Services.

The state shall not deny a woman's right to obtain an abortion as established by the United States Supreme Court in the decision Roe v. Wade, 410 u.s.113 (1973). Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, New York protects a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy within twenty-four weeks from commencement of her pregnancy, or when necessary to protect a woman's life or health as determined by a licensed physician.

 

Nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with any applicable state or federal law or regulation permitting a health care provider to refrain from providing abortions due to the provider's religious or moral beliefs.

 

Nothing in this section shall conflict with the partial birth abortion ban codified under 18 USC section 1531.

  

No prosecution or proceeding shall be brought or maintained under the penal law or otherwise for acts that are authorized or permitted pursuant to this section or by this chapter and the education law.

 

It is hard to frame an argument that a law which references the protections of Roe v. Wade is broader than Roe v. Wade, but opponents of the law have done so, arguing that the NY law does not contain some of the limitations on abortion passed into federal law.

 

In addition, some opponents are still arguing against the law based on former proposals, which were much more complicated and may have provided broader protections than Roe v. Wade. I have not tried to analyze this since the older proposals are not, at the present time, being considered by the legislature.

 

We are in the process of setting up a second call-this one focusing on environmental issues. If this is an area of interest to you, or if you have questions or comments about the League's position or action on this issue, please dial in. Information on the date, time and call-in procedures will be emailed soon!

 

 

Transportation Issues
Gladys Gifford, [email protected]

Now is the time to prepare for the NYS legislative session.  Here's an update from our previous efforts and information to help us support a sustainable and effective transportation system throughout our state.  Reminder: elected officials tell us that they do not hear about transportation issues from their constituents.  So, let's make some noise!  

 

As always, transportation is a concern in the NYS budget. What will Cuomo propose that impacts transportation funding?  Appropriate action: remind NYS legislators that any action to "reduce tax burden" must continue to support improved transit funding in the 2014-15 budget. 

  • The BRIDGE Act (aka S1071B) was passed by both houses of the legislature, but vetoed by Gov. Cuomo this summer.  Reminder: this bill pushes NYS to abide by the law enacted in 1991, a "lock-box" which intended for the gasoline tax to be used for road and bridge repair and maintenance.  Currently revenues from the gas tax are siphoned off for the general fund, supporting the NYSDOT.  The LWVNYS supported this bill, as did the editorial board of the Buffalo News.  Appropriate action: ask the governor: why the veto?
  • New York Public Transit Association testified at a hearing held 12-5-13 before the NYS Assembly transportation committee.  They recommended that structural changes be made to state-wide funding for public transit, such that a small portion of state sales tax revenue be directed to upstate transit agencies-- as is currently done for downstate transit agencies.  I'll have more to share on this at the LWVNYS meeting in Albany, Feb. 4th.  Appropriate action: ask local legislators to consider supporting such a change. 
  • The current Federal transportation bill, "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century" (MAP-21), is set to expire on 9-30-14.  Meanwhile, Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR) has introduced a bill to gradually raise the Federal gas tax to a level which accounts for inflation.  For more information, see Transportation for America t4america.org for updates.  Appropriate action: maintain relationships with our Congressional representatives, especially to monitor closely the next transportation bill, after MAP-21.

 I am planning to participate in the advocacy training event offered by LWVNYS in Albany, February 4, 2014.  I'll bring information and materials to help you engage your local League in the vital work of advocating for sustainable transportation policies that have great impact on all of our communities.

 

VOTE 411 
Marianna Stout, [email protected] 
 

Leagues used Vote411 in different way for the 2013 General Election.  Some Leagues covered the primary. Some covered all candidates in all races in their area, others covered races for specific offices, and some covered only hotly contested races.   The state League covered the Supreme Court Judicial District races and the six state-level propositions, with assistance from local Leagues. 

 

Over 32,000 people from New York State visited the Vote 411 website during this year's election season; that is a 163% increase over the 12,000 who visited the website in the last comparable local election season (2011).  

 

Vote411 Training will be provided in March/April 2014.  The training will include: Vote411 Beginner Training, for Leagues just beginning to use Vote411; and Vote411 Intermediate Training, for Leagues that have used Vote411.  The intermediate training will cover email templates, event logs, extracting for printed guides, naming conventions, archives, building the full infrastructure, and best practices. 

  

Youth Programs
Judie Gorenstein, [email protected]
As of Dec 14, 40 local Leagues and ILOs have responded that they will be sending students to Students Inside Albany Conference. Twenty two of these Leagues indicated the number students they will be sending with nine Leagues indicating plans to send two students. The exciting news is that four Leagues who did not participate last year, indicated they will this year. Those Leagues are: Cortland County, Steuben County and Bedford, Lewisboro, N. Salem.  Don't let your League miss out on this wonderful opportunity.  This year's program promises to be better than ever with a boat ride around Albany and a mock debate and election with our students. The recruitment tools are available on the state website (click on Youth Programs) or call Katrina at the state office (518-465-4162). 

 

 Although our youth committees and boards are already very busy with existing programs, I would like to take this opportunity to have you considering reaching out to a high school with racially diverse population or in a disadvantaged area.  As I wrote in the November State Voter, the Commission on Youth And Civic Knowledge found youngsters in those schools had lower voter turnout and civic engagement.   Most of our local Leagues already have some program they bring to local high schools.  What if our local Leagues each designated one other high school to bring a program to and what if these high schools could all be seen as either in disadvantaged areas or having a racially diverse student population?  We would certainly be furthering the League's mission and even may be able to submit this as an entrant for youth programs at the LWVUS convention.   Remember two years ago SIA won the youth award.  Can we do it again?   Please let us know if your League would be interested in reaching out to another school.

UN Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women

 (CSW58) will be held from March 10-21, 2014, at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The priority theme is "Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls". The Commission will also evaluate progress in the implementation of the agreed conclusions from CSW55 in 2011 on "Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work".  LWVUS invites its members to attend this important conference.  Please contact Mary Fox at [email protected]to attend no later than January 15, 2014.  We are limited in the number of participants--so please register with Mary early.    

 

Local League News

"Detroit is Bankrupt: Could it Happen Here?" was the topic of a panel discussion organized by the LWV Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester. Four outstanding panelists, with diverse viewpoints, focused on key aspects of New York State and municipal fiscal management and policy in the context of business, union, taxpayer, political and legal constraints and priorities.  

 

Many local Leagues moderated and assisted with timing, greeting and monitoring microphones at the educational forums on the Common Core sponsored by State Education Commissioner King across the state. Karl Wokan, Co-President of LWV Broome-Tioga, moderated the forum in Binghamton and Laura Ladd Bierman, LWV of Albany County, moderated the forum in Albany. Erin Malloy moderated the forum on Common Core for the LWV of Bedford, Lewisboro and No. Salem. Other local Leagues around the state also helped to keep forums orderly while providing the opportunity for the public's voice to be heard on this controversial topic.

 

Also, in Binghamton, WSKG, the local PBS affiliate filmed an hour-long program on the Core Curriculum.  Margaret Goodfellow, LWV of Broome-Tioga Voter Services Chair, was one of approximately 100 randomly selected to attend the filming.  The program aired on November 26th.

 

LWV of Rensselaer will be having Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer County Executive, speak at a potluck dinner in January. At a recent luncheon of the LWV of Rensselaer, Michael Saccocio, Executive Director of the City Mission, spoke on the topic of "The Culture of Poverty."

 

At the annual Suffolk County League post-election brunch, Carol Mellor, Co-Chair of the LWV of Hamptons Voter Services Committee, and on the LWVNYS Board, was honored for her significant involvement in multiple activities during the pre-election season. Congrats Carol!

 

LWV of Rochester participated in the United Way's ROC the Day campaign to raise funds. ROC the Day is a 24-hour, online event that gives people in our community an opportunity to support all of the not-for-profit organizations doing great work in the nine-county Greater Rochester area. People visited ROCtheDay.org, a secure online giving platform, to make a gift. All money given on 12.11.13 will help local people and organizations.

 

Thanks to the continuing gift from deceased member, Beatrice Bibby, the LWV of Rochester was able to fund a study on Local Development Corporations (LDCs) by the Center for Governmental Research, issued in 2007 and then updated in 2011. The League then presented forums on this issue for its members and the public and expressed concerns to the State Comptroller and legislators.

 

Laura Liebman, Director of Development at the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI), discussed the impact of mass incarceration and BPI's mission, at a meeting with the LWV of Somers. BPI was started in 1999 by a Bard College student in response to the dire need for higher education in the prisons.

 

LWV of Huntington co-sponsored a forum on the upcoming constitutional convention question in our state and some ideas for transforming NYS government to be more efficient and more responsive to our fellow citizens. The guest facilitator was James Coll an adjunct professor of American and Constitutional history at Nassau Community College, an NYPD Detective and the founder of ChangeNYS.org.      

 

The Larchmont-Mamaroneck League of Women Voters held a forum to inform attendees about the pressures of paying for unfunded mandates in the era of the state-imposed tax levy cap. The forum's featured speakers included Democratic Sen. George Latimer and Assemblyman Steve Otis along with former Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Valerie O'Keefe, a Republican. And tackling issues facing school districts was Lisa Davis, the executive director of the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association.

 

In January, LWV of New York City's monthly Lunch with the League will discuss affordable housing in New York City. RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, will present information on the ongoing crisis of affordable housing. Ashton Stewart, Executive Director of the LWV NYC, also presented testimony this week at the hearing of the Voter Assistance Advisory Board (part of the City's Campaign Finance Board) on how to improve voting in the future.

 

LWV of Saratoga hosted Bob Turner, Government Professor, Skidmore College, and Blair Horner, Legislative Director, New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) for a program entitled, "Democracry in America: A Post-Citizens United Agenda for Reform."

 

Congratulations to both the LWV of Nassau County and the LWV of Suffolk County for being awarded grants from LWVUS to increase voter registration of students in underserved areas!

 

Similar to many other local Leagues, health care was the topic of discussion at a recent meeting for LWV of Tompkins County. "New York State of Health: Health Insurance Marketplace Basics for Individuals in Tompkins County," was presented by Bev Chin, Health Access Coordinator, and Cassandra Aikman, Health Access Navigator.

 

League of Women Voters of New York State
62 Grand Street, Albany, NY 12207
Tel: 518-465-4162;  FAX: 518-465-0812
Facebook: League of Women Voters of NYS
Twitter: @LWVNYS