[Platform] ABWG Update-5/30

[Mike Heichman]

John Andrews wrote:

>I've set up the ABWG telecon for Tuesday.  Here is the call in  info and a
>basic agenda.  At this point it is important to sign up people who are
>interested in particular questions so that we an begin to form preliminary
>District Action Groups.  The SGF volunteers are already organizing a
>training session on June 13 in Lexington, 7:30pm-9:30 pm.  They will try to
>set up a Western MA training as well, but may need ABWG help for this.  Any
>volunteer for any question can come.  Once we finalize the June 13 date, we
>should do a major push to get people to form preliminary District Action
>Groups and to get members of their group to the training.
>
>- John
>
>ABWG Telecon
>Tuesday, June 03, 2008
>Start Time:    8:30 PM EDT
>Planned duration: 1 hour
>Dial-in Number:    1-605-475-4150 Midwest
>Participant Access Code:    88777
>
>TENTATIVE AGENDA
>
>
>- Approval of Agenda
>- Approval of Minutes
>- Reports on the Ballot Questions
>        - Health Care
>        - Predatory Lending
>        - Ranked Choice Voting
>        - Secure Green Future
>- Organizing District Action Groups
>- Training for Volunteers (Probably June 13 7:30-9:30pm)
>_______________________________________________
>  
>
ABWG Telecon-Draft Minutes
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Present: Tom Flittie, Bill Cunnigham, Lawrence Fine, Mike Heichman 
(recorder), and John Andrews (facilitator)

I. Bill reported that Peter Sacks from the Attorney General’s office 
provided him with the text of some prior ballot questions. Bill will 
send them to our listserv.

II. Minutes of 5-20/08—Mike made one change, the minutes were approved 
and Mike will send it to John for his archives.

III. Reports on Active Questions

A. Secure Green Future (John)

John sent in the text of the question to Assistant Attorney General 
Peter Sacks, who will get back to us in a few days. We will be then 
ready to collect signatures. On May 23, there was a successful MCHC Code 
Green meeting at Jill’s house. 60 people attended; there was an 
excellent response to the SGF question and some people volunteered. Most 
of the people were from Eastern MA, some from Southern MA and a couple 
from Amherst. Eli is tabulating the response. Cindy Luppi from Clean 
Water Action was very favorable. Interest was also expressed by director 
of the Alliance for Democracy.

Bill said that some people in MGRA might be interested in this issue.

John reported that Eli Beckerman intended to organize an SGF proposed 
that we have a training session. All those who would be interested in 
any of the ABWG questions would be invited. Tom suggested that there be 
a similar training session in Western MA. The training would include a 
general training on getting questions on the ballot with a breakout 
sessions for specific questions.

Mike suggested that the GRP sponsor the training and publicize this 
within the party. John suggested that the volunteers who were already up 
to speed on SGF should continue to pursue the SGF organizing.

Mike asked if the SGF ballot committee was established yet. John said 
“Not yet.” Bill suggested forming the committees as soon as possible to 
minimize any questions about the legality of early expenditures.

B. Health Care (John)

They are still working on the language to shorten the text and achieve 
greater acceptability to the Atty. General. Steve Randall said that he 
has reported that there is a lot of enthusiasm.

C. No report from Ranked Choice Voting

D. Predatory Lending

Merelice sent an e-mail report. MAAPL had a meeting today. The majority 
of members still feel pretty strongly that our advisory ballot question 
should not relate directly to the current legislation. They want to 
avoid giving legislators any excuse for postponing action until they 
hear from their constituents via the ballot question.

However, MAAPL would welcome a general ballot question that covers the 
same subjects of protecting tenants and supporting homeowners rather 
than lenders. Then, whether or not the emergency legislation passes, the 
message would be relevant.

For the purposes of ABWG, it doesn’t look like we have found someone who 
will organize an advisory ballot question for this general issue.

IV. Outreach

Mike reported that no one has yet contacted him to make his or her phone 
calls. He will be making his phone calls for Boston tomorrow. On June 1, 
there will be a meeting of the Boston chapter and he has been sending 
out information about the ballot questions.

Tom said that there was a successful meeting in Amherst. About 8-9 
attended and there is interest in working on either 2 or 3 questions.

Everyone is urged to contact Mike and make 3 phone calls to the 
StateComm and Local Activist lists. Mike will send out an announcement 
again.

John will contact Eli and ask him for the SPWG list. (those who had 
attended the different public meetings)


V. ABWG Guide to Public Policy Questions

John revised Bill’s document. Mike sent two editing changes. Bill 
suggested making the type bigger and making it four pages in length. We 
also would add a little more information about the GRP. John will make 
some changes and we agreed that this is will be our first releasable 
version.

V. There was some general discussion about gathering signatures and 
submitting it to the municipalities.

VI. Next Meeting—Tuesday, June 3, 8:30 PM—John will send out the details.
Review of Action Items

•================================================•

APPROVED MINUTES--ADVISORY BALLOT WORKING GROUP--Telecon of 5/20/08

Present: John Andrews, Mike Heichman, Lawrence Fine, Tom Flittee, (Bill 
Cunningham called in late.)

STATUS OF BALLOT QUESTIONS

Secure Green Future proposal will be discussed tonight.
Ranked Choice Voting proposal will be discussed tonight.
Health Care has draft language, but it is being shortened and refined. 
Expect ABWG proposal next week.
Predatory Lending - No recent information on status.

ABWG LISTSERV

The ABWG now has its own listserv mailing list for its business. John 
sent out info and asked everyone to subscribe to the ABWG listserv. Only 
three sign-ups so far. John will remind people to subscribe.

ABWG BROCHURE

Bill Cunningham drafted a concise explanation of the public policy 
question process. It includes advice on how to organize a petitioning 
effort. Send comments to Bill.

OUTREACH

On May 19, John sent out another email appeal for participation (title: 
"Talk to People"). It went to statecom-discuss, announcements, locals. 
No new volunteers so far. The next appeal will begin to get specific 
about the approved questions.

Mike has contact information for State Committee and for GRP locals. We 
will ask each member of the ABWG to volunteer to call three numbers to 
solicit participation. Mike will keep track of who has volunteered to 
call which numbers. John will remind Eli Beckerman that we want the 
names from the SPWG sign-ups.

Mike will call Jill and ask whether or not the Secure Green Futures 
Campaign had contacted the Boston Workers Alliance and ACE.

Tom will contact Western Mass Jobs for Justice. Also, Northeast Organic 
Farming Association should be supportive.

PROPOSAL: SECURE GREEN FUTURE

The proposal for the Secure Green Future ballot question was discussed. 
It was noted that the question has a lot of content and may be too much 
for voters to absorb if they see it for the first time when they enter 
the voting booth. So it will require a supporting campaign to reach 
voters prior to election day. Lawrence asked why it didn't mention 
nuclear power. John said it was mainly a matter of trying to keep the 
question short and focused. The GRP will have to deal with nuclear power 
as part of its overall approach to energy policy. It was noted that 
additions could be made to the list of outreach groups. The ABWG 
approved the proposal by consensus.

PROPOSAL: RANKED CHOICE VOTING

The proposal for the Ranked Choice Voting (a.k.a. Instant Runoff Voting) 
ballot question was discussed. The question asks the legislator to "vote 
in favor of legislation, or a Constitutional amendment". Mike asked 
whether a Constitutional amendment was required and if so whether the 
question should say "and" rather than "or". Dave England will be asked 
to explain. John wondered if selection of IRV by a municipality could 
easily be added. He noted that at the current time, a municipality must 
make a charter change in order to implement IRV, and that required much 
signature gathering. If IRV was an option that could be selected by town 
meeting, then IRV could propagate through the cities and towns. The ABWG 
approved the proposal by consensus.

NEXT MEETING

The planned time for the next telecon is Tuesday, May 27 at 8:30-9:30pm. 
ABWG Members that were not on the 5/20 telecon will be asked to let us 
know if they have difficulty with this time. Here is the call-in 
information for this telecon:

MEETING ADJOURNED 8:56pm