Local Voter May-June 2015 - League of Women Voters of Syracuse

May /June 2015
METRO
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
SYRACUSE
Syracuse Metro LWV
PO Box 11866
Syracuse NY 13218
Phone: (315) 396-8225
Email: league@lwvsyr.org
Web Sites:
Local:
www.lwvsyr.org
State:
www.lwvny.org
National: www.lwv.org
LOCAL VOTER
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
SYRACUSE METROPOLITAN AREA
SYRACUSE METROPOLITAN LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
2015 ANNUAL MEETING AND BUFFET LUNCHEON
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, May19
School Budgets & Candidates
Elections
June 5-7
LWVNYS Convention
Friday, June 12th
LWVSYR Annual Meeting
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015
11:30 AM—1:30 PM
RAMADA INN
1305 BUCKLEY ROAD
NORTH SYRACUSE NY 13212
PROGRAM:
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Board Notes………..............................2
Co-President’s Message ……..……...3
Calendar..…………………………….3
Proposed Budget…………………... ..4
Nominating Committee Report…..…5
Proposed Local Issues/Positions……6
Recent League Events……………….7
Membership Application………..…..8
PLEASE SUPPORT THE
2015 BIG LEAGUE RAFFLE
By purchasing tickets you will be supporting both the LWVNY Education
Foundation and the Syracuse League at
the same time.
Tickets have been mailed to all League
members. Please return your tickets by
May 29, 2015 to: LWVNYS, 62
Grand Street, Albany NY 12207
THE FUTURE OF SYRACUSE & CENTRAL NEW YORK
GUEST SPEAKERS:
CATHERINE RICHARDSON
CORNELIUS (NEIL) MURPHY
CO-CHAIRS OF CONSENSUS
THE COMMISSION ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT MODERNIZATION
______ Number of Reservations @ $25.00
Name ______________________________________________
Address __________________________________
Phone _________________
Email _______________________
Please return this form with your payment by Monday, June 8th to:
Syracuse Metro LWV, PO Box 11866, Syracuse NY 13218 or email us at
league@lwvsyr.org or call us
at 315-396-8225 to make your reservation.
The event is open to the public— feel free to bring a friend
MEMBERSHIP NOTES
We note the loss of long time member and former
board member, Barbara Haege. Throughout her illness she
remained passionate about the League continuing her
membership and generous donations.
Officers
Co-President...
Co-President"
Secretary"
Treasurer".
Rhonda Hungerford
Joan Johnson
open
Diane Dwire
Directors
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Membership chairs, Sylvia Matousek and Julia Fuleihan
will soon be sending out renewal letters. Thanks to all for
your support of the League in the past as well as the future.
Education
Membership "
Publications/Public Relations"
Voter Service"
Directors-at-large
Margrit Diehl
Sylvia Matousek
Joan Johnson
Joan Durant
Michele Jones Galvin
Hasoni Pratts
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR LEAGUE
The Board of Directors and other members of the Syracuse
LWV have met to discuss the future of our organization. It is
becoming more and more difficult to find individuals willing to
sit on the board or committees. In addition our programs
have not been well attended. We have been working with our
state membership and leadership development coordinator
to discuss ways to stimulate interest in the League. Our recent surveys conducted by two Syracuse University students
have revealed some of the reasons interest in the League
has declined. As you can see from our slate of officers and
directors, we will be trying a “Leadership Team” approach
rather than electing a president or co-presidents.
Our Candidate for Students Inside Albany
Anna Capria
I am Anna Capria and I am so excited to be a
part of the Students Inside Albany experience,
I think I will grow and have a blast. I am the
girl at school that is in more organizations and
groups then I have fingers to count. I really
enjoy model-united nations and student government. I am the president of the Student
Council. lt,’s exciting to make decisions and
work on events that benefit my school.
I run cross-country and make ceramic pieces out of clay;
which are two activities that I find relaxing. I play the tuba in
many band groups that Baker High School has to offer. My
goal is to make the most of life and to not squander opportunities like this one. I am hoping to use this opportunity for a
basis of knowledge that I plan on expanding.
First, I plan to cure mitochondrial disease and then I would
like to change policies in our government to help an even
wider range of people. I hope to make everyone proud and
am grateful and thankful for this opportunity.
Anna is an 11th grader at Baker High School, Baldwinsville, NY
Off-Board Positions
Budget Director".
Nominating Committee"..
Technical Support"
Roberta Millert
Lisa Alford
Ona Bregman
Helen Buck
Diane Dwire
Sylvia Matousek
Roberta Millert
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan
political organization encourages the informed and active
participation of citizens in government and influences public
policy through education and advocacy. For more information please call the League office at (315) 396-8225 or email to league@lwvsyr.org
Diversity Statement
The Syracuse Metropolitan League of Women
Voters is committed to diversity and pluralism, which means
there shall be no barriers to participation in any League activity on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, or national origin.
Please let us know your email address or if your address has
changed. It is the most efficient way to communicate . You will be
notified of upcoming local events and LWVUS and
LWVNY National & State Action Alerts and news.
Your e-mail address will not be shared or
sold. Please respond to league@lwvsyr.org if there
has been a change on how we can contact you.
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We hope you will join us for our Annual Meeting at the Ramada Inn on Friday, June 12, 2015. We will have as
our guests, two of the co-chairs of Consensus, the Commission on Local Government Modernization: Cornelius
B. Murphy, Jr., a Senior Fellow for Environmental and Sustainable Systems at SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a former president of the University, and M. Catherine Richardson, retired
attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC.
CONSENSUS was launched in 2014 as a partnership of Syracuse20/20, CenterState CEO, the County of Onondaga, the City of Syracuse, FOCUS Greater Syracuse, League of Women Voters of the Syracuse Metro Area,
Onondaga Citizens League and the Homebuilders & Remodelers Association of CNY. The League is honored to
be a part of such an impressive group.
The goal of the commission is to review the number and types of local governments in the County; determine the
costs associated with these governments; and to learn of opportunities and barriers to restructuring local government while providing essential services to the citizens of Onondaga County.
With assistance from Senators John DeFrancisco and David Valesky, the commission was able to secure funding to hire a consultant to produce a baseline report showing all local government structures, costs and benefits.
The results of this work and the next steps in the process will be the focus of our speakers’ presentation.
Onondaga County is the only government entity in New York State presently to undertake such a study. Hopefully the work of this commission will be a blueprint for other municipalities to follow, helping upstate New
York become more competitive in bringing jobs and a quality of life that will keep our young as well as retirees
from leaving the area and bringing many who have left back to central New
York.
Government modernization will only work with citizen engagement.
Please plan to attend our June 12th meeting to learn more about the
Commission and its work.
Joan Johnson, Co-President
CALENDAR
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
School Candidates & Budget Elections
(except for the City of Syracuse)
June 5-7, 2015
LWVNYS Convention, Albany NY
Friday, June 12, 2015, 11:30am—1:30pm
Ramada Inn, Liverpool NY
LWVSYR Annual Luncheon & Meeting
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LWV of the Syracuse Metro Area's Proposed Budget for 2013-2014
INCOME
2014-2015
Budget
A. Dues
1. Individuals ($55)
2. Household ($80)
Subtotal
B. Contributions 1. Member
2. Nonmember
Subtotal
C. Elections
1. Election Reporting
2. Monitoring Elections
Subtotal
$3,960
$1,040
$5,000
$600
$400
D. Fundraising
E. Grants
Voter Reg
Bar Association
EXPENSES
Proposed 20152016
$600
$600
$3,630
$640
$4,270
$400
$60
$460
$130
$350
$480
$3,630
$640
$4,270
$1,000
$300
$1,300
$65
$400
$465
$1,175
$175
$145
$175
$150
$1,000
Subtotal
G. From Reserve 1. NY Education Fund
2. Geddes Savings Acc.
Subtotal
TOTAL INCOME
EST Actual
$350
$1,220
$1,570
$9,520
2014-2015
Budget
$175
$1,000
$1,000
$775
$55
$830
$6,360
$350
$1,337
$1,687
$8,872
EST Actual
Proposed 20152016
A. Operating
Costs
1. General Supplies/Operations
2. Postage and PO Box
Subtotal
B. Board & Administrated Tools
1. President
2. Board Tools (Web site)
3. Finance Drive & Fundraiser
4. Membership
5. Public Relations
Subtotal
C. Delegates: State/Natl. Conventions
D. Per Member 1. National LWV
Payment
2. State LWV
Subtotal
E. Local Voter
1. Supplies & Printing
2. Postage
Subtotal
F. Educational
1. Publications
Activities
2. Program
3. Who's Who
4. Election Guide
5. Voters Guide
6. Youth Activities
a. Students inside Albany
b. Grant forVoter Registration
Subtotal
TOTAL EXPENSES
$300
$100
$400
$110
$202
$312
$150
$220
$370
$100
$280
$400
$200
$200
$1,180
$1,000
$2,837
$1,647
$4,484
$150
$140
$290
$100
$1,021
$200
$0
$200
$100
$670
$175
$2,466
$100
$119
$100
$350
$150
$200
$200
$1,000
$1,000
$2,672
$1,670
$4,342
$150
$140
$290
$200
$500
$200
$9,820
$103
$322
$1,000
$2,868
$1,665
$4,533
$117
$99
$216
$75
$194
$225
$60
$302
$856
$250
$0
$720
$0
$1,870
$7,239
$8,872
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
PROPOSED NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT
2015-2016 SLATE OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Officers to be elected at annual meeting:
Leadership Team
Rhonda Hungerford
Leadership Team
Joan Johnson
Leadership Team
Joan Durant
Leadership Team
To Be Determined
Secretary
Diane Dwire
Treasurer
Roberta Millert
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Directors to be elected at annual meeting:
Public Relations/Publications
Joan Johnson
Director-at-large
Mary Ann Barth
Director-at-large
Peggy Chase
Director-at-large
Ann Jamison
Director-at-large( fill vacancy)
To Be Determined
Voter Service
Joan Durant
Education
Margrit Diehl
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2016
Term expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Continuing Officers and Directors:
Membership
Sylvia Matousek
Director-at-large
Michele Jones Galvin
Director-at-large
Hasoni Pratts
(Membership Recruitment)
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2016
Off Board Positions to be elected at annual meeting:
Budget Director:
To be Determined
Nominating Committee
Diane Chappell-Daly
Nominating Committee
Ona Bregman
Term Expires 2016
Term Expires 2017
Term Expires 2017
Continuing Off Board Officers
Nominating Committee
Lisa Alford
Term Expires 2017
(Two additional members of the Nominating Committee will be appointed by the Board. Michelle
Jones Galvin has agreed to serve in one of these positions).
On behalf of the Nominating Committee:
Lisa Alford, Ona Bregman, Helen Buck, Sylvia Matousek, Diane Dwire
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SYRACUSE METROPOLITAN AREA
PROPOSED 2015-2016 LOCAL ISSUES/POSITIONS
MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK
- Promote greater citizen participation in the political process by encouraging citizens to become
knowledgeable about the issues and to actively lobby elected officials
- Encourage individuals to exercise their right to vote especially among under represented populations
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Study and support where appropriate legislation, which promotes proposals to modernize local
government by sharing services among villages, towns, public schools, the city of Syracuse, and
Onondaga County
- Support efforts to contain sprawl with planned growth throughout Onondaga
SOCIAL POLICY
- Monitor the state school aid formula and its implications for upstate school districts and the Big 5
city districts
- Promote educational efforts dealing with domestic violence and the Integrated Domestic Violence
Court in Onondaga County
- Promote opposition to the Death Penalty in support of the LWVNY position
NATURAL RESOURCES
- Support efforts to facilitate improvement projects for Onondaga Lake and its watershed
LOCAL SUPPORT FOR STATEWIDE ISSUES/STUDIES
- Promote improved reforms for HAVA: including improved training for poll workers, adequate staffing
at polling places, the use of split shifts for election workers and citizen education and training for
replacement machines
- Promote improved election processes which extend and encourage voting, including no-excuse Absentee
Balloting, Election Day registration and allowing 16 and 17 year olds to pre-register to vote
- Promote and encourage meaningful campaign finance reform
- Promote the creation of an independent redistricting commission
- Promote the creation of an independent ethics commission
- Promote meaningful reform of public authorities
- Promote additional legislative rules reform
- Promote and encourage meaningful property tax reform.
Please note no changes have been proposed from the 2014-2015 Local Issues/Positions Program
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Recent League Programs
Ash for Trash Proposal
On Monday, April 13th the Syracuse Metro LWV sponsored a forum on the
Ash for Trash Proposal Pictured left to right: Alison King, PhD, representing the Cortland County LWV, Peggy Chase, LWV Member & Onondaga
County Legislator, Patrick J. Brown, Educator & Jamesville Positive Action
Committee Member and Martha Loew, LWV member and Sierra Club Iroquois
Group Chair.
Registering Students at
Fowler High School
League members Margrit Diehl and Joan Johnson
registering students at the Onondaga County Bar
Association Law Career Day at Fowler High
School on April 16th.
LWV 95th Anniversary Luncheon
On May 15th the Syracuse LWV hosted a luncheon celebrating the 95th anniversary
of the founding of the League of Women Voters. The theme of the event centered
around area women who have run for office. Our panel included from left to right
Sandra DePerno, Oneida County Clerk, Ursula Rozum, 2012 candidate for the
24th Congressional District, Kathleen Rapp, Onondaga
County Legislator, and Mary Sennett, Town of Skaneateles Supervisor.
Each of the women had a different story to tell on their
journey to elected office including why they decided to run
and the hurdles they faced along the way.
Guests included members of the Utica/
Rome and Cazenovia Leagues, and CNY
NOW members. Also at the event were
several women who are running for
office this fall. We even had a few men
who agreed this was one of the best
events we have sponsored.
Thank you to Joan Durant for moderating the event and to Hasoni Pratts for
the beautiful table arrangements and for
bringing members of her family.
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
SYRACUSE METROPOLITAN AREA
PO BOX 11866
SYRACUSE NY 13218
May/June 2015
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MAKING DEMOCRACY
WORK FOR 95 YEARS
Please share this information with others who have expressed interest in our work or who have
thought about becoming a member of the League.
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________
City______________________________ State______________ Zip________________________
Phone________________ Cell Phone_________________ E-mail_________________________
Date ___________________________
To join call us at (315)396-8225, email us at league@lwvsyr.org or mail this form to
Syracuse Metro LWV PO Box 11866 Syracuse NY 13218.
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