LWV Consenus Meetings on NPV: April 7, 14

The League has a long-standing position in support of the direct election of the president by popular vote. Now, League members have the opportunity to consider whether to support the National Popular Vote Compact (NPV Compact) as a viable process to achieve that result. The NPV Compact would avoid the need for a constitutional amendment abolishing the Electoral College (EC), and would assure that the individual receiving the most votes would become president.

Tuesday, April 7, 6:45pm – 9:00pm

21255 Lorain Road Fairview Park, OH (Fairview Park Library)

Tuesday, April 14, 6:45pm – 9:00pm

2345 Lee Road Cleveland Heights, OH (Cleveland Heights Library)

Learn more by visiting LWVUS NPV. For additonal information, visit: www.NationalPopularVote.com/lwv

Members, if you can't participate in one of the two consensus meetings, download the questions here and send your reply to LWV Cuyahoga Area 50 Public Square, Rm. 938; Cleveland 44113

Northeast Ohio Region: Revenue Sharing: April 2

Completing First Thursday Forum’s 2008/09 season, the April 2 (7 - 9 pm) forum will feature a speaker panel including William Currin, Mayor of Hudson; Howard Maier, CEO of NOACA and Shara Davis, Lorain Community College, who will discuss possibilities of community revenue sharing and an overview of the Renaissance of the Northeast Ohio Region.

For more information about the speakers and the topics that they will be addressing, visit the press release section of the website: www.LWVCuyahogaArea.org

Funding for the First Thursday Forum project is provided by LWV Cuyahoga Area Education Fund. The April FTF will be held at Trinity Commons (Conference room A/B) at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, the public is invited and reservations are not necessary. Cost is $5/person -$3/student at the Door. Free parking for attendees behind the Cathedral off Prospect Ave.

Senate seeks LWVO input on Redistricting and Election Oversight Reform

The League of Women Voters of Ohio (LWVO) was recently contacted by State Senator Jon Husted of Dayton regarding his plan to introduce legislation to change our state’s redistricting process and remove the duty of election oversight from the Ohio Secretary of State.

Sen. Husted has not yet presented a specific plan; however, during his meeting with LWVO Lobbyists Anne Henkener and Peg Rosenfield, he described concepts that are consistent with long-time LWVO objectives in these areas.

Husted has initiated meeting with key policy leaders and advocacy groups interested in these reforms. It is a testament to the respect of the League that Husted is seeking our support.

The LWVO will continue to follow this issue and provide updates as information becomes available.

Election Reform and Redistricting are part of the ImPACT program initiative. The ImPACT website is a premier repository of information on political reform issues. In addition to Election Reform and redistricting, other issues include: Accountability, Judicial Reform and Campaign Finance.

Ohio's Sunshine Law Commemorated: March 15-21

The week of March 15, 2009 has been designated as Sunshine Law Week in Ohio.

In an effort to help elected officials and the public to better understand the provisions and requirements of this important legislation, the LWV Cuyahoga Area Ed Fund has purchased 250 copies of the new LWV Ohio brochure, THE SUNSHINE LAW: OHIO’S OPEN MEETINGS ACT, to distribute to our 48 community Mayors. Presidents of Councils and other local officials as well as the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and other elected county officials.

The Open Meetings Act is to be liberally construed “to require public officials to take official action and to conduct all deliberations upon official business only in open meetings unless the subject matter is specifically excepted by law.”

On Friday, March 20, from 1-2:30 PM (ET), the LWVEF will co-host the 4th Annual Sunshine Week National Dialogue. The event, “Opening Doors: Finding the Keys to Open Government,” will be held at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC. It will feature panels of experts from inside and outside government, who will discuss federal openness policies and opportunities for people to use government information to make a difference in their communities. It will be available via webcast at www.openthegovernment.org Audience members will have opportunities to ask questions of the panelists, and Leagues could consider combining the webcase with a follow-up panel to discuss local aspects of the issue.

The Maple Heights Library will host a viewing of the webcast on March 20, 1 - 4 pm; 5225 Library Lane, Maple Heights Library. Registration is required: 216-475-5000.

Sunshine Law brochure.

LWV Consenus Meetings on Regionalism March 16, 18

Two identical consensus meetings, for members only, regarding the Regionalism Study, have been planned for March. The first one will be on the west side on March 16; the second one will be on the east side on March 18. Members were sent the fact sheet and questions via snail mail. If you are unable to attend one of the two meetings, please review the information and return to the League office by March 13.

The study committee will elicit, from League members, a set of general principles by which the LWV Cuyahoga Area will evaluate the coming 16-county Northeast Oho Mayors and City Managers Association Tax-Base Revenue Sharing proposal (or any subsequent version).

Please contact LWV Cuyahoga Area president, Kathy Woodbridge at LWVCuyAreaPresident@gmail.com for location information.

How Public is the Public-Private Partnership: March 5

LWV Cuyahoga Area's First Thursday Forum: March 5; 7 pm at Trinity Commons at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave.

Jay Miller, Government and Economic Development Reporter for CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, is the guest speaker. Miller’s talk will cover three areas: the life cycle of local and regional economies in general and Cleveland in particular; the growing role of government in stimulating economic development – what is called the public-private partnership – and what’s happening now with these partnerships as they relate to the Medical Mart, the Port Authority, etc.

For more information, visit our press release section on our website.