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.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, January 5, 2009
LWVUS 2009 Legislative Priorities
The LWV of the United States (LWVUS) Board announces Global Climate Change and Health Care to be the top legislative priorities for the upcoming year. Top priority issues are ones on which major congressional action is expected and on which the LWVUS will seek to be an active player.
Tier two priorities are Election Reform and DC Voting Rights. Tier two issues will be acted upon if significant success is possible, though top priorities will take precedence.
Tier three issues could be subject for LWVUS action only if good opportunities present themselves, and there is no pressing action on top priority and tier two issues. Tier three issues we are watching are: Campaign Finance Reform; CEDAW (the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women); Civil Liberties; Ethics; and Redistricting.
The LWVUS prioritizes legislative issues for advocacy in order to focus limited resources on those issues where it is considered the League can have a meaningful impact and there is member interest and opportunity for progress.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Family Court Report
A study of the feasibility of a family court for Cuyahoga County was adopted at the 2006 annual meeting of the LWV Cuyahoga Area. Among other things, the study committee learned of problems people face in trying to resolve family issues - custody of children, divorce, domestic violence, abuse, neglect, custody of children whose parents never married, etc. The complete report can be found here.
Regionalism: United We Stand, Divided We Fall? Feb. 26
Beginning on January 29 and continuing on February 12 and February 26 the Hudson Library and Historical Society will co-sponsor a series of three programs regarding Regionalism with Leagues of Women Voters of Akron Area, Cleveland Area, Cuyahoga Area, Greater Youngstown, Hudson and Trumbull County, to be hosted by LWV Hudson. More information.
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