News from Westwood/Walpole LWV!

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS - 90 YEARS YOUNG

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WESTWOOD/WALPOLE

THE BULLETIN Volume 70, Issue 5

February 2010

Dear Katherine,

This month marks the 90th Birthday for the League of Women Voters of the United States. Known widely for its voter education efforts, this non-partisan, government watchdog group has been an American institution since 1920.

As your local President, I ask you to celebrate the League's 90th birthday by supporting our efforts towards good government at all levels which creates and supports a civic-minded community that values every vote and encourages others to get involved!

Please visit our website for more information on how you can donate to our Local League or send your check in any amount to Westwood-Walpole LWV, P.O. Box 294, Westwood, MA 02090. We sincerely appreciate any amount of money that you can provide us with so that we may continue to thrive in the communities of Westwood and Walpole.

If you have any questions about donating or would like to volunteer and recruit more members for our Local efforts, please email me at agnew.g.j@comcast.net, or by calling me at 781-326-8944.

These past few months have been a whirlwind of successes for us, but we need your help to continue. You might have seen us during our Public Forum on the New Library in Westwood, or you may have attended our Holiday Party. Either way, we've been quite visible.

You'll be seeing more of us around Westwood and Walpole, but more importantly, we hope to be seeing more of you!

Best Wishes,

Greg

Greg Agnew
President
The League of Women Voters of Westwood & Walpole

IN THIS ISSUE

Nat'l Award for Local Planner

January Treasurer's Report

National & State LWV News

QUICK LINKS

League Sites

League of Women Voters - Westwood/Walpole

League of Women Voters - Massachusetts

League of Women Voters - United States

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CELEBRATES
90 YEARS OF ACTION

Birthday

There is probably no other national volunteer organization in America that inspires such a great degree of commitment from its members. As a direct result of that commitment, the League of Women Voters has evolved from what it was in 1920, a political experiment designed to help 20 million enfranchised women carry out their new responsibilities, to what it is today: a unique, nonpartisan organization that is a recognized force in molding political leaders, shaping public policy and promoting informed citizen participation at all levels of government.

Visit the LWVUS website and wish us a Happy Birthday!

If you haven't attended a League function recently, now is the time to do so!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Local Events

LWVMA studies - Date, time, place to be decided
April 11 - Westwood Candidates Forum - 3:00 - 5:00 PM at First Parish Hall, Westwood.
May 15 - Walpole Day - Visit our table!
May 17 - Walpole Candidates Night - 7:30 - 9:00 PM at Old Post Road School, Walpole.
June - Annual Meeting - Date, time, place to be decided.

State Events

April 28 - Annual Day on the Hill - 9:00 AM until Noon - The State House, Boston. Topic: Transportation: Getting around in Massachusetts
May 22 - Council 2010 - 90 Years of Making a Difference - Attend, Vote, Learn & Celebrate, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Lasell College, Newton, MA

PROGRAM PLANNING

Thank you all for a successful program planning meeting. Thank you especially to David White and Denise Murphy for your insightful questions and suggestions. It was good to see Susan White, Kathy Zola, Carol Lane, Nan and Carrie Crossland. Thank you Nancy for opening your lovely house and welcoming us all.

Good job to our presenters! It is not easy to summarize National positions. First time presenter Steve Greffenius did an especially excellent succinct but understandable job.

Marcia, thank you for your usual great job!! You had a very, very busy week and had to squeeze in all the work before leaving for Washington DC (why is Marcia going to Washington? See below!).

The public is always welcome to join us at our events and learn about the League. If you are interested, please contact us at info@lwvwestwoodwalpole.org

RUTH S. SHUR FELLOWS SELECTED

After a rigorous application process, the LWVUS has selected 12 national coaches to be Ruth S. Shur Fellows. They will help to expand the number of state and local Leagues that can participate in our successful program based on the Membership Recruitment Initiative and building in leadership development. Coaches will receive national training, participate in regional and state training sessions for Leagues, and receive ongoing support from the LWVUS.

Congratulations to Julie Arneth (WI), Georgia DeGregorio (NY), Caroline Emmons-Schramm (FL), Lynn Gordon (VA), Nikki Harris (CA), Diane Haskell (MD), Florence Hedeen (MN), Marcia Hirshberg (MA), Shayna Howell (SC), Donna Marie Lossing Jones (OH), Gini McGirr (AZ) and Carolie Mullan (TX). LWVUS Board member Carol Reimers will coordinate the Fellows. Thank you to all the Fellows and to all who applied to be part of this important effort!

Good luck Marcia and have some fun in Washington!

AFFORDABLE HOUSING WINS ON TWO FRONTS

Jane Nash as co-chair of the state study on affordable housing sent a letter to LWVMA board asking them to consider voting to work against all efforts to defeat 40B. The Board acted quickly and this is their response:

Opponents of our state's affordable housing zoning law (Chapter 40B) have gathered sufficient signatures to place its repeal on the November 2010 ballot. During this process many local Leagues have been contacted by this group to support their initiative.

40B (the Comprehensive Permit Law) was designed to address local zoning and land use restrictions which limited the availability of affording housing. The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) supported the passage of this in 1969 and has continued to support its implementation.

The LWVMA has been asked to support efforts to defeat the repeal initiative, and the State Board, which is responsible for taking positions on state issues, voted to join the Community Advisory Committee of the Campaign Against the Repeal of 40B.

The decision is based on, among other considerations, our position on Affordable Housing, which is based on the LWVUS position on Basic Human Needs. In addition, from 2003-2007, the Affordable Housing Study Committee did a comprehensive review of the subject, including a review of 40B, which led to a modification of the state position. Documents regarding this process are available through the State League office and on the website HERE.

The Program and Action Committee plans to have an information packet available for local Leagues by early September.

"VICTORY ON BEHALF OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING", states Clarice Gordon, LWVMA Housing Specialist S. 2190, "An Act Preserving Publicly Assisted Affordable Housing", gives public entities or affordable housing organizations first rights to buy "expiring use" properties that would lose affordability restrictions. The bill was passed in mid-November by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Patrick. This is a real victory on behalf of affordable housing! At a time when the need for subsidized housing is growing, this law is a critical part of keeping the affordable housing stock and protecting individuals and families who need subsidies to be able to live in decent housing.

The LWVMA had a two year study on Affordable housing. The study concluded and members agreed that the loss of affordable units due to "expiring use" was a serious problem. From these consensus meetings Massachusetts Leagues decided to have a position which states that there should be restrictions on affordable rental and ownership housing units so that the units remain affordable in perpetuity.

This legislation is a first step in achieving LWVMA goal of keeping affordable units from reverting to market prices.

back to top

LWV PROTESTS SUPREME COURT DECISION Citizens United v. FEC

The Court's decision in Citizens United allows corporations to make unlimited independent expenditures in candidate elections, thus changing the foundation on which decades of congressional enactments on campaign finance are built. While special interest money was always a concern in elections, corporations-including foreign corporations-may now intervene directly in elections, taking power away from voters.

On February 3 the League of Women Voters testified before the Committee on House Administration in a hearing entitled Defining the Future of Campaign Finance in an Age of Supreme Court Activism. At the U.S. congressional hearing, Mary G. Wilson, the national League president, told committee members that they must pass legislation governing corporate and union spending quickly, in order for it to take effect for the 2010 elections.

Contact your local representatives and let them know that you support the League's call for immediate campaign reform. A link to LWVUS President Mary G. Wilson's testimony before Congress can be found under National & State LWV News (below).

back to top

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR LOCAL PLANNER

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Right of Way Bureau, including Westwood resident and DOT Transportation Planner Linda Walsh, will receive the national 2010 Excellence in Right-of Way Award for Stewardship from the Federal Highway Administration. The award recognizes the bureau's outreach work with cities and towns across the Commonwealth to meet requirements for state and federal funding for highway construction projects.

Linda Walsh was also instrumental in bringing Safe Routes to Schools to the Downey School--the first school in Westwood to join this program.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY TREASURER'S REPORTS

Westwood/Walpole League of Women Voters

Reconciliation Statement

January 1-31, 2010

Starting balance $ 5025.08

Income/Deposits

Dues 25.00

Fund Drive 670.00

Interest .64

Total Income 695.64

Total Assets $5720.72