League of Women Voters of Maryland

LWVMD President’s Letter

Happy holidays! I hope each of you is able to spend some pleasant times with family and friends during this holiday season, and that you are able to enjoy warmth inside when it’s wintry outside. Leaguers are generous by nature, so no reminder is needed to share our warm good fortune with those who need it.

And speaking of those who need it – isn’t there someone on your holiday gift list, a friend, colleague, daughter, daughter-in-law, granddaughter – who would much rather have a gift of membership in the League of Women Voters than another sweater or scarf? Your local League treasurer or membership chair can help.

Leaguers in Maryland are in the middle of three studies, with consensus results due within the coming months: two state studies (Adult Literacy and Administration of Justice) and a National League study on the National Popular Vote Plan. I encourage local League leaders to schedule local Unit meetings or general League meetings on these topics and have your members’ voices counted in consensus. The great strength of the League’s advocacy is that it is based on positions adopted after study; our reputation for thoughtful study BEFORE action, and the inclusion of all members in that process. That’s what sets us apart from most other advocacy organizations.

It’s also time to plan how your Leagues will have input into the State League planning process. LWVMD Program Chair Nancy Soreng has prepared planning materials which have been sent to LL Presidents and which are included in this SBL. Please remember that like any grassroots organization, the League is fed through its roots. Please make sure our planning process starts at the roots, with our members.

Lu Pierson

Your LWVMD Board is making plans for our Winter Workshops, scheduled for Saturday, January 24 in Columbia, and we encourage local Leagues to make sure all members are invited to join in this activity. It’s important that more than one person from each League attend the workshops because the two workshops run concurrently, and you will want to take back to your local Leagues information from both.

One workshop is about the Administration of Justice study, and the other is a briefing about the 2009 legislative session, with reports from our Report from State Circle reporters. Also included in this workshop will be tips about planning for successful visits with your legislators as part of our Legislative Day event.

The topic at lunch will be the National Popular Vote.

The 2009 Legislative Priorities are available as a pamphlet at the end of this page. Scroll down to download the file.

The State Board of LWVMD reviewed legislative priorities submitted by local Leagues. The two most mentioned were “global warming” and “fiscal”. The Board agreed to identify these two as our top priorities but to list all that have been submitted by local Leagues as well as those being followed by Report from State Circle reporters.

Global Warming We support managed Land Use and Growth Management which promote resource conservation, public transportation; which protect the natural environment, which provide sustainable energy policies and which provide protection of water and air quality.

Fiscal Policy We support a revenue structure for Maryland which is equitable, reliable, adequate, and progressive over all.

Education We support full funding and implementation of the Bridge to Excellence in Public Education Act, including the geographic index. We oppose the use of public money for private K through 12 schools. We support state funding for school construction.

Health Care

• We support legislation that will make a basic level of quality health care accessible to all residents and is available at an affordable cost.
• We 0ppose cuts to health care funding currently provided for vulnerable Maryland residents.
• We support funding of Mental Health services at a level adequate to meet needs.
• We support Reproductive Choice.

Voting We support measures to assure fair campaigns and elections.

Death Penalty We support the repeal of the Death Penalty in Maryland.

Civil Marriage We support Maryland law that does not discriminate in its recognition of all marriages/civil unions on the basis of gender or religious definitions of marriage. Including;

• State sanctioned, legally recognized unions which convey rights, benefits and obligations to same-sex partners who seek such unions.

• Recognition of such unions and/or same-sex marriages that have been legally sanctioned in other states.

• Civil Liberties
• Basic Good Government & Ethics
• Open Meetings
• Election Reform including Redistricting
• Campaign Finance Reform, including Public Financing
• Work Force and Affordable Housing

At its December 2008 board meeting, the LWVMD voted to join a statewide coalition that works on a variety of poverty-related issues – the Maryland Alliance for the Poor (MAP).

The Maryland Alliance for the Poor (MAP) was founded in April, 1988, at the urging of the late Delegate Howard “Pete” Rawlings. Chairman Rawlings encouraged advocates for low-income Marylanders to work together in a formal coalition to more effectively advance their shared goals. In the 20 years since, MAP has become a force in Annapolis. The coalition has been visible and engaged in every legislative session and budget cycle, and has successfully pursued countless measures to improve the lives of low-income Marylanders.

MAP members include roughly 20 organizations that advocate for programs and public policy that make a positive difference in the lives of Marylanders living in or near poverty. It has worked on a wide swath of poverty-related measures including: increasing cash assistance, affordable housing, energy assistance, health care coverage, access to child care, nutritional support, and referrals to services and resources that benefit families in need. The coalition has also played a major role in staving off budgetary cuts to poverty-related programs impacting affordable housing, services for the homeless, welfare, children’s health, and other matters.

Each year, MAP publishes a “Briefing Book” on poverty-related issues and programs in the State of Maryland. MAP typically produces “Poverty Profiles” – a fact-filled resource on poverty in Maryland and its 24 political subdivisions – on a bi-annual basis. It distributes both publications to all members of the Maryland General Assembly and many members of the Governor’s administration. The coalition has met regularly with Maryland’s governors and other high-ranking State officials. It has also held conferences, forums, press conferences, and a rally.

Ruth Crystal

Plans are evolving rapidly for the Golden Gala event, honoring those who’ve been League members for 50 or more years. The celebration will be at the Maryland League State Convention’s Saturday night banquet in the Silver Spring Hilton, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. Members and friends are welcome to attend, even if they do not register for the entire convention.

Realizing what a wonderful resource we have in their memories, we plan to interview all our honorees and to include excerpts from these interviews in a commemorative souvenir program. Local League volunteers are needed to interview women with whom they might really enjoy spending an hour. Most of our honorees are in Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore Counties and Baltimore City as these are our largest and oldest Leagues. Local League presidents are being asked to round up interviewers.

Below is the suggested format so all interviews will touch on similar issues. Thank you in advance for your help. You need not be very experienced or a League member for a long time to help with this very interesting project.

Suggested Format for Golden Gala Interviews with 50 year members:

• Name of Guest and photo that they might submit.
• Why they joined the League? Interested in a particular project, asked to join by a friend or family member, etc?
• When they joined and where they might have belonged over the years. Different Leagues? Any offices they may have held. Any special recollections to share?
• How has the League changed over the years?
• What is important to you about the League that has kept you in the organization so long?
• Was your mother or any other relative a Leaguer?

This is meant to be a guideline. Please have fun with your honoree and try to get them engaged. We are trying to get a good sense of the person and will cull a shorter version for our program. Please feel free to use another sheet of paper for your interview.

Roberta Safer