Action Foci 2019-2020
LWV-Wilmette Local Program 2019-2020
The LWV-Wilmette local Program planning meeting was held on March 6, 2019. The purpose of this Program planning meeting was to brainstorm and prioritize proposed local action-foci for 2019-2020. The Action Foci consists of issues that the membership of the LWV-Wilmette chooses for concerted action and advocacy.
For background purposes, membership should be aware that there was also a Program planning meeting held in February at which members determined areas to recommend to LWVIL for its Program. These recommendations focused on areas that membership felt were appropriately addressed at the state level. The top 5 proposed recommendations for the LWV-IL were considered in the development of local recommendations for LWV-W and they are:
1) Address State’s Fiscal Situation
2) Environment
3) Gun Violence Prevention
4) Abolish Electoral College
5) Redistricting
At the March meeting, the team prioritized the local issues suggested based on local impact, local league interest shared widely versus one strong opinion, state and/or national league support, and appropriate level of resources to support the action-foci including staffing and leadership.
The top local action foci selected by the Program planning group are:
1) Citizen Engagement and Education
2) Good Governance
3) Affordable Housing
4) Environment
5) Gun Violence Prevention
These action foci are listed below, along with some proposed actions to provide clarity in scope and intent. However, these actions are not intended to be restricting or comprehensive, and may change over the course of the year.
1) Citizen Engagement and Education Action Focus
Chair: Kate Gjaja and Anne Sullivan
Board Liaison: Kate Gjaja and Anne Sullivan
● Disseminate accurate and timely information on community issues to our membership and the public
● Engage local entities to increase involvement in citizen engagement initiatives including but not limited to churches, newspapers, governmental boards, Chamber of Commerce
● Encourage active boards and fully-staffed commissions with directives
● Educate the community about where taxes go and how tax dollars are spent
● Improve public awareness of and turnout at board meetings (goal: the right people show up at the right time), committee of the whole, plan commissions etc.
● Encourage citizens to become candidates for elective office
● Developing Q&A living room conversations with local leaders and membership
2) Good Governance
Action Focus Chair: Lali Watt
Board Liaison : Lali Watt
● Encourage transparency by governing bodies
● Continue to strengthen the Observer Corps
● Promote civil discourse
● Promote intergovernmental cooperation
● Raise questions /issues for public awareness 3) Affordable Housing (AH) Action Focus Chair: Caroline Goldstein Board Liaison: Cindy Levine
● Monitor Wilmette’s 2020 comprehensive plan process
● Understand potential alliances with, among other, Joining Forces for Affordable Housing and student groups
● Encourage local government to develop a robust affordable housing plan
● Continue implementation of existing LWVW plan including monitoring of HODC’s development while promoting community support and awareness
● Encourage the utilization of a fully staffed Housing Commission
3) Affordable Housing (AH)
Action Focus Chair: Caroline Goldstein
Board Liaison: Cindy Levine
● Monitor Wilmette’s 2020 comprehensive plan process
● Understand potential alliances with, among other, Joining Forces for Affordable Housing and student groups
● Encourage local government to develop a robust affordable housing plan
● Continue implementation of existing LWVW plan including monitoring of HODC’s development while promoting community support and awareness
● Encourage the utilization of a fully staffed Housing Commission
4) Environment Action
Focus Chair: Karen Glennemeier
Board Liaison: Karen Glennemeier
● Support the Energy and Environment Commission’s efforts to develop a robust sustainability plan for Wilmette.
● Educate membership on national efforts to support climate action with regard to carbon neutrality and climate change
● Engage Emerging Leaders as the next generation that is most invested in a sustainable climate and liveable planet. 5) Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) Action Focus Chair: Susan Fortier and Ann Roberts Board Liaison: Susan Fortier and Ann Roberts
● Stay vigilant to keep passed legislation from being reversed
● Educate membership on GVP issues and provide advocacy opportunities
● Investigate state and local legislative opportunities for GVP
● Provide action opportunities for members
5) Gun Violence Prevention (GVP)
Action Focus Chair: Susan Fortier and Ann Roberts
Board Liaison: Susan Fortier and Ann Roberts
● Stay vigilant to keep passed legislation from being reversed
● Educate membership on GVP issues and provide advocacy opportunities
● Investigate state and local legislative opportunities for GVP
● Provide action opportunities for members
LWV Positions Supporting Program/Action Foci*
1) Citizen Engagement and Education
LWVUS Position in Brief: Protect the citizen's right to know and facilitate informed understanding and public participation in government decision-making. (p. 7)
2) Good Governance
LWVUS Position in Brief: Promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive. (p. 10)
3) Affordable Housing
LWVUS and LWV-W Position in Brief: Nationwide, the LWV supports programs and policies to provide a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family. (p. 84)
In 1980, the LWV-W adopted the position of support for increased opportunities for housing for senior citizens and low-and moderate-income families. The LWV-W also supports the planned unit development section of the Wilmette zoning code.
4) Environment
LWVUS Position in Brief: Promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest. (p. 8)
5) Gun Violence Prevention
LWVUS Position in Brief: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that the proliferation of handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons in the United States ia a major health and safety threat to its citizens. The League supports strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens. The League supports regulating firearms for consumer safety.
The League supports licensing procedures for gun ownership by private citizens to include a waiting period for background checks, personal identity verification, gun safety education, and annual license renewal. The license fee should be adequate to bear the cost of education and verification.
The League supports a ban on “Saturday night specials,” enforcement of strict penalties for the improper possession of and crimes committed with handguns and assault weapons, and allocation of resources to better regulate and monitor gun dealers. (p. 87)
*These and all other positions of LWVUS, LWVIL and LWV-W are available on the respective websites:
LWVUS: Impact on Issues, lwv.org
LWVIL: Where We Stand, lwvil.org
LWV-W: lwvwilmette.org
