© 1999 - 2006 League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham and
League of Women Voters of the
United States
The Voter
February 2006
A Publication of the League
of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham.
Re-formatted here for web publication with index and links added. Web
Editor's navigational notes added in [bracketed italics].
INDEX
League Supports Constitutional Reform at Montgomery Rally
At least 12 LWV members were among the 500 citizens attending the Let the People Vote Rally held on the Capitol steps January 25 in Montgomery. The event was sponsored by ACCR and supported by the LWVAL. Legislators and constitutional reform supporters addressed the crowd. Mrs. Johnnie Carr, civil rights leader and friend of Rosa Parks, recounted her days in Birmingham working with the LWV for voting and registration rights. Students presented boxes of petitions with more than 65,000 signatures calling for a constitutional convention to the Alabama Legislature. Bills for a constitutional convention are presently awaiting decisions in both the House and Senate.
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A Note from the President
The Birmingham League focused its efforts on the support of LWVAL priorities during the month of January. On the 25th, 14 LWVGB members traveled to Montgomery to participate in the “Let The People Vote” rally. We joined Alabamians from across the state – high school and college students, representatives from many grassroots organizations, concerned citizens – to present our lawmakers with over 65,000 signatures in support of HB109 calling for a constitutional convention of citizens. The following evening, we met at the Homewood Library to begin a two-part series of consensus on the LWVAL Alabama Legislative study. True to form, LWVGB members were engaged in lively and thought-provoking discussion and had no shortage of opinions!
The Voters Service committee has begun the planning process for Election 2006 activities. You will hear more about these plans over the next few months. We will need your ideas – and assistance – to make this effort successful.
I would like to make another appeal to our membership for support of our Observer Corp. In particular, we need volunteers to attend the Birmingham Water Board and BJCC Transit Authority meetings. Contact Beverly Nelson if you can offer one to four mornings a month to be our eyes at public meetings.
-- Yvonne
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Legislative Study Consensus Discussion leaders Sarah McDonald and Mary Lynn Bates Thursday, February 23, 6:00 P.M. Homewood Library 1721 Oxmoor Road Read more about this important meeting! |
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Election
2006
| 2006 Election Calendar | |
| June 6 | Primary Election |
| June 27 | Primary Runoff Election, if needed |
| November 7 | General Election |
Offices
to be filled in the 2006 election include:
United States
Alabama
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Alabama (continued)
County
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Report from the Nominating
Committee
LWVGB Board Vacancies for 2006-07 League Year
- 2nd Vice President (2-year)
- Secretary (2-year)
- Treasurer (2-year)
- Director (4) (2-year)
- Nominating Committee Chair (1-year)
- Nominating Committee Member (1-year)
If you are interested in serving on the board, or would like to
recommend a nominee, please contact Jean Johnson at
jjohnson@brooknet.com or 205-870-3063 by the end of February.
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February Membership Meeting
Alabama Legislative Study and
Consensus, Part IIMake plans to participate in the second of a two-part consensus meeting on LWVAL’s study of the Alabama legislature. This month’s meeting will focus on briefing papers related to Legislative Basics, Lobbying and Interest Groups, and Citizen Access. Study materials are available on the LWVAL website at www.lwval.org/legstudy/members. Contact Jean Johnson at jjohnson@brooknet.com or 205-870-3063 if you need assistance in accessing the materials.
Thursday, February 23rd
6:00 PM
Homewood Library
1721 Oxmoor Road
Room 101
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Alabama Legislative Update
[For more information about the League's priority issues and progress of important legislation, visit www.lwval.org/LWVALAction/ALIssues-2006.html. Latest news and alerts are posted!]
This is the year that our State Legislature has a chance to show leadership and statesmanship. The League supports several bills introduced in this session.
First and foremost are two bills calling for a constitutional convention. If these pass, the other reform issues will be a part of the new constitution! They are HB 109 sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton and SB 52 sponsored by Senator Ted Little.
HB109 is now in the House Constitution and Elections committee, following a Public Hearing held January 25th, which several League members attended. THE COMMITTEE WILL VOTE ON IT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15.
SB52 is now in the Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics and Elections Committee waiting for Committee Chair, Senator Wendell Mitchell, to call for a Public Hearing. That will probably happen during the third week of February.
UPDATE ON SB52!! Public Hearing Announcement A public hearing for SB 52 is scheduled Tuesday, February 14 from 10:00 AM to Noon in House Room 727. |
Your support is desperately needed. Call your legislators on these committees (listed below) , and let them know you want them to vote for HB109 and SB52. YOUR IMMEDIATE CALL (before 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 15) FOR HB109 IS CRITICAL!
Senate Office Number: 334-242-7800
The League also supports public transportation. Two bills currently before the legislature are constitutional amendments that would add public transit to the list of services for which fuel and road use taxes can be used. This is a statewide amendment and would make it possible for local communities to receive consistent funding for public transportation.
HB 353 is sponsored by Rep. Laura Hall.
The League supports campaign finance reform. Two constitutional amendments would forbid PAC-to-PAC transfers.
SB138 is sponsored by Senator Curt Lee
Three constitutional amendments would require funding disclosure for political campaigns.
HB 113 sponsored by Rep. Randy Hinshaw extends that disclosure to electioneering communication.
SB 123 sponsored by Senator Lindsey extends the disclosure to electioneering communication.
Call your legislators and tell them to vote for these bills!
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| Randy
Hinshaw,
Chair (D) Dist 21 Program Director Huntsville; H 256-828-7119 State House 334-242-7733 Rm 535 Jeff McLaughlin, Vice Chair (D) Dist 27 Attorney Guntersville H 256-582-2520 State House : 334-242-7765 Rm 526-B Greg Albritton (R) Ranking Minority Member, Dist 64 Attorney, Excel H 251-578-6900 ( Evergreen) State House 334-242-7747 Rm 539-7747 George Bandy (D) Dist 83 Pastor Opelika H 334-242-7721 State House 334-242-7721 Rm 526-D Randy Davis (R) Dist 96 Edu administrator Daphne H 251-937-0324 or 251-626-5825 State House 334-242-7724 Rm 538-B Joe Faust (R) Dist 94 Insurance sales Fairhope H 251-928-5445 State House 334- 242-7699 Rm 524-C Paul DeMarco ( R) Dist 46 Attorney Homewood H 205-802-7285 W 205 326-6600 State House 334-242-7740 Rm 536-C Micky Hammon ( R ) Dist 4 Electrical Contractor Decatur H 256-350-4261 or 256-350-0375 State House 334- 242-7709 Rm 523-C |
Steve Hurst
( D ) Dist 35 Businessman Munford H 256-761-1935 State House 334-353-9215 Rm 630-A Bryant Melton ( D) 334-242-7752 Dist 70 College Administrator Tuscaloosa H 205-391-2614 or 205-758-6800 State House 334-242-7752 Rm 525-C Joseph Mitchell ( D) Dist 103 Retired Mobile H 251-473-5020 State House 334-242-7735 Rm 517-A Mary Moore (D) Dist 59 Medical Technology Birmingham H 205-322-0254 State House 334-242-7608 Rm 539-D Sue Schmitz (D) Dist 6 School Teacher Tony ( Madison) H 256-852-7003 State House 334-242-7704 Rm 524-D Tommy Sherer (D) Dist 13 Retired Elem School Principal Jasper H 256-522-2348 or 205-387-1321 State House 334-242-7704 Rm 522-D Randy Wood (R) Dist 36 Owner Wood’s Body Shop Anniston H 256-237-8114 or 256-892-2151 State House 334-242-7700 Rm 524-E House Majority Leader and Rules Chair: Ken Guin, (D) District 14 attorney Carbon Hill S.H. 519-C 334- 242-7674 Home 205-924-0061 |
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| Chair
Wendell Mitchell, ( D) Distict
30 Attorney S.H. 733-A; 334-242-7883 Luvern (O) 334-335-3449 Roger Bedford, (D) District 6 Attorney S.H. 730-B 334-242-7862 Russelville (O) 256-332-2880 (H) 256-332-7709 W. H. Pat Lindsey (D) District 22 Attorney S.H. 721 334-242-7843 Butler (O) 251 459-2478 (H) 251-459-3508 Roger Smitherman (D) District 18 Attorney S.H. 732-A 334-242-7870 Birmingham (O) 205-322-0012 (H) 205-322-3768 Zeb Little (D) District 4 Attorney S.H. Rm 736-A 334-242-7855 Majority Floor Leader Cullman (O) 256-734-0456, (H) 256-734-6348 Steve French (R) District 15 Financial Consultants S.H. 737-D 334-242-7851 Birmingham (O) 205-871-5900 (H) 205 871-3881 |
Curt Lee
(R) District 5 Attorney S. H. 737-A / 334-242-7891 Jasper (O) 205-387-7575 (H) 205-302-0831 Hank Sanders (D) District 23 attorney S.H. 730-A 334-242-7860 Selma (O) 334-242-7860 (H) 334-875-1395 Vivian Figures (D) District 33 Widow S.H. 732-B / 332-242-7871 Mobile (O) 251-208-5480 (H) 251-28-5480 Tommy Lee Roberts (D) District 3 Retired S.H. 729-C/ 334 242-7874 Hartselle ( O) 256-773-2854 (H) 256-773-2854 Ted Little (D) District 27 Attorney S.H. Rm 740/ 334-242-7865 Auburn (O) 334-887-3472 (H) 334-887-6552 |
LWVGB takes a Spring Break!
(There will be no membership meeting in March.)
April Membership Meeting
Preparing for Election 2006
Thursday, April 27, 6:00 pm
Homewood Library
Betty Warnock, Yvonne Brakefield and Virginia Randolph are researching issues related to how Alabama, and especially Jefferson and Shelby Counties, are managing the Help America Vote Act. Do you know how many counts of ballots are normally made when there is no recall vote in an election? Do you know how election officials determine the number of ballots to have on site? What is the basis for a valid and counted Provisional Ballot? Do you know why some absentee ballots and some provisional ballots that are theoretically valid are not counted? These issues and others, along with plans for the League involvement with citizen education and voter registration, will provide everyone a chance to volunteer to help democracy work. Please attend the meeting and help us plan the Greater Birmingham League’s election year activities.
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Transit Board Derails Again
Doris Powell was removed from her position as chair of the Birmingham-Jefferson
County Transit Authority
by an 8-0 vote at the February 1 board meeting. Vice Chair
Hugo
Isom was appointed acting chair and will fill that role until
Powell’s original appointment expires in September.
Ms.
Powell will continue to serve as a member of the board.
Several citizens attended the meeting, but were not allowed to address
the board before the meeting was adjourned.
Ms. Powell and former board chair, Phil Gary, have publicly clashed
since the City of Birmingham appointed her to the transit board in
September 2005.
Ms. Powell spoke to League members at our November meeting.
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Jefferson County Commission
In a letter dated February 3, the Environmental Protection Agency notified Jefferson County of thirteen clean-water rules and provisions violations of the court agreement governing the county’s $3 billion sewer rehabilitation program. The violations include sewage overflowing into the Cahaba River Basin, sewage plant overflows even during dry weather, sewage bypassing wastewater treatment plants and water-quality violations at the Cahaba, Leeds and Trussville plants. The EPA has requested to meet with county officials and attorneys to discuss the violations and possible penalties. Jefferson County is under a 1996 federal court consent decree to fix leaky sewers and end direct discharges of sewage into streams.
Jefferson County also has exhibited problems setting and following departmental budgets. Between October 1, 2005 (the beginning of the fiscal year) and January 30, Jefferson County passed 98 budget amendments. The county with the next highest amendments is Baldwin County, with 51. Shelby County had none. In 2004 the JCC paid $592,000 for a study by Auburn University that pointed out this practice as a serious flaw in the county’s budget process.
Defusing growing hostility between Jefferson County and City of Birmingham officials was the purpose of a breakfast meeting between Birmingham mayor Bernard Kincaid and JCC president Larry Langford in early February. Langford has publicly criticized the city for failure to act on projects such as the Railroad Reservation Park and the loss of a U.S. national team soccer game. After the meeting both Langford and Kincaid said they would work on better communications between city and county governments.
[See "White says fines could cut sewer repair money"by Barnett Wright, Birmingham News, 2/10/06.]
LWVGB Board of
Directors 2005-2006
League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham
205 583-5000
admin-lwvgb@lwval.org
Yvonne Brakefield, President
516-8235
ybrakefield@lwval.org
Nancy Ekberg, 1st Vice President
967-2897
nanekberg@aol.com
Virginia Randolph, 2nd Vice President
699-5582
vrandolph517@alltel.net
Colette Scott, Secretary
988-0868
scot6444@bellsouth.net
Leonette Slay, Treasurer
824-4723
lwslay@cs.com
Beverly Nelson, Editor, The Voter
beenel@bellsouth.net
Dot Baker
822-0855
Cissy Bennett
969-0249
cissybennett@bellsouth.net
Kaydee Erdreich-Breman
871-5541
kaydeeeb@bellsouth.net
Cary Page
879-3697
cpa323@aol.com
Betty Warnock
254-6052
bettyjwarnock@bham.rr.com
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About the Voter:
The LWVGB Voter is a publication of the League of
Women Voter of Greater Birmingham.
Contact:
Beverly Nelson, Editor
Email: beenel@bellsouth.net
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CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
Thursday,
February 23rdLWVGB Monthly Membership Meeting
Alabama Legislative Study and Consensus – Part II
Homewood Library
Room 101
1721 Oxmoor Road [map]
[more
information]6:00
PM
Wednesday,
March 1st LWVGB
Board of Directors Meeting
Unitarian Universalist Church
4300 Hampton
Heights Drive [map]6:00 PM
Thursday,
March 2nd Common
Ground Meeting
Greater Birmingham Ministries
2304 12th Avenue North [map]
Information at www.commongroundal.org2:00 PM
Wednesday,
April 5th LWVGB
Board of Directors Meeting
Unitarian Universalist Church
4300 Hampton
Heights Drive [map]6:00 PM
Thursday,
April 27thLWVGB
Monthly Membership Meeting
“Preparing for Election 2006”
Homewood Library
Room 101
1721 Oxmoor Road [map]6:00 PM
Saturday,
May 6thLWVAL
Council Meeting
Auburn, AL
Details TBDTBA
Saturday,
May 20thLWVGB
Annual Business Meeting
McCormick and Schmidt's Restaurant
Brookwood Village
Lunch (optional)10:30 am
June 10th-13th
LWVUS
47th National Convention
“Meeting in the Middle”
Minneapolis, MN
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