FAIR! and League of Women Voters Sponsor Board of Supervisor Forum

From Carol Spaziani, FAIR! Steering Committee member:

FAIR! will be co-sponsoring with the League of Women Voters a forum for the candidates running for the unexpired term on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. The election is on Jan. 19 at your regular polling place. The press release below gives you all the details about the forum. We hope many FAIR! members turn out to ask these candidates questions on progressive issues. There are sharp differences among the candidates. Janelle Rettig is currently filling the vacancy by appointment until Jan. 19.

FAIR! has chosen not to endorse a candidate this time in favor of co-sponsoring this opportunity to hear these differences for yourself! If you are unable to attend, try to catch it on a local cable channel, and do definitely VOTE. Given the uncertainty of the weather, it is best to vote early. You can vote now during regular business hours at the County Auditor's office in the County Administration building on So. Dubuque. There will be other opportunities at Hy-Vee, the Public Library,the North Liberty Community Center. Watch the news for times and places.

The candidates vying for the current vacancy on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Lori Cardella (Rep), Jim Knapp (nominated by petition) and Janelle Rettig (Dem), will share their perspectives and answer audience questions at a candidate forum on January 7th, 2010. The forum, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Johnson County (LWVJC) and FAIR!, will be held at the Iowa City Public Library,Room A, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. A meet and greet will follow from 8:30 pm to
9:00 pm. Refreshments provided by FAIR!

The Special Election is scheduled for January 19th, 2010. The shortened period for campaigning heightened the need for public forums, a need the League of Women Voters of Johnson County consistently meets in the community. The forum will be broadcast live on the Iowa City Public Library Station(cable 10)and rebroadcast on City Channels in Coralville, Iowa City and North Liberty. Allison Werner-Smith, a lawyer and League member, will moderate.

Voting on January 19th, 2010 will be at your regular voting location with early voting available throughout the county. Visit www.jcauditor.com for more information.

All Things Green and Blue

FRIDAY, APRIL 17th (At the Unitarian Universalist Church at 10 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City) at 7:30 p.m.

Come to "Take This House and Float It Away". It is a play with a purpose: It wants to create a new culture around our attitudes toward and uses of water.

This original, hour-long, two-person play, from the Change of State Performance Project, is about a Sacramento couple, sitting in their floodplain living room, unable to comprehend the disaster that is imminent.

Admission is free and no tickets are needed; a free will offering will be taken. The play is sponsored by the Social Justice Coordinating Committee.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH (In the Pappajohn Business Building)

Want to put your passion into practice? Register FREE now for the Green Summit, a conference and expo for environmentally-minded students who want to learn practical skills from successful environmental leaders.

Green Summit Conference - 8:30 a.m. to Noon - Keynote Speaker Senator Joe Bolkcom
Expo - Noon to 5 p.m. (On the Pentacrest)

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT THEGREENSUMMIT2009.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Sponsored by: UISG, UI Facilities Management, Green State Solutions, UI Environmental Coalition

SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH

Johnson County progressive group FAIR! is sponsoring the award-winning film "Blue Gold:World Water Wars" as part of the ongoing Environmental Film Festival at the Iowa City Public Library from 3 to 5 pm in Meeting Room A.

FAIR! Weather Friends

With the summer moving along, FAIR!, Johnson County's progressive voice for issues of importance to county residents is in need folks to get their hands dirty by joining with us to work on issues like broadening mass transportation opportunities, fighting for more and better affordable housing options, acting as watchdog for local government actions, and more. We need front line, wanna-be activists who will get involved.

With the recent floods, there will be ample opportunities to weigh in on issues including watershed conservation, as well as how the county and cities prioritize their budgets in the coming few years.

E-mail me for more information. We will also have a community meeting on 9/17 in meeting room A at the Iowa City Public Library from 6:30. Pencil it in your calendar, more details to follow shortly.

1000 Friends Supports City Subdivision Plans, FAIR Encourages Participation

In what is largely important, on paper, to developers and city planners and more of concern to the rest of us when put into action, the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonight (April 3) in the Emma Harvat Room at City Hall to discuss proposed new subdivision regulations for Iowa City. The City's subdivision code establishes rules for the layout of home lots, streets, and infrastructure in new residential neighborhoods and commercial areas. All interested persons are encouraged to attend.

The proposed code reflects the vision and direction prescribed in the City’s long-term Comprehensive Plan, along with elements that citizens have identified as components of desirable neighborhoods. These include development of compact, sustainable neighborhoods that are pedestrian-oriented, offer a mix of housing, provide aesthetic value, build a sense of community, provide well-designed commercial areas and places for work and industry, and overall, create a safe and pleasant living environment.

Local Progressive group FAIR! has urged its members to attend the sessions, predominately to ensure that housing affordability and sustainability are addressed in the code.

1000 Friends of Iowa, whose mission is to promotes responsible development that conserves and protects our agricultural and natural resources, revitalizes neighborhoods, towns and cities, and, improves the quality of life for future generations sent out an email stating their support:

1000 Friends of Iowa has engaged more in local ordinance-related work over
the past couple of years. With regards to advancements in zoning code reform, I am happy to share that Iowa City is a bright spot on our map of Iowa. However, we need your help to make it shine as bright as possible.

While local ordinances are often thought of as mundane and boring jargon, they are really the policy force behind the kind of community we will live in for years to come. Iowa City is considering a draft subdivision ordinance and a public hearing is scheduled for this Thursday evening. We've provided information below, and encourage you to speak up at this one, consider attending a future meeting, and/or getting in touch with local city officials. Pass the word!

Best,
Stephanie Weisenbach
1000 Friends of Iowa


1000 Friends of Iowa encourages you to speak up in support of these changes, which will put Iowa City development in a better direction for improved community design when new development occurs. It’s important to speak up in FAVOR of something good, and not just always react to what we don’t want.

Additional input from you could also help to address any issues that the city may not have considered already in the development of this draft ordinance.

Goals of the Comprehensive Plan that the Subdivision Ordinance will
implement:

· Plan for the development of sustainable neighborhoods that are compact, pedestrian-oriented, contain a mix of housing, with neighborhood focal points and commercial centers;
· Create an interconnected street pattern that provides connections between neighborhoods, efficient routes for the provision of emergency and public services, and multiple routes to neighborhood destinations, such as schools, parks, and neighborhood commercial areas.
· Design streets that are safe, attractive and pleasant for all modes of transportation;
· Narrow pavement widths for local streets while providing adequate right-of-way width for street trees and sidewalks. Combined these factors will that help to slow traffic, allow for a more complete tree canopy over neighborhood streets, and make neighborhoods streets safer and more pleasant for residents;
· Buffer residential neighborhoods from higher volume streets and highways; and
· Provide for accessible parks and trails within new neighborhoods.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold at least two public meetings to hear and review public comments and suggestions. Following Planning and Zoning Commission review, the Commission's recommended draft will be forwarded to the City Council for review, public comment, and adoption. If you have questions please contact Karen Howard by phone at (319) 356-5251 or email at karen-howard@iowa-city.org.

AN ADDED NOTE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING: 1000 Friends realizes that affordable housing is a key issue for Iowa City to address and is a concern for residents. Recently we were sent information about a very unique report about the connections between affordable housing and parking policies. Talk about connecting the dots for unique solutions! To read this report by the Victoria Transport Institute.

Half Court Press: Edwards Now Odd Man Out

The media has done a wonderful job of covering John Edwards since Iowa--NOT!--So says FAIR.

As many of the lesser supported candidates in Iowa experienced, if you are not number 1 or 2, you are not in the conversation.

And, in the hurry to move the conversation from three top candidates to a race to coronate Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, there is no room for a third.

The highlight of the Q & A peiod in South Carolina was when Edwards was asked about why he doesn't get as much media coverage as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"I've been trying that for a year and it hasn't worked yet," said an exasperated Edwards. "It's a tough challenge, you know."

He then pointed to the media. "There they are," he said. "Talk to them."

The Project for Excellence in Media reported that from the git go, Edwards has received much less coverage than the media-driven machines that HRC and BHO have put together.

Is it because he challenges the corporations that hold the keys to the executive washrooms for major media? That certainly can be seen as one story line. More likely, media will ignore him unless he wins a highly touted primary.

Edward's Campaign senior advisor, Joe Trippi said "The more the press continues to focus on these two people [Obama and Clinton] and how its all about them, the rest of the country is saying please tell us there is somebody else," Trippi said.

FAIR to Endorse Candiates and Issues

(October 23rd)

Tonight at 7 pm, Johnson County progressive group FAIR! will endorse candidates for Iowa City Council and will discuss endorsing the two referendum items regarding 21-only bar entrance and beefing up of the Police Citizens Review Board.

The meeting is in Meeting Room A of the public library from 7 to 9 pm. Interested persons are welcome to attend. Candidates will be on hand to speak to the group. Members will vote on endorsing candidates and issues.

More information can be found on FAIR's website.

Candidate Forum: Downtown-centric

From right to left: Brandon Ross, Dee Vanderhoef, Matt Hayek, Mike Wright, and Terry Smith

The FAIR!/Sierra Club/DFA at-large city council candidates forum was centered in the center--downtown Iowa City. With the exception of Dee Vanderhoef and Brandon Ross who live on the eastside of the city, all of the candidates running in the at-large race live in or near downtown. Many of the responses reflected the importance of downtown to the economic development of Iowa City, but did not address the needs of other parts of town, with the exception of Brandon Ross who mentioned placing a branch library on the southside.

Questions were raised about both referendum items: the 21-only (in bars after 10 pm) ordinance and the change of the charter to allow the Police Review Board to have subpoena power to essentially allow the board the "teeth" to seek information from reluctant witnesses. Smith, Hayek, Ross all said they would vote against the 21 ordinance personally and Vanderhoef and Wright said they would vote for it.

The most interesting question may have been about when a candidate believed they would have to excuse him or herself from a vote. Dee Vanderhoef said she had recused herself three times, twice when a vote involved a social group she is affiliated with and once when, under advice from the city attorney, she recused herself because of a vote that involved the business interest her husband has as owner of Iowa Book and Supply. Terry Smith said that if the franchise agreement with MidAmerican Energy, who is his employer and for whom he has been negotiating the agreement, is not decided before he would be on council, he would have to recuse himself from that vote. Matt Hayek said, because of his representing non-profit organizations as an attorney, he would either have to turn over the cases or recuse himself from a vote. Neither Mike Wright nor Brandon Ross could think of reasons to recuse themselves from votes involving those organizations.

Faces in the crowd included district C unopposed candidate, Regenia Bailey, and James Moody from the North Liberty City Council. Attendance was light with 36 people in the audience.

The forum, which was broadcast live on cable channel 10 will be rebroadcast.

In the meantime, the League of Women Voters Candidate Forum is tonight in city council chambers at 7 pm.

City Council Candidate Cook Off

On Sunday 9/23 from 2 to 4 pm, progressive groups FAIR!, Sierra Club, and Johnson County Democracy for America will sponsor an at-large Iowa City Council candidate forum at the Iowa City public library in meeting room A. Tom Carsner from the Sierra Club will moderate. Questions form the public are encouraged.
The at-large candidates are Mike Wright, Brandon Ross, Matt Hayek, Terry Smith, and Dee Vanderhoef.

The forum will be broadcast on the Library Channel 10.

Buddy, Can You Spare Some Earned Media

At what point is a candidate a "serious" candidate? One measure is cash--Clinton, Obama, Edwards got a lot of it--Kucinich, Richardson, Biden, Dodd, Gravel have less--that makes them not "serious?"

Another measure is familiarity of the candidates--again Clinton, Obama, Edwards have high Q scores and poll ratings--the others don't. Again, does this determine whether a candidate is "serious?"

Another measure is body count--how many people show up to your events? Obama, Edwards, and Clinton do better than the other candidates, but does this make them more "serious" as a candidate.

With the first primary at least eight months away, it makes no real sense to declare who the victors are, particularly when reporting favors the wealthy and the known. Shouldn't reporters attempt to distinguish differences between candidates' views rather than their bank accounts or ability to fill seats?

FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) takes a whack at how "lesser" candidates are portrayed in the media.

"Left wing" ideas such as Kucinich and Gravel's opposition to the Iraq War are shared by a majority of the U.S. population; it's telling that this is insufficient to make them "serious" for Broder. By contrast, after the Republican debate, the Post reported (5/4/07) that "the three candidates who top most national polls—Giuliani, McCain and Romney—made forceful presentations, but those struggling for attention also generally acquitted themselves well." In response to three of the candidates expressing support for creationism, the Post noted their public support (5/6/07): "But a look at public polling on the issue reveals that the three men aren't far from the mainstream in that belief."

Describing the Democratic debate, the Los Angeles Times argued (4/27/07) that the wide debate format "allowed each candidate a total of 11 minutes to talk—giving Kucinich and Gravel, both of whom have a negligible showing in polls, equal time with the front-runners, which they used to take aggressive hits at [New York Sen. Hillary] Clinton and Obama." At this point, more than half a year before the first actual voters have a chance to weigh in, poll numbers should not be the prime determiner of who gets to participate in a debate; even so, Kucinich and Gravel are in what amounts to a statistical dead heat in many polls with candidates treated more seriously by the corporate media, like Biden and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

While Kucinich and Gravel were asked only eight questions in the April 26 debate, Biden received 11 and Richardson 10—nearly as many as the 12 each answered by "front-runners" Clinton, Obama and former vice presidential candidate John Edwards. This despite the fact Kucinich was tied with Richardson and Biden in the latest Pew poll (4/18-22/07) and actually beat Biden in the latest Fox poll (4/17-18/07).

Keeping Affordable Multifamily Housing

In Iowa City affordable housing is typically discussed in terms of public safety officers and teachers, but the most at risk group of people are those hovering on the edges of poverty. Before homeownership is an option, they need affordable rental housing/transitional housing. But since the late 1980's, there has been a "war on poverty" of a different feather:

u- Nationally, housing prices increased over 20% over past 7 years; wages increased 2% in real terms.

u- More than ½ of our nation’s carpenters, kindergarten teachers, groundskeepers, retail clerks, and other service workers pay more than half of their income for rent, the HUD standard for housing is 30% of your income.

u- The number of apartments affordable to those who earn less than $16,000/yr. fell by 13% or 1.2 million between 1993 and 2003.

u- We lose hundreds of thousands of affordable apartments per year. 300,000 apartments (15% of the total) has been lost nationwide to the affordable housing inventory dedicated to serving poor people since 1995

- According to the National Housing trust, more than 2,500 affordable apartments have been lost from Iowa’s affordable housing inventory between 1995-2003.

At the Iowa City Public Library on 4/24 from 7 to 8:30 pm, Michael Bodaken, president of the National Housing Trust and an expert in the area of affordable multifamily housing will be discussing "Affordable Multifamily Housing: Exploring Solutions". There will be a Question and Answer period after the presentation.

The event is sponsored by FAIR and the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.