Subject: Accountability and Priorities
From: Denise Cardinal <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:35:00 -0500 (CDT)

::: ProgressNow - Advancing Progressive Agendas, State by State ::: 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Below are a few great examples of how we are making sure that the
actions of our government are transparent. This is seen in Ohio
through the demand for public oversight, and in North Carolina where
the true priorities of Governor McCrory are exposed. These are just 2
of our 21 states doing what we do every day - make progress
happen, and happen NOW.

As always, let me know what you think, or even better, contribute to
us here.

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=mssYxaqnfi0SPZuexGaIQw

Best,
Denise Cardinal
Executive Director
ProgressNow
ProgressNow Education

ProgressOhio Holds JobsOhio Accountable

Last week Governor John Kasich signed a law to prevent public
oversight of the state liquor revenues that are funding JobsOhio, a
private economic development entity. The law forbids the state Auditor
Dave Yost from auditing $100 million in liquor profits, which used to
go to the state's general fund, but is now major source of
funding for JobsOhio. Since JobsOhio was created as a way to create
jobs, it is unusual that they are resisting a state audit and instead
keeping their spending private. As Brian Rothenberg, executive
director of ProgressOhio says, "the real question in all of this
is if it is public money and you give somebody money to create a job,
shouldn't the public have a right to know that the job was created and
the money was well spent?"

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=tEPR12Ep3JHP8mooqvy60A

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=lmQ2ijAW5B_V84WQVhBnSg

ProgressOhio is working to answer this question. They have joined a
bipartisan group of Democratic legislators, progressive activists and
conservative lawyers to sue JobsOhio and make sure their money is
publicly vetted. The plaintiffs charge, that the Ohio Constitution is
violated, since it prohibits public money from being invested in
private enterprises without public oversight. The Ohio Supreme Court
is currently considering whether the plantiffs have standing to sue
over the issue at all and if they rule they do have standing, the
lawsuit will go to trial. ProgressOhio and the other plantiffs are
confident that the court would rule the law unconstitutional and
overturn the legislation.

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=sbOpSvpJOXSE4di7MAIGbQ

Progress North Carolina Exposes Governor McCrory's Priorities

This past Monday June 10th, Progress North Carolina, Public Schools
First North Carolina, and Action North Carolina organized a rally and
petition delivery to clearly show the public's view on the
Republican proposed education legislation. This legislation includes
removing limits on class size, taking $90 million from the public
school budget and spending it on a school voucher program, and doing
away with tenure for public school teachers meaning it will be easier
for schools to fire teachers with or without cause. Polling by
Progress North Carolina made it evident that the majority of voters
opposed this legislation and they wanted to send a message to Governor
McCrory by delivering 16,000 petitions to his office.

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=a3SFwHS9BhhvjjJLMr71Pg

Parents and children joined together on Monday to deliver the
petitions (carried throughout the Capitol in red wagons) but
unfortunately the Governor was not available. McCroy's staff
told the young activists that the Governor was in a meeting until 5pm
but it turns out he was actually playing baseball just outside the
Capitol. A passerby snapped a few pictures of the Governor playing
catch, but what the Governor was truly doing was avoiding the children
and their petitions. As Gerrick Brenner, executive director of
Progress North Carolina says, the Governor "can't defend
his proposed cuts to teacher assistants and he won't stand up to
a state legislature hellbent on raising class size and spending
taxpayer dollars on private school vouchers."
http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=qRWMoLjsGrqTb7tHHexvEw
http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=kg-du38ATdoJpmJ2wKQmBA

Just a few days later, on Thursday June 13th, the petitioners returned
to the Capitol for a massive game of catch. This action showed that
the public would not let the Governor ignore their opposition to the
proposed legislation. After the event, petitioners left the Governor a
handful of baseballs with special education messages. You can pitch in
$7 to buy a baseball for McCroy and ensure that he hears your opinion
loud and clear.

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=hma-cLVIew33RK5XPbdRbQ

http://progressnow.pnstate.org/site/R?i=10uaGMfyRQADjU_tVA-opg

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