Community Forum for Economic Development

May 15: Community Forum Meeting on Overcoming Poverty and Creating Wealth through Community-owned Businesses

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Time: 7 PM

Location: LaSalle Branch Library, 3232 West Ardmore Trail, South Bend

Speakers: Community activists Hardie Blake, Ray Turner, and Shane Peters

 

This meeting will discuss a program, called Blakeonomics, that uses a new systemic participation method of teaching, learning and training the poor and homeless how to create wealth and eliminate poverty by becoming producers and owners of the means to create wealth.   They do so by sharing in and becoming the owners of the stores and businesses in which they shop, thereby taking control of their means to create wealth and eliminate poverty. 

In this way it is possible to challenge the systems of inequality and urban poverty that prey on the disadvantaged poor through high-priced convenience stores, payday loans, rent-a-centers, buy-here-pay-here car lots, and other types of  predatory lending.    

Our current economic system is not designed to create wealth for the poor but to sustain the wealth of the wealthy.  But Blakeonomics is not designed to encourage the needy to become greedy.  Blakeonomics is designed to be inclusive and is centered around the principle and belief that love is an essential part of the economic ecosystem.  By working together, the poor can create and share wealth with all who participate.    

April 28: "First-time Voter Flash Vote"

Where:  County-City Building – Downtown South Bend

When:  Saturday, April 28 at 12:00 Noon

 The League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area registered 720 area high school students to vote during the League's three-month-long "No Vote, No Voice" high school voter registration program.  To encourage these new young voters to cast their first votes in the May primary election, the League is organizing the "First-time Voter Flash Vote" for April 28, 2012, at 12:00 noon, at the County-City Building in South Bend.

 Please help them spread the word by sending messages by voice, text and email to all the young voters you know; also encourage them to spread the word to their friends.  You can also join them in voting that day, the first Saturday when early-voting is available for St. Joseph County registered voters.

 The Flash Vote initiative is planned in conjunction with and supported by the community-wide initiative of the Michiana Voting Coalition, which is working this spring to register new voters of all ages and update existing registrations.  The Community Forum for Economic Development is one of the many organizations participating in this coalition.

 

April 24 - Public Hearing on I&M's request for a rate increase

Where: South Bend Century Center, 120 S. St. Joseph St., South Bend

When: Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is asking for public comments about the impact of a potential rate hike that could raise homeowners' electricity rates as much as 25%.  In addition to the event in South Bend, hearings will also he held in Fort Wayne on April 23 and in Muncie on April 25.  Consumers also may submit written comments to the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor through April 25.  

The rate increase was the topic of discussion at an October 2011 forum sponsored by the Community Forum for Economic Development.  For recent information, see

"Hearing scheduled for I&M's request to raise rates,"  Elkhart Truth: www.etruth.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=2012704049955  

"I&M ratepayers face triple whammy,"  Star Press (Muncie): www.thestarpress.com/article/20120409/NEWS01/204090318/I-M-ratepayers-face-triple-whammy

 

Apr 17: Forum on Vote Centers

ARE "VOTE CENTERS" COMING TO ST. JOSEPH COUNTY?

A PUBLIC FORUM

Where: Colfax Auditorium, St. Joseph County Library, 304 South Main Street, South Bend
When: Tuesday, April 17, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

In 2011, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation making vote centers an option for any Indiana county.  A vote center is an election polling place where any eligible voter in the county may go to vote.  A proposed plan for St. Joseph County would locate an estimated 25 centers throughout the county, replacing 185 precinct polling places.  Voters would be allowed to vote at any one of the centers, regardless of precinct.

On Tuesday, April 17 you will have an opportunity to learn about how vote centers have been used in other Indiana counties, what is proposed for St. Joseph County, and the possible advantages and disadvantages of this change in our election process.  Speakers will include Betty Doversberger, a member of the State Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of Indiana and the former Chancellor of Ivy Tech in Lafayette; Terri Rethlake, St. Joseph County Clerk and County Elections' Officer; and Robert E. Smith, Chairperson of the Michiana Voting Coalition and Chairman of the Board of the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Men Club.  You also will have an opportunity to express your opinions about local vote centers.

Sponsors of the event include the Community Forum for Economic Development, the League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area, the North Central Indiana Central Labor Council, and the Michiana Voting Coalition.  This program is free and open to the public.

Mar 20: CFED Meeting on Vacant and Abandoned Properties

NEXT MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY FORUM FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

 Tuesday March 20, 2012, 7 pm

            LaSalle Branch Library (3232 West Ardmore Trail, South Bend)

      Our special guest at this meeting will be Jim Kelly, the Notre Dame law professor who co-chairs, with Mayor Buttigieg, the newly created Vacant and Abandoned Properties Task Force.  This task force has, as one of its goals, the development of a comprehensive strategy for this important citywide problem.  Our meeting will provide an opportunity for you to share your concerns and suggestions.

       Please join the discussion, which is open to all members of the public.

 

Mar 17: Activities to Register Voters

CAN YOU HELP THIS SATURDAY (March 17) WITH THE COMMUNITY EFFORT TO REGISTER VOTERS IN ST. JOSEPH COUNTY?

  Canvassing -- (Organizer - Antonius Northern) The canvassers are meeting at the Natatorium (1040 W. Washington) at 10:00 am, for assignments.  All routes should take less than 1 1/2 hours, so the canvassers can be part of the flash mob planned for noon. 

   Media/Internet -- (Organizer - Craig Clark) We are mobbing the vacant field across the street from Emanuel Community Church, (415 W. Lasalle), the site for Voter Registration this Saturday.  We are going to spell out "VOTE 2012", so if anyone has previous marching band or cheer-leading experience, please call him.  This flash mob project is an outreach to friends and acquaintances via facebook, email, and twitter to get people to come to one location at one time.  We would like a large crowd, so we all should invite everyone we can.  On signal, everyone will turn towards the church, hold up a green sheet of paper in front of their face, and hold it for a picture.  The whole thing will probably take 15-25 minutes depending on crowd size.  The pictures are to motivate others to become involved.

    Site -- (Organizer - Pastor Shirley Gaston) This Saturday, March 17, Emanuel Community Church is open to the public for Voter Registration from 10am until 2:00 pm.  Also during this time period, Empowerment Saturday takes place from 10am to 11am, and we have scheduled our first flash mob for 12:00.

Community Unites to Register Voters

St. Joseph County Voter Registration Drive Underway  

Last Saturday, a group of community leaders met to plan an extensive voter registration effort for St. Joseph County.  In attendance were representatives of the South Bend NAACP, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of St. Joseph County, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior Men's Club and a diverse group of community organizations, including the Community Forum for Economic Development.  Plans include an immediate focus on voter registration; registration for the spring primary election ends on April 9 and early voting in the May primary begins on April 10.

This year has turned into a very challenging election year because of some fundamental changes in how we vote.  The only valid identification for voting purposes are documents issued by the state (driver's license, state ID card) or the federal government (military ID, passport).  Some voters' precincts have been changed as a result of the 2010 Census. In addition, St. Joseph County is considering a switch from precinct-based voting to Voting Centers, a change that could happen as early as the 2012 general election this November. These changes could substantially increase confusion at the voter level and affect voter participation in our community. 

Another concern is the need for voters to update their voter registration after a change of address.  During a recent petition drive in St. Joseph County, nearly one third of the signatures were invalidated due to differences between the stated addresses and addresses on voter registrations.  You can verify your own voter registration by visiting www.IndianaVoters.com or by calling the Hoosier Voters Hotline at (866) 461-8683.

What Happened at the Voter Registration Meeting?

Immediate plans developed at the meeting will focus on the May primary -- both for registering voters and for getting out the vote.  The efforts this spring also will establish a framework for summer and fall campaigns and establish working relationships among different groups and agencies concerned with voter participation as well as voter education about voting centers, validating voter registration status, precinct redistribution, getting out the vote, etc.  Immediate plans included mobilization through churches and schools, the establishment of voter registration centers throughout the county, contact with voters and potential voters by phone and by canvassing neighborhoods, and the use of media -- including electronic social media.  Each of these areas of mobilization is led by an experienced community leader. 

Volunteers are Needed!

- Will you volunteer to involve members of your church in this effort?  Reverend Terrell Jackson and his committee will provide information and speakers if needed.

- Are you a student at a local college or high school?  The group that discussed student mobilization is planning a "Student Voting Day" during the early voting period and logistical support is needed.  Lisa Plencner facilitated that discussion. The League of Women Voters has already registered over 600 high school students who will vote for the first time this year. 

- Can you volunteer to work at a voter registration site?  Pastor Shirley Gaston is coordinating these centers.

- Are you willing to make phone calls from home?  Phone lists will be provided.  Rebecca Johnson is in charge of this effort.

- How about canvassing?  Plans are to walk selected precincts, starting with the north and west sides of South Bend.  Antonius Northern and Carolyn Archie will coordinate the canvassing.

- Craig Clark and Cory Gathright are coordinating the last outreach focus -- media and the internet.  Is this your area of expertise?  Will you assist these efforts?

AT THE PRESENT TIME, DARRELL DANIEL IS SERVING AS COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR AND CAN LINK YOU TO ANY OF THESE GROUP LEADERS.

CALL DARRELL AT 574-210-5250, OR BETTER YET, EMAIL HIM: darrell.daniel16@yahoo.com

In Memory of Reta Kopala

Reta Kopala, who passed away on March 4, 2012, was a member and loyal supporter of the Community Forum for Economic Development.

We will miss her very much.

In case you missed these descriptions of the many ways she enriched our community, here are the web sites of her obituary and an article by SBT reporter Erin Blasko about her tireless efforts to ensure that the actions of local government were transparent, that elected officials were held accountable for their actions, and that the governmental process was strengthened by citizen participation.

Obituary:

www.legacy.com/obituaries/southbendtribune/obituary.aspx?n=gladys-reta-kopala&pid=156319279

Erin Blasko's article:

www.southbendtribune.com/news/sbt-area-advocate-for-government-records-access-dies-at-age-75-20120307,0,2352281.story

Jan. 17: Community Forum Meeting on "Right to Work -- More than a Union Issue"

A MESSAGE FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FORUM FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The topic of January's CFED meeting is "Right to Work -- More Than a Union Issue"

When: January 17, 2012 at 7 PM

Where: LaSalle Branch Library, 3232 West Ardmore Trail, South Bend

This year, the Indiana General Assembly will consider a "Right to Work" bill that, if passed, will reduce the ability of unions to bargain with employers and negotiate contracts. The wages and benefits of union workers will decrease, but so will the wages and benefits of all workers.  Workers with lower wages will buy fewer goods and services from local businesses and, as a result, local businesses and local employment will suffer.  Workers with lower wages will pay lower taxes to local governments and, as a result, tax rates on everyone will increase or else education and other needed services will have to be cut back. 

Despite claims from right-to-work advocates, businesses will not be attracted to communities in Indiana that have lower wages, struggling local businesses, declining employment, higher taxes, and declining public amenities.  Economic development in Indiana will suffer.

Our January 17th meeting will provide an opportunity for public discussion of the position we've summarized above, as well as other questions and predictions about the consequences of Indiana becoming a Right to Work state.  Newspapers throughout Indiana have already printed numerous news articles and public commentary about the issue.  That will surely continue and increase, especially after the January 4th opening session.  Opponents on both sides are mobilizing support.  This issue is central to the CFED mission of promoting economic development, the process of increasing living standards and opportunities for area residents.  We intend for the January 17th meeting to provide for an opportunity to "shine the light" on "Right to Work."

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME INVOLVED NOW?

- The AFL-CIO is reaching out to people around the state to get them to call their State House Representative to ask them to oppose the Bosma and Daniels plan.  

A phone bank has been set up at the AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Office, 2015 Western Ave. Room 209 (Marycrest Building) in South Bend, daily from 1 - 7 PM.

Contact Tony Flora, nalc330@sbcglobal.net, 277-3062, to schedule your participation.

- Buses will travel from South Bend to Indianapolis on Wednesday, January 4 and Thursday, January 5 carrying local residents to a rally opposing the "Right to Work" legislation.

    Call the AFL-CIO CLC office, 532-2772, for more information.

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DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY ACTIVITIES              

- "A Little Taste of Peace"

Saturday, January 14, 2012, 6:15 - 9:15 PM, Islamic Society of Michiana, RSVP requested

For complete information, Download 2012 Little taste of peace flyer

- Community Service Recognition Breakfast

Monday, January 16, 2012, 7:30 - 9 AM, South Bend Century Center

Keynote speaker: Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor-Elect of Gary and the first African American female mayor in Indiana. She is also a former director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.  Her theme is Education: Key to the Dream.  

Tickets for the Breakfast are $25.  If you plan to attend and want to sit with other CFED members, contact Glenn Williams at 261-2117, glennwilliams@comcast.net.

- Day of Celebration at the Century Center

Monday, January 16, 2012 - Following the Breakfast, activities are planned throughout the day, including information tables for local organizations and businesses.  If you can spend an hour or two at the CFED information table, contact Teresa Marcy at 272-3089, tmarcy@saintmarys.edu.

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VITA (VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE) PROGRAM WILL SOON BEGIN!

Volunteers are still needed -- we need more "greeters," "screeners," and assistance with outreach.

For more information about the program, including dates, times and locations, visit www.uwsjc.org/vita.

To read why the Community Forum actively supports this program, click on the page on the right, "Why we support VITA."

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Dec 6: A Holiday Greeting and News from the Community Forum

The CFED Board of Directors sends our best wishes to all of you.  The year 2011 is drawing to a close.  We have prepared a summary of last year's programs and projects:  Download 2011 Review of CFED

At our November meeting, seven Board members were reelected for two year terms: Jose Arevalo, Hardie Blake, Tony Flora, Teresa Marcy, Murray Miller,Kimber Sorenson-Brugh, and James Summers.  They join Chuck Bradford, Marvin Crayton, John Hagen, Tonia Ladner, Dave Vollrath, Glenn Williams, Linda Wolfson and Marty Wolfson to make up the fifteen member Board of Directors of the Community Forum for Economic Development.  You can learn more about each of these Board members here: Download 2012 Board of CFED

The Community Forum meets on the third Tuesday of each month, usually at the LaSalle Branch Library.  We will not meet in December.  Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - at 7 pm.  Please mark your calendar and watch for additional details about the program for that evening.

Finally, we encourage all who agree with our mission statement to join the Community Forum and contributed financially to our work.  All current memberships are due for renewal.  In the future, 

memberships will cover a calendar year.  If you are interested in joining the Community Forum, please fill out this membership application Download 2012 membership application and send it with your dues to CFED, P.O. Box 11082, South Bend, IN 46634.