PVA Meeting Recap – September 28, 2006 – Progressive Voter Alliance

Updates and Announcements

The main attraction at our September meeting was Making a Difference 2006–A Campaign Fair that afforded a wide variety of options on how to get involved in campaigns and election-related activities.

There are only 5 weeks until the elections, and we have the opportunity to sweep into office an excellent slate of progressive candidates.

Curbside Recycling

Jeff Steinborn reported that the city’s projected monthly cost for curbside recycling — $5.59 per household per month, has generated resistance at public hearings currently being held in each city council district. He emphasized that we should continue to advocate, at hearings and in other communications with city councilors, the importance and basic viability of curbside recycling, even if the details need to be tweaked and improved. For more information, contact Jeff at polidub@aol.com or Brigitte Hines at brshines@hotmail.com.

Progressive Lunch Group

Zell Cantrell announced that the Progressive Lunch Group will meet for the first time on Thursday, October 5 at 11 a.m. at the Red Lobster. Contact Zell at veryprogressivezell@msn.com. A flyer to send to friends is available at the PVA Web site.

Health Care Reform

Cathilia Flores reported on the hearing by the Governor’s Task Force on Health Care for All New Mexicans, which was held the day before in Santa Fe. There was overwhelming support at the meeting for consideration of a Single Payer Plan as part of the Task Force’s deliberations. There is still time to send your own comments. For more information, contact Cathilia at cathilia@gmail.com or Sharon Thomas at skthomas_10@msn.com.

Interfaith Power and Light

Interfaith Power and Light, a nationwide movement to educate and engage people on the facts about global warming, will sponsor a showing of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” at the Morning Star Methodist Church, 2941 Morning Star Drive (at the corner of Roadrunner and Morning Star, just south of Highway 70) on Friday, October 6, at 7 p.m.

Microcredit Lending

Connie Richardson sends word that the local Microcredit Lending Project — whose goal is to alleviate severe poverty in developing areas through small capital loans to emerging businesses — is in good shape and gathering participants. It will be back in full force at the PVA after the elections; in the meantime contact Connie conniericha@peoplepc.com for more information.

Making a Difference 2006 – A Campaign Fair

The bulk of the meeting was taken up Making a Difference 2006: A Campaign Fair. which was preceded by short presentations about election year activities by groups including MoveOn.org, the Southwest Voter Registration Project, Protect the Vote, and the Saturday Morning Canvass and Lunch Bunch. These activities are summarized under Campaign 2006 on the PVA Web site.

In addition, several candidates or their representatives appeared at the meeting to invite our participation in their campaigns. They were:

Al Kissling, candidate for Congress, 2nd Congressional District. To get involved in Al’s campaign, go to http://www.kisslingforcongress.com.

Cathilia Flores spoke on behalf of Antonio Lujan, candidate for State Representative in District 35. To get involved in Antonio’s campaign, contact Cathilia at cathilia@gmail.com.

Jeff Steinborn, candidate for State Representative in District 37. To get involved in Jeff’s campaign, go to http://www.jeffsteinborn.com.

Nate Cote, candidate for State Representative in District 53. To get involved in Nate’s campaign, go to http://natecote.com.

Karen Perez, candidate for County Commission, District 3. To get involved in Karen’s campaign, go to http://karenperezcampaign.com.

Joel Cano spoke on behalf of Ralph Misquez, candidate for Sheriff. To get involved in Ralph’s campaign, go to http://www.misquezforsheriff06.org.

Lisa Schultz, candidate for District Judge in the 3rd Judicial District, Division 5. To get involved in Lisa’s campaign, contact her at lschultz@zianet.com

Fernando Macias, candidate for District Judge in the 1st Judicial District, Division 3. To get involved in Fernando’s campaign, contact him at fernandomacias52@yahoo.com.

Alice Salcido, candidate for Probate Judge. To get involved in Alice’s campaign, contact her at 523-0701.

Olivia Garcia, candidate for Magistrate Judge. Olivia is unopposed in the November election, and thanked PVA members for their support in the primary.

Unified Action

The Unified Action for this month is for each participant to volunteer or contribute to the campaign or election-year activity of his or her choice. For a list of possibilities, go to the PVA Web site.

As always, when you’ve completed the action please send an email saying “I did it” to unifiedaction@pva-nm.org.