Issue 3 - October 10th, 2003
The American Legislative Issue Campaign Exchange (ALICE) promotes high-wage, low-waste, worker-friendly, publicly-accountable economic development. Our website serves as a collaborative clearinghouse and legislative hub for activists, organizations, experts and elected officials who want a map and a vehicle to take the high road. For more, see this week's Governing Magazine Feature on ALICE and ALEC.
High Road: HAVA
The "Help America Vote Act of 2002"
(HAVA) impacts every part of the voting process, from voting machines to
provisional ballots, from voter registration to poll worker training. Under
HAVA, states must meet new federal requirements, including provisional
ballots, statewide computerized voter lists, “second chance” voting, and
disability access. Demos has posted a
HAVA Resource Site as a
first stop for advocates to receive up-to-date information and resources.
Low Road:
Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act
Exploiting the political climate against
terrorism, ALEC released the "Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act" to
criminalize virtually all forms of environmental or animal-rights advocacy.
The bill defines an "animal rights or terrorist organization" as "two or
more persons organized for the purpose of supporting any politically
motivated activity intended to obstruct or deter any person from
participating in an activity involving animals or... natural resources." The
bill adds that "'Political motivation” means “an intent to influence a
government entity or the public to take a specific political action."
Click here to see more,
or visit ALICE’s Low
Road Section.
High Road State News
Washington: State's Minimum Wage to Hit $7.16 An Hour -- Seattle Times -- The increase from the current $7.01 to $7.16 an hour surpasses Alaska's $7.15 minimum, which is expected to remain steady in 2004. Oregon's minimum wage will rise from $6.90 to $7.05 an hour next year.
South Dakota: Petition Seeks To Abolish Food Tax
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (AP) -- There is a petition drive underway
to let voters decide if they want to do away with the sales tax on food.
The state collects 4 percent on groceries, but supporters of the petition
drive said it is an unfair tax, especially for the poor.
Idaho: Increase Tobacco, Cigarette Taxes
Idaho Statesman -- Gov. Dirk Kempthorne´s special panel examining how to
make state government work better recommended increases in tobacco and
alcohol taxes, with the money targeted to treatment programs.
Alabama: Tobacco Tax Hike
Mobile Register -- The Mobile City Council passed a 10-cent tax on
cigars, pipe tobacco and smokeless tobacco Tuesday, one week after voting to
increase the city's cigarette tax to 15 cents.
Nevada: Tax Panel OKs Rule For Collection Of Bank Fee
Las Vegas Review Journal -- The state Tax Commission devised rules to
collect a $1,750 quarterly fee from each branch of a bank. In most cases,
such banks will be assessed the charge, one that will bring the state about
$2.7 million a year.
Nevada: Companies Brace for Levies
Las Vegas Review Journal -- The new payroll tax will affect almost every
Nevada business and is expected to bring in $320 million by June 30, 2005.
The new modified business tax replaces the business license tax, but it will
cost most employers a lot more.
Montana: Advocates For Poor Decry Welfare Reductions
Billings Gazette -- Six children and two mothers sharing a small
apartment in Great Falls is no environment in which to raise a family,
advocates for the poor said at a conference on hunger and homelessness
Tuesday.
Kansas: Spanish-Language Legal Forms To Help Workers, Immigrants
Topeka Capital Journal -- State officials hope a new program that
translates legal forms into Spanish will break down barriers for immigrant
women trying to escape domestic violence.
New York: State Asks Tech Firm to Return Some Of Job Funds -- Albany Times Union -- AuthentiDate Holding Corp. is in talks with the state to restructure job-creation requirements attached to a $1 million grant secured in 1998, in exchange for returning some of the money.
Michigan: Granholm Mulls Stalling Income Tax Cut -- The Ann Arbor News -- For the first time since taking office in January, Gov. Jennifer Granholm is suggesting that pausing a scheduled income tax cut or even raising taxes might be necessary to avert another looming state budget crisis.
High Road Metro News
Wisconsin:
In early October, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz pulled the plug on that city's membership in the U.S. Conference of Mayors and is launching a progressive alternative to the group.Michigan: Redevelopment Program Infuses New Life Into Abandoned
Sites
Lansing State Journal -- Brownfield is designed to help developers
afford the extra costs of working on old sites that are contaminated,
blighted or functionally obsolete by refunding some future taxes.
Los Angeles: Growth-Control Plan Adopted -- Los Angeles Times --County supervisors adopted a sweeping general plan in an attempt to better shape growth in the booming county in coming decades. But after five years, $11 million in planning costs and a unanimous vote by the board.
High Road Reports
New IAF reports look at what would happen in your state if President Bush and Congress decided to invest as much in American infrastructure as they are in Iraqi redevelopment. Use these reports, together with a new memo on how to talk about the $87 billion Iraq spending request, to lead the public debate in your community.
EPI posted its first installment of JobWatch, a new initiative designed to clearly track current trends in the U.S. labor market, offering up-to-date analysis of national and state data. In the first month, 93,000 jobs were lost and the plan fell 437,000 jobs short of its job growth projections.
According to a new report by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, poverty increased and income declined for the second consecutive year, while the ranks of the poor have increased by 3 million since 2000.
A new Good Jobs First study finds that increased civic engagement in economic development issues in Minnesota has led to higher standards since Minnesota's first-in-the-nation economic accountability law was passed in 1995.
Tobacco Taxes Sweep States. Delaware, Georgia, Idaho and Montana more than doubled their tobacco taxes while New Mexico and West Virginia more than tripled such taxes. New Jersey's new tobacco tax is now the highest in the nation, going from 55 cents to $2.05, and Connecticut is in second place, having increased its tax for a second consecutive year, from $1.10 to $1.51. To view CPA policy materials, model legislation and other resources on tobacco taxes, click here.
High Road Conferences
The National Conference "Tools for Communities That Work" focuses on retaining and increasing good jobs in your community, helping workers find and prepare for those good jobs, and encouraging strong and smart economic growth. For registration, visit www.workingforamerica.org