COPS/Metro Educates San Antonio Residents About $9M Home Rehab Program Leaders Expanded
Less than one year after more than 750 COPS / Metro leaders secured candidate pledges for increased municipal investments in home rehabilitation, leaders are now training hundreds of residents about the new program and how to apply. $9 Million has been set aside for qualifying residents — $6.5 Million from federal funds and the rest through the City of San Antonio.
Read more200 NCLI Leaders Fight for Industrial Tax Reform & Workforce Development that Works
Over 200 leaders from Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith assembled with their local elected officials to develop ground level support for their reforms of the state Industrial Tax Exemption Program. Said assembly co-chairs and pastors, Revs. Theron Jackson and John Henson (in photo at right), "The tax exemption was created to encourage manufacturers to expand their facilities or re-locate to the state, creating new permanent jobs. Interfaith is not opposed to the exemption. However, it has been abused over the years and millions of dollars in local taxes have been lost." They succeeded in persuading the Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator and Caddo Commission President Steven Jackson to work with the organization to reform the tax exemption program and place a cap on requests.
Leaders are additionally working to build support for local workforce development program ACTS (Another Chance to Succeed) as a key element in reducing poverty-driven crime.
Read moreEl Paso IAF Puts "We The People" at the Center of Public Life
Several hundred Border Interfaith and EPISO leaders assembled for an accountability session, one day before early voting began, to challenge candidates for Mayor, City Council and the Board of Trustees for El Paso and Ysleta School Districts around the issues most impacting residents' daily lives.
Read more750 COPS / Metro Leaders Challenge Mayoral Candidates
One day before the mayoral election in San Antonio, 750 leaders from COPS / Metro Alliance assembled at St. Henry Catholic Church to challenge candidates for mayor and city council around issues that emerged from thousands of conversations with San Antonio residents.
Read moreDAI Grills Candidates on Affordable Housing, Schools & More
300 residents of District 6 assembled to grill city council candidates in a impoverished region of Dallas where only 800 votes were cast in the previous election. The nonpartisan accountability assembly was organized around issues leaders have been working on over the course of the year, including affordable housing, early education, an upcoming city bond and improvements to the 311 system.
Read moreVOICE Holds School Board Chair Candidates Accountable
Even on Superbowl Sunday, over two hundred adult leaders of VOICE participated in an accountability assembly for school board candidates. Three candidates for the position of Board Chair of Oklahoma City Public Schools participated in the assembly, which highlighted personal stories from VOICE leaders and pointed questions about what candidates plan to do.
VOICE to Hold OKCPS Board Chair Candidates Accountability Session, The City Sentinel
Albuquerque Interfaith Advances Alliance School Strategy
Following last year's victory in helping pass a $575 Million bond package for local public schools, just part of the $2.5 Billion Albuquerque Interfaith has helped leverage since 2002, leaders are now fighting to implement school reforms.
120 leaders assembled with 11 of 16 Albuquerque Public School board candidates for a civic academy on Alliance Schools, small group conversations and pointed questions to the candidates about supporting the development of Alliance Schools in the district. To the person, each of the participating candidates pledged to directly support Alliance Schools and to help build support with the Superintendent.
Read moreCOPS/Metro Fights for SAISD Children with $450 Million Bond
Only one month after raising municipal wages for the second year in a row in San Antonio, COPS / Metro is now fighting to leverage necessary funding for school improvements...$450 Million, to be precise. Elaine Ayala of the San Antonio Express-News reported that two weekends before Election Day, dozens of COPS / Metro leaders block walked -- asking voters to scroll to the end of the ballot to the last two measures. Leader Maria Tijerina explained that TRE funds would support after-school, summer and enrichment programs, freeing up money to help the district reach the $15 / hour wage they are fighting for.
Read moreCommon Ground Challenges School Board Candidates in Vallejo
Well over one hundred leaders of Common Ground assembled with Vallejo City Unified School District candidates in the parish hall of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic. Leaders expressed a commitment to building constructive relationships for strong neighborhoods and schools.
OTOC Secures Congressional Pledge to End Detention of Immigrant Families & More
After 85 Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) religious leaders called on Congressperson Brad Ashford to end indefinite detention of women and children seeking political asylum, 350 leaders of Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) assembled to challenge congressional candidates Brad Ashford (incumbent) and Don Bacon to support the OTOC agenda regarding immigration reform, the death penalty and more. Both candidates, including Ashford, committed to working to end the indefinite detention of Central American women and children.
Leaders also engaged candidates for the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) to secure commitments to work with the organization to move more quickly towards clean energy sources.
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