'Nevadans for the Common Good' Staves Off Medicaid Privatization in 2016
Backed by 300 leaders at a 'Nevadans for the Common Good' accountability assembly, Marsha Rodriguez told her story about the fragility of independence as a senior. 72 years old, Rodriguez described waiting 6 months to get into a Nevada Medicaid waiver program, the Home and Community Based Waiver, which helps pay for non-medical services that are essential for some aging seniors to continue living at home. After seven years of receiving non-medical care, she fears that privatization of Medicaid services would reduce access to those services and push her into a nursing home. NCG leader Barbara Paulsen noted that the cost of at-home services for six or seven people is about equal with the cost of covering one person in a nursing home.
State legislators in attendance carefully listened and soon followed up with a delegation of NCG leaders, promising that Medicaid privatization of services would NOT happen in 2016, and that the legislative proposal would move more slowly, transparently, and inclusively.
Read moreColorado IAF Establishes New Social Change Vehicle
Over 150 leaders gathered in Denver for the launch of a new Industrial Areas Foundation - Colorado Sponsoring Committee. Leaders came from a wide cross-section of institutions including the Professional Black Firefighters' Association, Colorado Education Association, Iliff School of Theology, and congregations from Jewish, Christian Methodist Episcopal, United Church of Christ and American Baptist denominations. Leaders celebrated the completion of 1,000 face-to-face relational meetings and pledged to work together to found a Colorado IAF organization.
COPS / Metro Officially Launches Living Wage Campaign
According to Gloria Mora of COPS / Metro Alliance, "it is unacceptable that in a city where the unemployment rate is only 4.7%, a full 20 percent of our residents live under the federal poverty line." With that statement, COPS / Metro announced a general assembly to address the need for a San Antonio living wage. In that assembly, leaders aim to confront Bexar County Commissioners and San Antonio mayoral candidates to address financial issues impacting families including wages, wage theft and predatory lending.
Read moreTBO Leaders Leverage Mayoral Candidate Commitments on Water, Wages, Trash & Safety
At an accountability meeting organized by The Border Organization (TBO), both Del Rio mayoral candidates committed to work for the creation of a groundwater conservation district (long fought for by local leaders), higher wages for police officers, matched with accountability measures to be put in place, equitable trash collection rates for both city and county residents, and the establishment of another walking trail on the city's south side.
Read moreLeaders Challenge County Commissioner Candidates in El Paso
300 leaders of EPISO organized a runoff accountability session at San Juan Diego Catholic Church late July. Reports the El Paso Times, "Vince Perez, a former communications director for U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, and state Rep. Inocente "Chente" Quintanilla took questions from about 300 residents of the unincorporated community in East El Paso County during a two-hour event Sunday.
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