Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders and Nebraska allies convened at the Capitol to call on their congressional representatives to replace the Affordable Care Act before repealing it. Said Mary Spurgeon, "to repeal the ACA without an as-good-as-or-better plan immediately replacing it would be an immoral act against both individual well-being and the common good of this nation."

Referencing Catholic Social Teaching, the Methodist Book of Discipline and Lutheran social statements, Spurgeon announced that OTOC "does not care who is named after," it just needs to be in place before withdrawing currently available healthcare options.

Read more

In reaction to a proposal from the Omaha Public Power District to more than triple fixed fees from $10.25 to $35 per month, Fr. Mike Eckley and other OTOC leaders publicly challenged the wisdom of punishing low-income families for conserving energy. OTOC not only succeeded in compelling the Board to reduce the proposed increase by 80%, the Board was forced to create a $1.5 Million customer assistance program for low-income low-use families. Leaders plan to intervene in the November 2016 Board election to prevent future fixed fee hikes from being phased in.

On the dignified housing front, Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) not only succeeded in tripling the budget for demolition of blighted properties between 2012 and 2015, it persuaded the City Council to increase housing re-inspection fees levied on neglectful property owners, sufficient to increase the number of trained rental housing inspectors in the field to nine. In a move against slumlords who abandon their properties, OTOC compelled the Council to pass a vacant property registration ordinance requiring owners to pay $500 for every quarter a house lies vacant (up to $2,000 / year). OTOC succeeded over the opposition of the Landlord's and Nebraska Bankers associations.

Read more

Following up on fall training offered to members of OTOC, the Institute for Public Leadership of Omaha expanded its offerings this year to include civic academies that deal specifically with the interests of refugee women. Women from Burundi, Myanmar, Congo and South Sudan gathered for four sessions that covered local governance in America and how school districts work. Says Ndaizeye Immaculee: "By coming to Refugee Women Leadership I learned how the levels of government work in Omaha and Nebraska...."

In one instance, conversation in the civic academy revealed that immigrant women are often not covered by their husband's health insurance policy (nor by CHIP which covers their children) and thus do not have access to affordable care. Subsequent sessions have been scheduled through the Spring to cover areas like healthcare access, domestic violence, housing and consumer credit.

Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders applauded the decision of the Mayor and City Council to finalize $957,000 for demolition of condemned houses and $25,000 to support job training in the 2014 Budget.

OTOC advocated for increased demolition funding in the 2013 budget and as a result, approximately 93 structures will be demolished this year, nearly triple the number from 2012. OTOC expects that the $957,000 in demolition funding in the adopted budget will allow the city to demolish over one hundred dangerous, condemned buildings in 2014. "These demolitions will heighten the quality of life for neighborhoods, businesses, and nearby institutions like churches and schools like the one where I work " said OTOC leader Karen McElroy.

Read more