[Excerpt below]

This fall, the biggest loser of the amendments proposed by the firefighters union will be local democracy. While much of the rhetoric focuses on the city’s AAA bond rating and its capacity to govern, COPS/Metro is primarily concerned about the loss of San Antonio’s democratic capacity.

COPS/Metro — a coalition of congregations, schools and unions working together on behalf of families — asked the city to drop the lawsuit on the evergreen clause and firefighters to drop the petition drive and return to the negotiating table. Neither side moved, and now the residents and voters of San Antonio are caught in the crossfire between “Go Vote No” and “Vote Yes” on the three charter amendments.

At its core, democracy is about negotiation and compromise...

Proposition A Will Undermine Democracy, San Antonio Express-News [pdf]

When 120 COPS / Metro leaders from District 2 challenged four candidates to work with them on neighborhood issues, William Cruz Shaw promised he would -- if elected.

Four months later, and one month after his installation, Councilman Shaw fulfilled his campaign promise to meet with COPS / Metro. Leaders asked him to focus on neighborhood safety efforts on the East Side, including hot spots near Dominion Church of God in Christ.

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At present, if a mentally ill person commits a crime in Spokane, the only places to send them are either the ER or jail. After three years of work, Spokane Alliance leaders secured political support for a proposal they developed -- the construction of a mental health stabilization facility to which individuals meeting certain criteria can be referred for short term treatment.

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Before a packed audience of 700 leaders of Dallas Area Interfaith, and on the one-year anniversary of the shooting that took the lives of five police officers, Dallas Area Interfaith continued the public conversation about community relationships with the police in the context of SB4. In response to stories about immigrants fearful of reporting crimes they've witnessed to the police, Dallas Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly announced, "This is evidence of why SB4 is bad."

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With 21 accidents occurring at one intersection in the previous 36 months, Valley Interfaith leaders made an issue of that intersection's lack of light signal, demanding that the City of Brownsville install one to prevent further collisions. One complicating factor was the state's reluctance to pay for the improvement on the road, which is a state highway. On March 1st, the City Commissioners voted to appropriate local funds for the signal. Commissioner Jessica Tetreau credited Valley Interfaith for bringing it up.

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Clergy Call for DPD, Community to Communicate, FOX 4 News

Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good leaders packed an assembly to hear stories from people impacted by Oregon's driver's license laws shared their stories and to advocate for Measure 88 on Oregon's November ballot, which would allow undocumented immigrants to drive after fulfilling all other requirements.

Catholic Archbishop Alexander Sample urged leaders to "get their elevator speech ready" in order to educate as many voters as possible about the measure. The political director for Governor Kitzhaber and former Hillsboro police chief Ron Louie also spoke in support of the measure.

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"A new shelter to aid victims of domestic violence is one step closer to reality. Monday, Val Verde County Judge Laura Allen and the Commissioners Court granted a one-year funding contract for $128,846 to Quad Counties Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (QCCADA) to help begin the process of opening and operating a shelter."

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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.

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