Take Action

Do you ever get the feeling that politicians in Raleigh aren't listening to the people of North Carolina? It may be time to make it plain the people will be heard...

Join us on Monday, April 23rd as legislators reconvene for yet another "special session."  Let them know it's time for lawmakers to stop seeing themselves as so "special" and to conduct themselves in an open and transparent way that respects the people's right to know and does not waste taxypayer dollars! 

When: Monday, April 23, 2012 @ 11:00 AM until approx. 12:30 PM

Where: NC General Assembly Building Front Lawn, 16 W. Jones Street,  Raleigh, NC  27601

RSVP here

We hope to see you there!

SIGN THE PETITION HERE.

Hold these men responsible for their decision:

On March 12th, the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners (shown above) voted unanimously to turn down a state family planning grant that would have covered contraceptive supplies and other services related to family planning. This grant had no strings attached, had nothing whatsoever to do with abortion and could have been used by New Hanover County to pay for contraception at county health clinics. 

Why did they turn this money down? Chairman Ted Davis (at left) said he thought it was a sad day when "taxpayers are asked to pay money to buy for contraceptives" for women having sex without planning responsibly. Davis then added:

"If these young women were responsible people and didn't have the sex to begin with, 
we wouldn't be in this situation."

We are big fans of taking responsibility at Progress North Carolina. That's why we believe the New Hanover County Commissioners should be held responsible for this decision. We urge the citizens of New Hanover County to ask their Commissioners the following questions at the next County Commissioner meeting and to insist that their answers be read into the public record:

1) Why are you funding condoms in your county health budget? Why aren't you judging men as being irresponsible for having sex?  

2) How do you expect women to "plan responsibly" if they do not have access to contraception? What should women do so that they can meet your standards of responsible family planning? 

3) How does New Hanover County intend to pay for the children born because of a lack of access to contraception? Most will be born into poverty level. Will you pledge personally to support these children? Will they be covered by public assistance? Don't taxpayers foot the bill for that?

Join Progress North Carolina in holding the New Hanover County Commissioners responsible for their decision. Don't let North Carolina's elected officials get away with blaming (and shaming) women as an excuse to cut public programs they don't like. Sign our petition below below and send this URL to every resident of New Hanover County you know so that their local officials are forced to go on record with their answers to these questions. Thank you!

SIGN THE PETITION HERE.

Sign Planned Parenthood Health Systems' petition at:

at http://www.change.org/petitions/planned-parenthood-health-systems-urge-the-new-hanover-board-of-commissioners-to-re-think-their-vote

From the petiton:

Why This Is Important

The board's unanimous decision to turn down a state family planning grant that would cover contraceptive and other family planning services is an offensive and demeaning affront on women seeking basic health care! Birth control is basic health care that has real health and economic benefits for women in our community. It helps prevent unintended pregnancies and is directly linked to improving a woman's health and the health of her family. Every dollar spent on prevention, saves taxpayers $4 in the long run.

I believe that no one's politics should interfere with a woman's access to birth control.

The Revenue Laws Study Committee of the NC General Assembly is meeting at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, March 7th and one of the items on their agenda is whether or not to repeal North Carolina's estate tax. Repeal of this tax would rob the state of $80 million in revenues ANNUALLY while benefiting ONLY those people inheriting estates worth $3.5 million in the case of individuals or $7 million for an estate left by a couple. In other words, repeal of this tax would benefit less than half of North Carolina's 1% while slashing tens of millions of dollars badly needed in our state budget for many public services, including healthcare and our public school system -- already reeling under the burden of devastating budget cuts this year.  Don't let them get away with it! Please send your NC Reps and the Revenue Laws Committee an email tonight telling them these are not North Carolina's priorities!  We've made it easy for you to send one email to all here: http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/509/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=291

Tights are optional: On November 10th, moms and kids across the country will come together for a national day of action to ask our Senators to be superheroes for kids and support comprehensive chemicals reform.

Right now, our outdated chemicals policy exposes everyone in North Carolina to chemicals that are linked to cancer, birth defects, asthma and other serious illnesses. If you think moms have enough to worry about without having to also worry about toxic chemicals in our homes, drinking water, and environment -- this is your chance to be a hero! 

Head to Raleigh on November 10th and join parents and kids across the country in this fun event. If you can't find a cape, they'll even have 'em there for you to wear! Bring your friends, bring your families, everyone is welcome!  

Sponsored By: MomsRising, Toxic Free NC, and you!

When: November 10th from 10:00-11:00 am

Where:  Moore Square Park in downtown Raleigh (across the street from Marbles Kids Museum). Parking is available in garages nearby and in the lot behind Marbles.

Together, we can all be superheros for kids and families!

Last time Wake School Board seats were up for grabs, low turn-out allowed a handful of Raleigh residents to decide the winners, triggering a complete turn-around in school policy and Board make-up. This year, let's make sure our schools take the direction that a true majority of Wake residents want!

Everything you need to vote in Wake on Tuesday is right here.

Over 1,850 teacher and teaching assistants let go.... more than 4,300 classroom jobs eliminated entirely... dwindling resources... rising class sizes... programs and activities shut down entirely: despite promises from lawmakers, the fall-out from the 2011 budget for public education is not good -- and the children of North Carolina will likely pay the price for years to come. Tell lawmakers to keep their promises and restore funding to education now.

Check out Progress North Carolina ACTION's website that chronicles troubling racial comments by Wake school board candidate Heather Losurdo and exposes her enthusiasm for extremists who want to dismantle public schools: www.queenofextreme.info. 

Over 350+ North Carolinians are still on a waiting list for treatment for HIV, wjth many more at risk due to cuts in funding for health education. This week, there's an easy way for you to show your support for The North Carolina AIDS Action Network, North Carolina's only statewide advocacy organization fighting for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, and those at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. Simply visit their Facebook page and "Like" it and you'll be helping with their efforts to obtain more federal funding for our neighbors and loved ones living with AIDS. 

Progress NC will take its Pink Slip Truth Tour to Thom Tillis's doorstep tonight at 5 PM when Tillis holds a Town Hall meeting on the Campus of Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington. We'll be at the Burnett Building from 4 PM on, across from the McLeod Building where Tillis is scheduled to hold a Town Hall Meeting at 5 PM. We'll be publicizing the classroom job cuts recently made in NC, despite Tillis's assurances no teachers would be cut, and asking him to MAKE IT RIGHT.

Join us and support us if you are in the area -- and please forward to your friends in Wilmington if you are not! We need people there to back us as we ask Rep. Tillis to explain WHY teachers and teaching assistant jobs were cut, robbing our children of classroom guidance after he promised those jobs would be safeguarded.

MomsRising North Carolina is an organization of NC mothers and fathers working to ensure that out state's programs and policies remain friendly to North Carolina families. Right now, they are educating working parents about their rights, fighting for funding for programs that strengthen families and seeking basic family-friendly worker rights such as paid sick days. Most of their activities are designed to engage children as well as their parents. It's a great way to make a difference while spending time together as a family. Visit their website for more information.

if you haven't already, join us in holding state leaders to their promise of protecting NC's classrooms during budget cuts and demand that they restore staff and resources to our schools! Sign the petition here.

Offshore drilling and fracking supporters in the NC House are likely to attempt to override Governor Bev Perdue's veto of SB 709 when they reconvene in mid-September. This oil and gas industry-driven legislation would threaten North Carolina's beaches, our state's drinking water, NC's $3 billion a year coastal tourism industry, and undermine efforts to promote clean, renewable energy resources that grow our economy. Urge your state representatives to oppose SB 709.

WakeUP Wake County and the League of Women Voters of Wake County will hold five Wake Board of Education (BOE) candidate forums throughout the month of September. The forums are nonpartisan. All candidates for the Wake County Board of Education who have filed with the Wake County Board of Elections have been invited to participate in the forums. Candidates will be asked questions about critical issues facing Wake County schools. The audience will be able to ask questions as well.  For more information or to pre-register please visitwww.wakeupwakecounty.org. 
 

The schedule is as follows:
 

District 3 - Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 7:00 PM, Church of the Nativity, 8849 Ray Road, Raleigh.

District 4 - Thursday, September 15, 2011, 7:00 PM, Walnut Creek Wetland Center, 950 Petersons St, Raleigh.  (The Southeast Raleigh Assembly will join in co-sponsoring this forum.)

District 5 - Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 7:00 PM, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, 3313 Wade Ave., Raleigh.

District 8 - Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 7:00 PM, Carey C Jones Community Building, 309 Holleman St., Apex.