Progressive Maryland's Weekly Memo leads with Prince George's Question D, the term-limits-evading ballot measure. Tell the Democratic Central Committee it's no slam dunk before they put it on their sample ballot with a "yes" recommendation Tuesday night.

PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND WEEKLY MEMO FOR SEPTEMBER 19-25

ON THE FRONT BURNER; Let the Prince George’s Democratic Central Committee know Tuesday (Sept. 20) that Question D, a blatant attempt to evade term limits at taxpayers’ expense, is not a slam dunk and shouldn’t be on the Dems’ suggested sample ballot.

In July of this year, the Prince George’s County Council voted to place Question D on November’s General Election ballot.   Question D would amend the County’s Charter to create two additional at-large council seats.  These at-large seats would have a two-term limit separate from the current two-term limit for district seats.   As phrased, Question D would permit current councilmembers to run for at-large seats in 2018 when their district terms expire.

A public hearing, called at short notice in mid-summer, preceded the council vote. The vast majority of residents, many representing their civic organizations, testified loudly and clearly in opposition to Question D.  Ignoring their input, the Council voted to place Question D on the ballot.

It is not a citizen referendum, placed on the ballot by massive numbers of voter signatures, such as the measures that originally imposed term limits. Activists are working with the Prince George’s Civic Federation to defeat the measure, which would impose cost to the taxpayers and the inclusion of two more countywide seats on the ballot that will be very expensive to run for and invite still more big-dollar contributors into an already polluted process. A website with more information is at http://www.noonquestiond.com/

The Council, assisted by the Senate delegation, is attempting to twist the arms of the Democratic Central Committee to support Question D.  If the Democratic Central Committee votes to approve Question D, support for Question D will become the official position of the Democratic Party and it will be placed on the “sample ballot” that is routinely mailed and handed out to voters.

This is not what democracy should look like. RSVP below for the Sept 20th meeting of the committee to tell the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee, the County Council and the Senate Delegation that Prince Georgians are against Question D!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 06:30 PM ·

Sheet Metal Workers 100 Hall AT 4725 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746  RSVP

>>In Howard County, events promoting the Citizens Fair Electionballot measure:

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

Day of Phone Banking

Location: Dr. Lillian Holmes’ House

Address: Provided after RSVP

Time: 6:30PM to 8:30PM 

Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 

RSVP: Joanne - [email protected] 

Fair Elections House Party

Location: Sue Geckle’s House

Address: Provided after RSVP

Time: 7:00PM to 8:30PM 

Date: Thursday, September 22, 2016

RSVP Joanne - : [email protected] 

Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s Fair Elections Event & Outreach Day

           Location: Dr. Lillian Holmes’ House

           Address: Provided after RSVP

           Time: 6:00PM to 8:30PM

           Date: Thursday September 29, 2016

           RSVP: Joanne - [email protected]

>>Progressive Montgomery will be calling two county council members who have not co-sponsored the important bill to increase the minimum wage in Montgomery to $15/hour by 2020. We’ll call Roger Berliner Sept. 27 and Craig Rice Sept.  28. More here.  

>>Patuxent Riverkeeper Fred Tutman invites you to a fall crab feast by the River, to benefit litigation against dense development next to the Patuxent in Bowie.  October 1, 2-6 p.m. at the Riverkeeper site in Upper Marlboro, donation $35. More info here.

READING THE PM BLOGS– readers and fans of the PM BlogSpace can get a copy of the Weekly Memo delivered directly to their email inbox. It includes an update on the week ahead as well as links to the blogs that have appeared in recent weeks. Never miss a blog post. Sign up at http://www.progressivemaryland.org/blog_signup

 FOR EXAMPLE: we recently published these:

September 11, 2016 PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND WEEKLY MEMO FOR SEPTEMBER 12-18: PROGRESSIVE PRINCE GEORGE’S MEETING REPORT AND AGENDA FOR A BUSY WEEK AHEAD

Read about the successful and info-packed Progressive Prince George's meeting this past Thursday: the countywide zoning rewrite, the term limits-evading Question D and community solar opportunities.

September 9, 2016  THE PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND BLOGSPACE WEEKEND READER

News and views you might have missed this week: Maryland prescription drug prices; being a holdout in the clean power stakes; Hogan's slippery ways; getting public officials to divulge public information.

September 8, 2016 JOIN PROGRESSIVE PRINCE GEORGE'S MEMBERS TONIGHT, THURSDAY SEPT. 8 AT CHAPTER MEETING

Progressive Prince George's Chapter meeting tonight eyes the Zoning Rewrite, with MNCPPC staff there to answer our skeptical questions, and considers with equal skepticism the Nov. 8 ballot question that proposes adding at-large members to the County Council.

September 7, 2016 VOTER SUPPRESSION A MAJOR WEAPON OF THE RIGHT IN 2016 ELECTION; ACTIVISTS SEEK WAYS TO FIGHT BACK

Voter suppression -- voter ID laws and other measures to make it harder for the poor and minorities to vote -- are a nationwide strategy of the right, including even here in Maryland. Here's a map of how the struggle is playing out, including in our own and neighboring states.

 Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace since June 2015 are all available with descriptions and links here.