Activists in Howard and Prince George's discuss ballot measures on their Nov. 8 ballots and the Black Caucus begins work on the 2017 Session.

Weekly Memo from Progressive Maryland

Upcoming events focus on the local and the statewide: discussions on the controversial Question D ballot measure in Prince George’s; Howard County activists’ work to get big money out of their local politics, and preliminary work in Annapolis on the 2017 legislative session by the state’s Legislative Black Caucus. It’s all here:

Thursday, October 6th   9 a.m.-5 p.m. Public Hearing hosted by the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Inc.
Location: Joint committee Hearing Room, Legislative Services Building
90 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401
Details and schedule at https://www.facebook.com/events/294731184252103/
Organizations, Advocacy Groups, and Constituents are encouraged to attend
and share concerns, opinions, and data. For inquiries contact Andy Pierre, Executive Director of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Inc. at [email protected]

 Coming up: discussions on Question D in Prince George’s

 Thursday, October 6   Progressive Cheverly's forum on the November election.  We will focus on important "down-ballot" issues.
>Hear speakers David Harrington, President of the Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce and Doyle Niemann, former District 47 Delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates, discuss the pros and cons of Ballot Question D that proposes to add two at-large seats to the County Council.
>Learn what happens to your tax dollars that pay for the bond bills on every ballot. 
7:00 pm Hoyer Education Center; Cafeteria 2300 Belleview Ave, Cheverly, in the cafeteria.

Monday, October 10 A Community discussion about Question D -- whether to add two at-large seats, to our County Council – sponsored by the Prince George’s Peace & Justice Coalition. 7:30 pm in room 114 at the Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road.

Pro and Con participants: A representative of District 4 Council Member Todd Turner for a "yes" vote UPDATE Turner's office told organizers of legal constraints on council support for ballot items; local activists Suchitra Balachandran  and Tom Dernoga, a former Council member, on the "no" side favored by a federation of local civic associations. .

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 House Party Discussions on Question A in Howard County, the Citizens Election Fund

 October 6 House party at the home of Pravin Ponnuri in Ellicott City to discuss and promote “Yes on Question A.” Details and RSVP here.

 More information about Question A and the “Yes on Question A” campaign is here.

Other events: Monday, Oct. 10 Prince George’s Promise Scholarship Task Force first public meeting, at Duval High School, 7-9 p.m. The task force has been discussing the possibility of free tuition at Prince George’s Community College. Contact office of Del. Alonzo Washington for more information.

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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:

October 1, 2016 Weekend Reader for Oct. 1: The stars ask- are you ready to vote? and other diversions
In the Weekend Reader: Boldly go to the polls; more questions on Question D; the dog that didn't bark in MoCo; corporate power outweighs national wealth; the grim logic of climate change; and more.

September 29, 2016 Bad Budget News Should Bring Positive Action in Prince George’s, Not Groveling for Crumbs
A report on Prince George's County's long-term budget problems should bring innovative change, not

September 28, 2016 Citizen activists, political figures back Howard's Citizens' Election Fund
Question A on Howard County's  November 8 enables public financing for local elections and could help get big money out of the county's local politics and restore real democracy

September 27, 2016  Progressive Maryland mounts call-in to MoCo Councilmembers reluctant to back $15 minimum wage.
Progressive Maryland members and allies are getting on the phone Tuesday and Wednesday to affirm that a $15 per hour minimum wage -- including tipped workers -- ensures an economic future for the county built on ending inequality.

September 26, 2016 PM Weekly Memo Sept. 26-Oct. 2: Call-ins, Ballot Question discussions and House Parties
This week Progressive Maryland activists and allies will be letting two Montgomery Council members know where they should be on the fight for a $15 minimum wage. In Howard County, the first of two houseparties promoting the public election finance question on the Nov. 8 ballot. And Prince Georgians next week continue to discuss Question D on their ballot, which would conveniently sidestep term limits for some Council members, at two upcoming forums.

September 24, 2016 Weekend Reader Guest Bonus: The Myth of Voter Fraud

A recent post from the lively political blog Maryland Scramble is a good followup to our Sept. 7 account of the struggle gainst voter suppression around the country.

Sept. 23, 2016 Citizen protest moves Prince George's Council to say no to Capital Plaza Walmart expansion
The Prince George's County Council overturns its own Planning Board, which was stampeded into approving expansion of the Capital Plaza Walmart, bringing citizen outrage and activism.

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.