ProVote’s Recent Work
June 2010

During the past few months, the ProVote Staff have been busy working on many issues that affect all of Missouri’s citizens. Take a look at what we’ve been doing.

 

During the health care campaign, ProVote turned out hundreds of people to events and actions around the state, including this one outside Sen. McCaskill’s office in St. Louis.

 

ProVote’s work as Health Care for America Now's lead partner organization in Missouri was instrumental in the historic passage of federal health care reform. Because of our work, over 500,000 Missourians could gain access to affordable health care at a fraction of the current cost structure. Click here to see how important this reform package is for all Missourians. From the beginning of this fight more than two years ago, St. Louis Regional Organizer Julie Terbrock has lead ProVote’s statewide efforts coordinating with HCAN and state partners and allies, organizing against anti-reform forces, and working tirelessly to communicate with our Federally elected officials to support Health Care Reform that Missourians want and need. Although we succeeded in passing Federal Reform, right-wing forces in Jefferson City are promoting an unconstitutional and politically motivated initiative that would exempt all Missourians from these federal reforms. These dangerous efforts are outlined here. Missouri ProVote will continue to fight on the front lines of this battle to demand that our citizens are able to enjoy all of the benefits of health care reform.

 

In April, ProVote staff helped to pass a much-needed restoration and expansion of the St. Louis Metrolink and Metrobus systems.

 

The April elections brought with them Proposition A, a ballot initiative to increase funding for the Metrolink and MetroBus systems in and around St. Louis County. The initiative called for a half-cent increase in the county sales tax to provide for the restoration of lost routes and expansion of services, which would allow more working men and women an alternative, environmentally conscious, affordable and dependable way to work. Alongside our coalition partners, ProVote’s Civic Engagement Coordinator Ashli Bolden organized a massive GOTV campaign to inform voters and get them to the polls. Ashli’s efforts succeeded with over 1,000 doors knocked and over 65,000 calls made urging people to get out and vote. In a profound victory, Proposition A passed with a wide margin. This victory symbolizes the strength, hard work, and determination of ProVote and its coalition partners. Here's the story.

 

In the early months of 2010, ProVote staff were out in the streets educating voters in support of the Earnings Tax, a 1% tax on incomes made in Missouri’s largest metro areas

 

Recently, the ProVote staff helped lead the charge to fight back against a ballot measure seeking to eliminate the Earnings Tax in St. Louis and Kansas City. Billionaire right-winger Rex Sinquefield has poured over $4.25 million into the initiative, which would mean massive cuts in police officers, firefighters, emergency response personnel, and other public safety jobs. Working alongside United for Missouri's Priorities, our staff managed a paid group of over 75 citizens to educate voters to “think before they inked” the Earnings Tax petition. We stood beside the petitioners, educated voters on the debilitating cuts and took our message to media all over the state. In this report from NBC's Kansas City affiliate, ProVote staffer Morgan Brammer educates voters on the E-Tax. Petitioners were deployed across the state, in Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and St. Louis, and our crews were right there with them to balance the terms. ProVote will continue to fight against this dangerous initiative and organize for progressive and fair revenue streams to fund our much needed government provided services.

 

In June, we went to Roy Blunt’s office in Springfield and asked him to “cut the ties” between him and the big business interests he votes for, while at the same time voting against his constituents.

 

ProVote has also been working to hold elected officials accountable for the votes they cast. Our Springfield Regional Organizer Kay Mills has been working in coordination with American's for Financial Reform to target Congressmen Roy Blunt’s record of casting his votes in the interest of Big Banks and against increased consumer protections. With one of Congress’s worst records in taking campaign money from corporations and business lobbyists, Roy Blunt continues to vote against the common-sense consumer protections Missourians want. Just take a look at all the big money Blunt gets from big business.

 

The pay day loan industry in Missouri has gone unchecked for far too long, and ProVote is supporting measures to put a tighter grip on their questionable business practices.

 

In addition to following the day-to-day developments in the General Assembly, Mid-Missouri Organizer Jane Whitesides has also been working on efforts to expose the predatory practices of the payday lending industry in Missouri. Progressive State Representative Mary Still introduced a bill to cap the interest rate these companies charge at 36% and put into place penalties for practices that are unfair to consumers. Jane organized fellow Missourians to testify about the misleading, abusive, and harmful tactics these businesses use in hearings held in cities throughout the state. In addition to her work on payday lending, Jane has also been organizing events designed to promote reforms of the banking industry and calling for increased consumer protections when it comes to banking institutions, so that taxpayers will not be held responsible for another corporate bailout. See the insightful article Jane wrote to the Columbia Tribune.

 

ProVote’s Mindy Brissey delivers a thank you letter to Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver after he voted in favor of health care reform. ProVote also presented Congressman Russ Carnahan with a thank you letter for his vote.

 

ProVote’s work to advocate for health care and banking reform has also been a large part of Kansas City Regional Organizer Mindy Brissey’s recent work. During the last few months, she carried out a plan to organize small businesses in Kansas City around the issue of health care reform. Mindy has participated in many meetings with both individuals and groups in order to organize and solidify support for the federal legislation, and to make sure that our elected officials are on the right page. More recently, Mindy participated in a coordinated effort to turn hundreds of people out on the streets of Kansas City to demonstrate against Big Banks. Here is some info about this well-attended action.

 

The August primaries are approaching fast. Remember to get out and vote for the future progressive leaders of Missouri

 

As we head into the 2010 election cycle, ProVote staff across the state have sent out hundreds of questionnaires to candidates running for state office. Along with our board, we’ve held dozens of follow up interviews to identify those candidates who will fight for our shared progressive values as an elected official. As we wrap up these important discussions and make our recommendations, we look forward to announcing our targeted and endorsed candidates and working hard to make sure Progressives win across the state.

As you can see, the entire ProVote staff continues to engage the people of Missouri using its time-tested grassroots approach. ProVote has been successful in continuing to bring progressive change to the people of Missouri – through issue advocacy and strategic electoral work.

ProVote’s work in the trenches of the progressive movement relies on the generous help of supporters like you. Please contribute to ProVote so that we can continue to make the progressive case on the issues that affect the people of Missouri. Click here to donate to Missouri ProVote, or become a monthly sustainer. With your help, we can continue the fight for progressive values across the state of Missouri.