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Action Needed NOW

Express support for a paper ballot!

FL State Representative Anne Gannon (Democrat, Delray Beach) introduced HB 1037 in last year's legislative session. This bill would require all Florida Touch Screen Voting Machines to be equipped with a Voter Verified Permanent Paper Record. Florida legislators must hear from their constituents the crucial importance of creating a paper trail for electronic voting.

Stop Over-Development

The statewide Florida Hometown Democracy petition drive is aimed at giving voters more power over what gets built in cities and counties throughout Florida. Local government is so closely tied with the development industry that almost every development proposal - no matter how destructive to the environment and our quality of life - is approved. As voters, we must take back the power to approve or deny development proposals that exceed allowable densities. Copies of the petition, endorsements, and other information are available on the Florida Hometown Democracy website. Sign a petition yourself, and help gather signatures for this important petition drive.

Join Broward Greens in Various Local Actions that Support the Green Party's 10 Key Values!

Members of the Broward County Independent Green Party have been quite busy during the past
several months. Either on our own, or in cooperation with other like minded individuals and organizations, we have been actively participating in actions to support our ten key values. Here are some examples:

1. Broward Bill of Rights Defense Coalition

Along with 15 organizations, most notably the ACLU, we persuaded the Broward County Commission to unanimously pass a strong resolution supporting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while rejecting the egregious abuses of police powers contained in the USA PATRIOT Act and the proposed PATRIOT Act II. Members Gary Hecker and Janet Logan appeared on the Lehrer Report describing the nationwide effort to enlist local governments to support our Bill of Rights. The BCGP banner was seen around the country, eliciting congratulatory e-mails from as far as California. Visit their newly formed web site at Defense Coalition's website.

2. Broward Anti-War Coalition

As founding members of this group, we have been actively encouraging our government to use peaceful, diplomatic means to solve the myriad international problems that have erupted since the attack on the World Trade Center. Broward Green Paul Lefrak is the chief organizer for the BAWC, which has received significant media attention. Member Jim Sanders has also been instrumental in this effort. We CAN support our individual soldiers while demanding an end to the violence resulting in innocent Afghan and Iraqi civilian deaths.More information is available on the Coalition's website.

3. Save Hardy Park Campaign

As many of you know, the City Commission, along with the Federal Government, planned to build a new Federal Courthouse on the site of Florence Hardy Park. The City of Ft Lauderdale is woefully short of open space mandated by the City Master Plan, and Hardy Park is one of the few parks on the south side of town. In addition to successfully petitioning the city to take Hardy Park “off the table” in negotiating a site with the Feds, member Nick Sakhnovsky also led a petition drive which placed a non-binding referendum on the March 14 ballot asking city voters to protect the park in future negotiations. The resulting 75% approval rating has resulted in the City Commission currently working on a City Charter amendment which will require voter approval before ANY city property can be sold or transferred.

4. Controlling Airport Expansion

Gary Hecker has been working with Save Our Shoreline, to control the expansion of Hollywood-Ft Lauderdale International Airport. At stake are almost thirty acres of precious wetlands and major disruption of John U. Lloyd State Park. Our contention is that in light of the projections for future travel, a second 9000 feet on the south side of the field is not required. If one is ultimately needed, a smaller 7000 foot runway is sufficient for modern aircraft while still preserving much of the endangered wetlands. The County Commission has elected to restudy the issue.

5. Manatee Protection

In conjunction with conservation groups, the BCGP has actively sought protection for these gentle creatures. Appearing before the state Fish and Wildlife Commission, and numerous City Commissions, our Co-chairs  and members have advocated developing an enforcable, and enforced program to protect manatees and their habitat. We are currently  at the forefront in developing a Manatee Protection Plan for Broward County. This plan is requuired by state law, but as yet no action has been taken by the County Commission.

6. Opposing the Beach Dredge and Fill Program

The County has committed to a program designed to dredge sand from shallow beds in the north, and build up the beaches in the south. While this sounds innocuous, the results are horrific. Sea turtle & juvenile fish habitat t will suffer. At least 25,000 corals in some of the last remaining healthy reef in the entire country will die immediately, buried under the sand Many more will suffocate and die from the increased siltation. Without developing dune vegetation and a sand bypass at Port Everglades, the sand will wash out to sea faster and we’ll get to do it over in just a few short years! Once again, in conjunction with Cry of the Water, Save Our Shoreline and the Sierra Club, Pedro Monteiro and Cara Campbell have attended hearings to advocate a responsible and sustainable solution to our beach erosion problem.

7. Opposing NAFTA and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

In June 2005, the Florida FTAA group will be in prominence as the Organization of American States General Assembly meets in Fort Lauderdale. We will be working with other groups to continue our opposition to FTAA in connection with this meeting. In November 2003, Miami hosted an international meeting on FTAA and hopes to be the site of the FTAA headquarters. We’ve all seen (and felt) the negative results of NAFTA, and this “NAFTA on steroids” promises more of the same - lost jobs, environmental degradation and sweat shops in developing nations.

8. Controlling Downtown Development

Broward County Green Party. spokespersons Gary Hecker and Cara Campbell have spoken before the Ft Lauderdale and Dania Beach City Commissions, urging local governments to end the cycle of over developing our communities through both permitting huge developments and allowing variances to local codes. Communities and neighborhoods demand respect for the scale and character of the existing structures. Developers continue to pursue zero lot line, density, and height variances in our cherished, historic areas.

9. Point Blank Strikers

The Broward Greens have actively supported the workers of the Point Blank body armor manufacturer in their attempts to establish union representation and end unfair and unlawful termination of employees for union advocacy.

10. Voter Information

In addition to continuing our efforts to promote membership and registration in the Green Party, we have also endeavored to educate voters on candidates and issues during the election cycles. Through our website and our listserve, the group has posted information on candidates’ stances on 10 key value issues.

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