Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope
11205 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
216-834-2324
www.northeastohioallianceforhope.org
NOAH e Newsletter January 4, 2010
Trevelle Harp , Interim Executive Director of NOAH
Robyn Hales, President
Trevelle and Robyn attend the National Peoples Action National Convention, in Washington, D.C.
On November 14th through 16th, Trevell and I went to Washington, DC to participate in the National People’s Action National convention for two days of leadership training and a day of legislative visits. We stopped by Representative Marcia Fudge’s office and had an extensive appointment with Senator Sherrod Brown’s staff. We also visited a congressman who voted against the healthcare bill to get his reasoning as to why he was against the current language.
We were trained on some of the issues on the Immigrant Bill that clarified why immigrant rights was so important and made some helpful suggestions to the leaders in that area.
The OOC and NOAH Leaders visit Key Leaders in State Government in Columbus
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC) is an important partnership in building statewide power and influence to change policies, laws and practices for Northeast Ohio and the entire state. Term limits of the legislators make communication with our elected leaders paramount to maintaining voter and resident input to how our tax dollars are spent to preserve and improve our lives. Legislative visits, testimonies, letters and phone calls to our representatives keep our ideals in the forefront of their minds when they are being engrossed by lobbyists and special interest groups.
On December 9th, Trevell took four leaders from East Cleveland Collaborative and myself to Columbus for a day of legislative meetings. Our partners, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC) arranged a day of meetings with State Senators, State Representatives, the Attorney General, Richard Cordray and the Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner. There was also an action or “hit” by ESOP on the Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association. There were over 250 people at this day long event that was packed with information. There were advocates from Cleveland, Cincinnati and Youngstown as well as representatives from many cities among the unions.
The OOC has six guiding principals:
· The OOC is a permanent, long term alliance.
· The OOC is built around organizing groups.
· Faith based, neighborhood based, workplace (union) organizing are complementary not competitive.
· Issues and campaigns are the drives, not the end goal.
· This Collaborative does not create more work for each of our respective organizations, but enhances existing work.
· A belief in power that is rooted in self-interest but also transcends it.
For more on the philosophy and information on the whole membership, please see the attachment.
This unity on areas of concern such as the Foreclosure crisis in Ohio, lack of transparency for corporations using public health care options for employee benefits, land banking and criminal justice issues united many diverse and formally divided groups together for a single cause, a voice to be heard for social equity and justice. There are several bills in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate that we as individuals and as NOAH members can rally behind. Please do your due diligence and research these bills. Some brief information is attached but you need to research each issue to your own satisfaction
HB 3 and HB 306
Sub HB 3 – Foreclosure Prevention Bill
1. Provides for regulation of mortgage services, procedures and requirements related to foreclosure actions.
2. Forces lenders to pay $750 foreclosure filing fee, which is a disincentive to filing foreclosures.
Sub HB 306 – Foreclosure Mediation Bill
1. Requires statewide mediation programs between homeowners and lenders by the county government.
2. Stops foreclosure until mediation is complete.
3. Requires lenders to negotiate a workout.
4. Bankers are required to pay a fee of $500 to fund the costs of court-sponsored mediation.
HB 331 /SB 205
Background – A state issue about corporate accountability. Many of Ohio’s largest corporations offer healthcare plans that are unaffordable to many of their workers. Ohioans at these corporations earn wages low enough to qualify for public benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps, and cash assistance although the individuals are working for a living.
Ohioans deserve a law that requires regularly printed lists of Ohio’s corporations with the mote workers enrolled in Medicaid and other public benefits. The public may better understand how public dollars are spent.
Issues
- Without quality, affordable health insurance, workers earning less than family-sustaining wages turn to public benefits.
- “Low-road” decisions by profitable companies are unfair to working families. This creates a competitive disadvantage to companies who are providing affordable healthcare coverage and living wages for their employees.
- Understanding which companies are irresponsible and shift healthcare costs to the State would change the way decisions are made for tax credits or other state awards.
Editors Note: Both of the articles for this issue of the Noah e Newsletter were written by our President Robyn Hales. Thanks Robyn!
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