Minutes of the 4-26-11 7pm SCC meeting of the Green Party of CT. Quorum met.

Location: Portland Senior Center,  7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT  06480  

CTGP attendees by chapter:    Fairfield: CTGP co-chairpersons: Jane Weston and Richard Duffee;      Greater Hartford: Jeff Russell, CTGP co-chairperson: S. Michael DeRosa, CTGP treasurer: Christopher Reilly, CTGP secretary: Barbara Barry. New Haven: Jerry Martin.                                                     Facilitator: Barbara Barry, CTGP secretary.

A.    Preliminaries:

1.    Introductions of voting/non-voting attendees; chapters; quorum was met; timekeeper=BAB.

2.    Approval of tonight’s proposed agenda; any deletions or additions.

3.    Consensus:  approval of minutes of the SCC meeting of: 3-29-11.

4.    Consensus:  acceptance of the minutes from the EC meeting of: 4-18-11.

5.    Report from treasurer, Christopher Reilly. Balance about $108.00 

B.    Proposals:

a)  updated proposed CTGP platform from platform committee members: Richard Duffee and Jerry Martin, for presentation at the April 30, 2011 CTGP Annual Meeting.    Consensus: reaffirm that each item is to be approved or rejected with an up or down vote by the 4-30-11 CTGP Annual Meeting attendees. (See Addendum I.);

b)  6 bylaw suggestions from Fairfield Chapter, see Addendum II.  Consensus: SCC attendees agreed that these bylaw suggestions be sent to all chapters. SCC awaits the feedback, approval or rejection of these bylaws in a timely fashion i.e. no greater than the July 26, 2011 SCC meeting.

C.   Reports: 

1. Discussed: a) Tuesday, 4-12-11 special election for District 148 seat ( part of Stamford): Rolf Maurer. Due to his father’s death, he was unable to campaign the last week prior to and on election day. He did not garner 1% of the vote.   And b) for the 11-8-11 election: Ben Holder for Canton Board of Selectmen, anticipates being at CTGP Annual Meeting. 

2. a) Deleted: GPUS reports from the absent CT representatives to the GPUS: Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury; 

b) CT representatives to the GPUS Committees: SMD: GPUS Ballot Access chairperson, Phil Huckleberry, still has not responded to several months of request for a meeting from SMD and other committee members.   SMD will be attending a 4-27-11 COFOE (Coalition for a Free and Open Elections) nation-wide conference in Manhattan as a representative of the GPUS and CTGP. SMD has been asked to speak about CTGP’s ACLU lawsuit against the CT 2005 Campaign Finance Laws. Also, the GPUS has received sufficient funds to now have a positive financial balance.

c) BAB: GPUS is seeking video reports from local and state Green Parties. One may contact: Starlen Rankin, co-producer/host GreenStream Wednesdays; http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus or the media-states mailing list: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; http://lists.gp-us.org/mailman/listinfo/media-states  

3. CTGP items and concerns for the 2011 CT legislative agenda:  Energy:  CT legislative bill:  SB116 (i.e. “Millstone tax”) was approved by the legislative’s energy committee 12-9.  This bill would charge two nuclear energy plants about $330 million a year for electricity generation tax; Green renewable energy.  Gov. Dannel Malloy has offered his own proposal for an electricity generation tax which would require the 2 nuclear energy plants to pay $33 million a year in taxes.  Millstone is operated by Dominion who has indicated in their ads that: monthly electric bills for residents and business will increase.  dom.com/millstone

4 . Consensus: suggested agenda for the 4-30-11 CTGP annual meeting at the Portland Senior Center):

10am to 10:10am:  Greetings from facilitator: Charles Pillsbury; designation of a timekeeper; review of the agenda; introduction of Nancy Burton, attorney and nuclear energy activist.

10:10am to 10:40am: speech by Nancy Burton regarding nuclear energy, Chernobyl, India, Three Mile Island, Japan, etc.

10:40am to 11:10am: questions from the attendees to Nancy Burton.

11:10am: Nancy Burton’s formal portion of the agenda ends but she will be available for more media coverage in another room.

11:10am to 11:20am: Charlie Pillsbury (or Christopher Reilly) reviews the election procedures and explanation of the voting process; he directs any attendees who are seeking a ballot to the contact the CTGP  monitors   Both Mary Anne Davis and Stephen Fournier have agreed to be monitors but need another monitor

11:20am 11:30am:  any nominations from the attendees and/or a written proxy  of a CTGP member to be a candidate.

11:30am to 1pm:  candidate speeches and questions from attendees to candidates.

  1. a)(30minutes) attending candidates for: three CTGP co-chairpersons (Jane Weston, Ronna Stuller, S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer, Ken Krayeske, Jerry Martin), one treasurer and one secretary ( Barbara Barry, Patricia Kane);  will have a maximum of 2 minutes each to speak. After all the candidates have spoken, a total of 10 minutes will be allowed for questions to these candidates.
  2. b)(15 minutes) attending candidates for CT representatives to the GPUS(Timothy McKee, Charles Pillsbury, S. Michael DeRosa; Jeff Russell) will have a maximum of one minute to speak. After all the candidates have spoken, a total of 10 minutes will be allowed for attendees questions to these candidates.
  3. c)(18 minutes) attending candidates to be three CT representative to the GPUS International Committee( Barbara Barry, S. Michael DeRosa, Richard Duffee, Hector Lopez, Justine McCabe, Jeff Russell): will have a maximum of one minute to speak followed by 12 minutes for candidate’s responses to questions.
  4. d)(16 minutes) attending candidate to be three CT representative to the GPUS Platform Committee(Justine McCabe, Jeff Russell, Cole Stangler, Amy Vas Nunes):  will have a maximum of one minute to speak followed by 12 minutes for candidate’s responses to questions.
  5. (11 minutes) attending candidates for any other GPUS committees will have a maximum of one minute to speak. Attendees may direct questions to the candidates for the remaining minutes. 3  CTGP representatives, each, for the following GPUS national committees: Accreditation (AC): reviews any state chapter which petitions to join the GPUS; reviews criteria for state delegates to GPUS annual meetings and conventions; Annual National Meeting (ANMC) working on the summer 2011 GPUS annual meeting to be held in Rapid City, Iowa; Ballot Assess (BA): discussion of efforts, difficulties, strategies and successes of state Green Parties gaining ballot access:   S. Michael DeRosa; Bylaws, Rules, Polices, Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers and national committees: Amy Vas Nunes; Coordination Campaign (CCC): distribution of any GPUS money to Green Party candidates for public office; Dispute Resolution (DRC): mediation of any disputes within the GPUS organization: Charles Pillsbury; Diversity (DC):  strategies and actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS: Michelle L. Bickering; Eco Action (EC):  develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters; Finance (FinCom) : review and determine how to spend the money of the GPUS organization; Fundraising (FC): raises money for the GPUS operations; Green Party of the U. S. internet news: acquire and write articles for the GPUS website; International Committee (IC): develops and promotes GPUS positions regard issues affecting the world: Hector Lopez, Barbara Barry, Richard Duffee, S. Michael DeRosa, Justine McCabe, Jeff Russell;  Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines and acquires to items the GPUS; Media Committee (MC):  writes GPUS press releases; Outreach (OC):  interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS; Peace (GPAX): discusses and develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world: Amy Vas Nunes, S. Michael DeRosa, Jeff Russell; Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values: Amy Vas Nunes, Cole Stangler, Justine McCabe and Jeff Russell; Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidate: Timothy McKee; Steering (SC):  the 7 co-chairpersons of the GPUS which promote the GPUS (similar to an executive committee of CTGP). Black Caucus: Michelle L. Bicking; Latino Caucus; Women’ Caucus: Michelle L. Bicking.  

1pm:  Ballot counters: Steve Fournier and Mary Anne Davis, will start counting the mailed ballots and attendee ballots.

1pm to 2:30pm:   Each of the items in the proposed CTGP platform will be read by the CTGP platform committee members: Richard Duffee and Jerry Martin.  Voting will be an up or down vote i.e. no amendments will be voted on at this meeting.  That i.e. any platform suggestions (either verbal or written) are welcome.  These suggestions may be presented to:  the CTGP platform committee members or CTGP officers for ongoing CTGP SCC consideration, SCC  review and SCC vote. If CTGP attendees are interested in joining the CTGP platform committee, they may contact the CTGP platform members or the CTGP offices.    BAB to provide copies of the platform items.

2:30pm to 3:30pm:  Speeches by current CTGP candidates and past candidates since the 4-24-10 annual meeting: that is locally elected municipal CTGP members; CTGP members who ran in special and general elections after our 4-24-10 CTGP annual meeting through the present.

3:30pm to 3:45pm:  update/discussion with S. Michael DeRosa regarding our ACLU lawsuit against the 2005 CT Campaign Finance Law.

3:45pm:     results of the internal elections and closure of the meeting.

NOTE:  a) setting up of merchandise and literature will need to be done prior to 10am;

              b) there is   NO   TIME   set  aside for lunch.  

Attendees are urged to bring their own food/beverages.  However, there are large coffee dispensers available.  BAB  will be providing:  coffee, tea bags, creamers and sweeteners so attendees may purchase coffee and tea for donation to the CTGP treasury. BAB will also provide  paper plates and napkins.

               c)   We need another monitor for the IRV ballot counting.

             d) Per CTGP bylaws amended at 12-28-10 SCC meeting: definition of CTGP membership:  The person must be an unaffiliated voter and must not have been registered with any other party affiliation during the past ninety (90) days.  Or the person shall fill out and sign a CT Voter Registration form declaring enrollment in the Green Party and submit this to their town hall or to an officer of the local or state Green Party. Upon submission of such declaration, the person’s membership in the Green Party will be effective after 10 business days. That is deadline is(Thursday, April 14, 2011 which is ten business days prior to the 4-30-11 annual meeting due to state employee holiday, Good Friday, April 22, 2011.)  Party members shall receive announcements of State Party general meetings and shall be entitled to vote when attending State Party general meetings. CTGP town committees may disallow members after questioning or vetting.

*************************************************************************************

6. GPUS annual meeting will be August 4-7, 2011 at Alfred University, NY. It will be held in conjunction with New York State Green Party and GreenFest. Agenda: GreenFest activities; non-delegates will be able to participate in workshops while delegates attend National Committee meetings. Contact: EC or Tim McKee: 860/778-1304 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

7. ACLU lawsuit:  SMD: Green Party of CT, S. Michael DeRosa, et. al. against the State of CT’s 2005 Campaign Finance Laws. The State of CT appealed our successful lawsuit against the State of Connecticut regarding the 2005 Campaign Finance Reform laws. Their appeal was heard, 1-13-10, at the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. This Appeals Court agreed to the State of CT on count I:  (petitioning requirements).  The initial decision was handed down by U.S. Judge Underhill on 8-28-09. Judge Underhill found that the 2005 CT Campaign Finance laws were unconstitutional i.e.  the laws violated third party (and other groups)   constitutional rights under the 1st Amendment (free speech) and 14th Amendment (equal protection under the law). The National Chapter of the ACLU received authorization from  U.S. Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bayer Ginsberg to present papers to this Court by December 2, 2010.   The ACLU has done so.  The State of CT has requested a continuance until mid February 2011 from the U.S. Supreme Court.     Outgoing CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal actions and the original agreement indemnifying plaintiffs from paying legal fees.         SMD has received a 3-24-11 letter from our ACLU lawyer which reaffirms that the “ACLU will pay any case related costs as part of our agreement to represent you (Green Party of Connecticut) in this case”.

8.  BAB: any interested CTGP member may sign up for the CTGP speakers’ bureau regarding domestic issues. 

9. JM, SMD and BAB: Saturday, May 14, 2011   7pm to 8:30PM event with Ralph Nader regarding: Overcoming the Power of the Plutocrats by Forging the Power of the People-2012   Co-sponsored by: Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine, the CTGP and New Haven Chapter. Place: United Church on the Green, 270 Temple Street, New Haven, CT. Cost: $10 in advance or $15 at the door. www.squeakywheel.net or call: 203/268-8446

 

10. SMD: Jill Stein has not responded to calls regarding a possible event on Saturday, May 21, 2011 with Jill Stein, MD of MA a potential GPUS presidential candidate. It is unknown if she has responded to Tim McKee.

 

11. Chapter reports. 

12.  No additions

13. Next SCC meeting: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at the Portland Senior Center.  Next EC meeting: to be determined. 

Green Party Key Values:  non-violence, respect for diversity, grassroots democracy, social justice and equal opportunity, ecological wisdom, decentralization, community-based economics and economic justice, future focus and sustainability, personal and global responsibility, feminism and gender justice.             Current CTGP websites:  www.ctgreenparty.orgwww.ctgreenparty.com; wwwgreenpartyct.org; www.greenpartyct.com.

Attachments:

Addendum I: proposal/draft of the: Green Party of Connecticut Platform 2011. for discussion/ vote on April 30, 2011.

Green Party members created this Platform to provide voters with clear knowledge of the principles and legislative goals of the Party.  We intend to show how the concepts of the national Green Party platform can be applied in Connecticut to improve the well-being of the people of the state. For each position, our candidates are obligated either to state any disagreement clearly in campaign literature or to pledge themselves to work to convince their constituents of the need to enact its points into law, and, if elected, to work to enact each position.

DEMOCRACY: “The Green Party proposes a comprehensive political reform agenda calling for real reform, accountability, and responsiveness in government through the powers and abilities of citizens as created by the Constitution of the United States of America.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

Voter Choice:   We believe in a multiparty system facilitated by fair and easy ballot access. Voter registration should also be made easily available to all citizens through programs such as Election Day Registration. 

Campaign Finance: We support full public financing of elections to remove undue influence in political campaigns.  A basic stipend should be available to all candidates who achieve ballot status as defined under current law and who agree to contribution limits and a ban on PAC contributions.  Additional funds should be made available to candidates when they meet reasonable fund raising goals.

Voter Access

  1. We support instant Runoff Voting to guarantee that the winner has majority support and that the voters are not relegated to choosing between the lesser of two evils.

OR

  1. We support range voting, the system used in the Olympics, because, of all voting systems, its results are most consistent with what voters actually want.

CIVIL RIGHTS: “The foundation of any democratic society is the guarantee that each member of society has equal rights.  Respect of our constitutionally protected rights is our best defense against discrimination and the abuse of power.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: The Green Party affirms the rights of all individuals to freely choose intimate partners, regardless of their sex, gender, or sexual orientation and support equal rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or [and] transgender [persons] in all areas of life provided to all other citizens, including marriage.    

Racial Discrimination: We support efforts to overcome the effects of over 200 years of racial discrimination including the work of the State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

We condemn the practice of racial profiling and the enforcement of federal immigration law by profiling by law enforcement agencies.

We oppose discriminatory English-only legislation.

Women’s Rights:   Reestablish the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.  The people of the state can only develop remedies to address gender inequalities if it has knowledge of those abuses.  The Commission would gather information and suggest solutions for the public to support.

  1. We endorse women’s right to use contraception and, when they choose, to have an abortion.  We further believe that it should be illegal to deny the provision of these services or insurance coverage for them.

OR

  1. We will legislate to subsidize contraception, provide abortions on a sliding scale, and deny federal and state funds to medical institutions that refuse to perform abortions or to provide contraception.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: “Our criminal Justice System is inhumane, ineffective, and prohibitively expensive.  The breaking of the bonds of community and the economic and social root causes of crime must be addressed.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

Drug Reform:

The state should support the efforts on the federal lever to legalize, decriminalize, and medicalize drugs in this country in order to eliminate the illegal drug trade worldwide.

Alternate Sentencing: The incarceration of non-violent criminals is not cost-efficient and generally not effective.  Alternatives to incarceration should be [greatly] expanded and improved [in order to bring US incarceration levels down to the levels of the civilized world.]  

Abolish the Death Penalty

 

Prisoner Rehabilitation: As free state higher education and advanced skills training becomes available, the prison system should utilized those resources to make its inmates ready to re-enter society.

Prisoner Reintegration: The few small programs that are now available to support ex-offenders after their release should be expanded so that every person will have the maximum chance for a successful reintegration into the community.

 

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY: “Our actions and policies should be motivated by long term goals.  We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safe disposing of or “unmaking” all waste we create, while developing sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival.  We must counterbalance the drive for short term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

A) Globalization has and will continue to have a great impact on the people of Connecticut. Real wages have not risen in 20 years for the median income family.  The combined federal, state and local tax burden is higher than ever while at the same time the risk of job loss, ruinous medical costs, and pension cuts have reduced the financial security of all but the wealthiest residents of our state.  We know that both major parties have squandered the sacrifices we made in the early 90’s to balance the federal budget with their costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bad trade policies, and corporate bailouts.  The amount of our national debt will make the cost of capital very high in the foreseeable future so economic expansion and job growth will remain low for years to come.  The result in trade dependent states like Connecticut will mean more good jobs will go overseas and few will be created. These problems can only be addressed on the federal level but much that can be done to help the situation here in Connecticut through our budget priorities.

            OR

B) Despite the problems of globalization and the waste of our national resources in war, we are still the richest nation on earth, and we allow one in fifty US citizens to control half our wealth. Connecticut has the highest per capita income in the nation and only Mississippi, Louisiana, and New York have greater disparity of wealth and income. So if any place one earth has the capacity to improve the lot of the poor, Connecticut has it. We should use that capacity for two basic reasons: first, the law of diminishing returns implies it is far less wasteful to spend money at lower income levels than at higher ones. Second, epidemiological and statistical studies show that in developed countries, as inequality increases, all the following increase: 1) violent crime, 2) incarceration, 3) mental illness, 4) drug addiction, 5) teenage pregnancy, 7) obesity, and 8) mistrust. Meanwhile the following decrease: 1) educational performance, 2) literacy, 3) social mobility, 4) women’s rights, and 5) longevity. With these facts in mind, we support the following measures: a) that no officer of a corporation should earn more than ten times as much as the least-paid employee, and b) progressive individual and corporate taxation by the state at the level of the 1950’s.

Full employment:
The Green Party supports maintain the highest level of employment by refusing to lay off state employees and by maintaining funding levels for state-contracted social services in bad economic times.



Economic Justice: We believe that not only should the minimum wage be adjusted to keep pace with inflation but that the state should support efforts to create a living wage system for its people.  State employee pensions should be fully funded and health care benefits should be maintained.



A) Pay equity: In industries regulated by the state, executive salaries should be held to a reasonable ratio with the pay of their workforce.

            OR

B) Executive salaries should not exceed 10 times the salary of the lowest-paid employee.

LABOR: “The right to organize unions, bargain freely and strike when necessary is being destroyed by employers and their representatives in government.  Today, nearly one out of ten workers involved in union organizing drives is illegally fired by employers who wage a campaign of fear, threats, and sick propaganda to keep workers from exercising a genuinely free choice.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

Right to Organize: Realizing how important the right to collective bargaining is to maintaining a free market and provide for the economic security of every member of society, the Green Party supports the efforts of workers to organize.

Privatization

A) We believe that public employers, i.e. state and local government, should never privatize their workforce in order to cut costs because those savings can only be realized through the impoverishment of their employees.

                        OR

We believe that public employers, i.e. state and local government, should never privatize their workforce in order to cut costs because those saving can only be realized through the impoverishment of their employees. We also oppose privatization of whole sectors of the government and commonwealth, such as prisons, the military and police, public parks and forests, and the water supply.

ENVIRONMENT: “We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet.  We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that the future generations will benefit and not suffer from to practices of our generation.”

                    From the Green Party of the United States Platform

A) In the age of Global Warming we are all aware of the need to promote sustainable living but we realize that the citizens of Connecticut will need help to make the transition.  They need to know how to spend their limited funds to make their homes energy efficient.  They need transportation alternatives that will enable them to get to work with out a car.  They need a way to purchase high quality, low cost food produced locally.  The Green Party believes that the state government should play a major role in meeting these needs.  

                        OR

B) In the age of Global Warming we are all aware of the need to promote sustainable living but we realize that the citizens of Connecticut will need help to make the transition.  They need to know how to spend their limited funds to make their homes energy efficient.  They need transportation alternatives that will enable them to get to work with out a car.  They need a way to purchase high quality, low cost food produced locally.  The Green Party believes that the state government should play a major role in meeting these needs. We advocate a government loan program for re-insulating buildings and converting to renewable energy sources. Special provisions must be made for rental buildings where the tenant pays the utility bills.

Planning: With its network of colleges, research organizations, and manufacturers, Connecticut is in the perfect location to become a clearinghouse for green information.  

Incentives: With small grants, [loans], and tax incentives, the state government could encourage homeowners to improve the efficiency of their homes, [landlords to improve the efficiency of their rental units,] businesses to produce new products, and workers to train for new technology jobs.  The private sector is best at creating jobs but government leadership can stimulate the private sector to create jobs more efficiently.

TRANSPORTATION: “The Green Party supports a transportation policy that emphasizes the use of mass transit and alternatives to the automobile and truck for transport.  We call for major public investment in mass transportation, so that such systems are cheap or free to the public and are safe, accessible, and easily understandable to first time users.”

                    From the Green Party of the United States Platform

Roads: The Green Party calls for a ban on all new highway construction in the state.  Only repairs to existing roads will be funded and those repairs must include provisions for the safe use of those roads by people using alternative forms of transportation.

Rail: The rail network in the state should be expanded [and light rail should be created.]  Current plans to complete the rail line between New Haven and Springfield should be expedited.  Data should be gathered to determine what the amount of sensitization that will be needed to make the rail lines an economically viable alternative to the automobile commuter.

A) Infrastructure: The Infrastructure to accommodate alternate fueled vehicles should be planned.  Where seed money from the state would be beneficial, the state should consider not only the size of the potential market but the jobs that would be created by the suppliers of the new technology.

More low-tech infrastructure should also be developed such as parking lots for shared vehicles like Zip-cars. Racks for securing bicycles and motorized scooters should be installed and should include recharging capability. “Bike Boxes” at all urban traffic intersection.

                        OR

B) Infrastructure & Flexible Alternate Transportation:   The Infrastructure to accommodate alternate fueled vehicles should be planned.  Where seed money from the state would be beneficial, the state should consider not only the size of the potential market but the jobs that would be created by the suppliers of the new technology.

The current bus system is wasteful and inconvenient. A mini-bus system should be created for lines with few passengers, new lines should be created, and the lines should run more frequently.     We should develop low-tech infrastructure, such as parking lots for shared vehicles. Zip-cars should be available for trips and errands for which mass transportation is not appropriate. Racks for securing bicycles and motorized scooters should be installed and should include recharging capability. “Bike Boxes” should be installed at all urban traffic intersections.

EMPLOYMENT: “There is plenty of work to do that does not jeopardize our future, does not widen the gap between the richest and the poorest in our society, and that can enrich our communities.  We must encourage the creation of these opportunities.”

                   From the Green Party of the United States Platform:

Job Retention:   In difficult economic times like these the State of Connecticut should continue to fund essential services like health care and education.  If the state reduces its employment it will offset the federal efforts to create jobs and eliminate the services that are needed even more during bad times.

 

Job creation: Job creation is an area that underscores the Green Party belief that most issues require a coordinated effort by all levels of government to be successful.  The federal government has the major tool to create jobs and maintain the highest possible employment levels. The monetary and fiscal policy of the U.S. government, combined with its financial oversight, controls the flow of capital available for job creation, but the States still have a role to play.  The state is in the best position to determine which industries will be growing in the future and to plan for that the infrastructure and human capital to support that industry.  The State can also use its tax laws and its treasury to help reduce some of the risks that are a part of job creation.  State taxpayer resources should only be used to promote the long-term financial well-being of the people of the State. Corporate Welfare will never be supported by the Green Party.

EDUCATION: “Access to quality education for all Americans is the difference that will lead to a strong and diverse community.  Fundamental changes in our priorities are needed at the national and local level, within the public and private sectors, in the classroom, and at home to make education our first priority.”

                    From the Green Party of the United States Platform

Funding: The combined state and federal contribution to local education should equal 49% of the cost. [Please explain the reason for this. I favor abolishing property tax as a basis for education because it is too inequitable. I’d replace it with progressive income tax.] State payments in lieu of taxes should be equal to 100% of the revenue loss.

Vouchers: We oppose the use of vouchers to non-public schools.

Lifetime Learning:   Higher education and skills training beyond the high school level should be available at state institutions to all state residents.

HEALTH CARE: “Health care is a human right, not a privilege”.   Green Party of the United States Platform:

Insurance: Sustanet, the Connecticut program designed to meet the requirements of the new federal health insurance will not meet the healthcare needs nor the budgetary limits of many of the people of Connecticut.  In addition the new federal program, with its lack of cost controls, will put pressure on the state to cut existing healthcare programs like Medicaid.  The Green Party will work to maintain funding for current healthcare programs for the people of the state while fighting on the national level for a real, insurance based, single payer system to cover every US resident.

HOUSING: “Housing is one of the basic necessities of life, yet too many people can no longer afford adequate shelter.  Government should play an activist role in the availability of housing.”

                    Platform: Green Party of the United States

Home Ownership: State funding should continue to support the construction and maintenance of affordable and energy-efficient housing.  Programs that work with and supplement federal home ownership programs should also be continued.

Homelessness

  1. Programs to eliminate the causes of homelessness and to provide the homeless with shelter should be expanded to meet the current need.

OR

  1. Programs to eliminate the causes of homelessness and to provide the homeless with shelter should be expanded to meet the current need. Abandoned housing should be taken over and renovated for the use of the homeless.

ENERGY: “Our energy use and abuse is at the core of many environmental and even social problems.  With less than 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. consumes more than 25% of the world’s oil, gas, and electricity.  Major damage to land, air, and water around the world has resulted from such industries as mining, drilling, transportation, pipelines, and generation of toxic and radioactive wastes.  Our oil and gas addition in particular has led to wars and human rights abuses in many countries.”  

           

From the Green Party of the United States Platform:

Nuclear: Nuclear energy is unsafe, [uninsurable except by the blanket exemptions of the Price-Anderson Act], and not cost-effective, and the processes that produce fuel for the industry pollute the environment at levels that equal carbon based fuels.  The Green Party calls for a halt to the construction of new nuclear plants and for the replacement of existing nuclear power plants as soon as the energy that they produce can be replaced by energy from cleaner sources.

Deregulation: Deregulation of the electric industry in Connecticut has failed. Real competition has not developed in the state and the cost of electricity has risen dramatically.  Regulators do not seem to want to intervene to protect electric consumers from unfair rate increases. The Green Party supports the re-regulation of the industry.

Solar: The funding that the State has made available to provide incentives for the installation of solar energy systems has been very small and limited mainly to businesses.  The Green Party calls for expanding these programs and making them available to individual homeowners.  Providing incentives now will not only help the environment but will also create jobs in the State.

Wind: The Green Party believes that the State should support efforts to develop wind power in Long Island Sound as long as it can be done without harm to the environment.  Provisions should be made in the Connecticut tax code to provide incentives for investors to partner with the farmers to construct wind turbine generators and produce an electric crop as in other states.

Addendum II: 4-25-11 bylaw proposals from Fairfield chapter: 6 Resolutions Fairfield County Greens approved on April 25, 2011, for consideration by the other chapters of the CtGP, and then of the State Central Committee, to clarify Ethical Standards of the Bylaws:

Fairfield chapter bylaw proposal of 4-25-11: 6 Resolutions Fairfield County Greens approved on April 25, 2011, for consideration by the other chapters of the CtGP, and then of the State Central Committee, to clarify Ethical Standards of the Bylaws.

A. For clarification of Bylaw IV Ethical Standard 3, that “members shall…make particular note…[of] unacceptable modes of conduct [such as]:…3. Betrayal of trust in matters affecting Party or Public welfare:”

1.    The Connecticut Green Party shall not receive any funds from any

other political party.

2.    Any funds for the campaign of any candidate of the Connecticut

Green Party shall remain in the control of the candidate. An account for a Green Party candidate shall have at least two signatories, one of them being the candidate, and the other signatories shall not represent themselves as having any plenipotentiary powers without the full knowledge and unambiguous written consent of the candidate.

3.    Any value accruing to a campaign because of labor contributed to it

by volunteers shall not be used except by explicit consent of the candidate. Such value shall not be treated as consideration in any exchange that does not respect all implications of the fact that it owes its existence solely to the labor of the volunteers. The candidate shall be regarded as the trustee of the value the volunteers have created.

4.    No campaign manager or treasurer of a campaign, for the duration of

his or her official function, shall claim to others that a candidate should not be campaigning, that there should be no candidacy, or that funds or energy should be used for some purpose other than the campaign itself or for some other purpose permitted by election law.

B. For the clarification of Bylaw IV Ethical Standard 1, that “members shall…make particular note… [of]unacceptable modes of conduct [such

as]: 1. Making commitments or position statements that conflict with the Party or Chapter policies, principles, or ethical codes” and Ethical Standard 5, “Irresponsible advocacy such as that based upon misrepresentation or gross ignorance of pertinent facts:”

5.    Only elected Executive Committee [EC] members shall represent

themselves as spokespeople for the CtGP unless a majority of EC members shall designate a separate spokesperson for a particular purpose. If any person, without the consent of the EC, uses an email address or website that implies that he or she speaks for the CtGP, the CtGP shall send notices to news outlets stating that that person does not represent the CtGP.

6.    No one shall send out a press release from the CtGP except a

release that has been reviewed, and, if necessary, corrected, and then approved by a majority of the Executive Committee, or by some individual or group the EC authorizes, by majority vote, for that purpose.

TPL_BEEZ2_ADDITIONAL_INFORMATION