WATCHDOG

Weber County League of Women Voters

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I am excited to be back home on a permanent basis and be able to actively participate in a group that I feel adds a great deal to our county, state, and nation. Thanks to Marcia Harris and Marilyn O’Dell for keeping the Weber League a functioning organization through some very difficult times. The two biggest challenges we currently face is bringing in new members and getting people involved in the meetings and activities we sponsor. The wine and cheese social was well attended, and thanks to Evelyn Bertilson for allowing us to use her home. The membership picnic involved a discussion led by Matt Mason on “Politics Without Partisanship – Do We Really Want It?” It was extremely interesting, educational, and thought provoking. I thank every member who took the time to come and participate in this event.

My challenge to each of our members is to get one other person involved in the Weber League with us and to take the time to spend one hour a month with us at meetings that we hope will interest you. If everyone took on this challenge, our League would be stronger and more visible, which is really necessary in the current times. The Board you elected will do the work, all you have to do is support it.

Thanks again for allowing me this opportunity to work with such a dedicated and superior group of people.

Terri McCulloch

OCTOBER MEETING

The October meeting will be on Thursday, October 19 at 7:00 at Pleasant Valley Library. We will be taking a tour of the new library and having a presentation concerning the “green” method used for the construction of the library. Please put this on your calendar and come and learn about this new facility.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

The Weber League is inviting Leah Murray, a political science professor at Weber State University, to become an honorary member of our organization. Leah was raised in upstate New York in a city called Schenectady and went to college to study political science at Syracuse University, where she earned her BA in 1996. She then went on to earn her PhD in 2004 from the University of Albany. She came to Utah in 2002 to become a political science faculty member at Weber State. She is married to Paul Goggi and has two children, Elizabeth and David. Leah says she loves living in a place so different from where she was from. Her passion and reason for teaching political science is to create citizens, especially our young people, to be more engaged in the political process. We are exited to have her as part of our group!

ETHICS REFORM PETITION

There will be a hearing on the Ethics petition on Tuesday, September 29 from 7:00 – 9:00 at Mound Fort Middle School. This petition supports placing some proposals on the ballot to help in legislative ethics reform. The proposals, if enacted at the polls, would include a five-member, non-partisan ethics committee, without reimbursement, that would come from a poll of 20 names offered by the Legislature. It would ban gift and meals, implement a two year cooling off period for ex-members of the legislature before they could become lobbyists, ban the use of campaign funds for non-campaign use, and ban legislators from using their campaign funds to contribute to other people’s campaigns. Basically, it would stop legislators from using their position to receive gifts or other forms of pay-offs and would encourage our elected officials to conduct themselves in an ethical manner. For more information on the initiative, go to utahnsforethicalgovernment.org/initiave.

REDISTRICTING PETITION

There are currently petitions being circulated and available for circulation concerning the redistricting petition for the state of Utah. If enough petitions are signed and this initiative is placed on the ballot and passed, it would enact a law creating an 11 person independent advisory commission to review boundaries for Utah elections. The goal is to provide for uniform procedures and standards in drawing the boundaries of legislative districts. This would help to eliminate elected officials from choosing their voters and instead have voters choose their leaders. The initiative is sponsored by the Fair Boundaries Coalition and more information is available at fairboundaries.org. You can also contact Trent Alvord at 801-394-7697 if you would like some petitions.

GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION ON STRENGTHENING UTAH’S DEMOCRACY

There will be a meeting on Thursday, September 24, from 3:00 – 6:00 at Weber State University concerning strengthening our state’s democracy. This commission is studying issues such as legislative ethics, campaign finance, elections, and lobbying. These are good meetings and allow for public comment. The Commission needs to hear from the public on topics that impact us all.

LWV PRESENCE AT UEA

Thanks to Margo Thurman, the LWV will be having a booth at UEA this year. It is on October 1 and 2 at the South Town Expo Center. If you know of anyone that is going, encourage them to stop by our booth.

VOTE 18

Vote 18 has put together an excellent lesson plan to teach students and young adults on how we earned the right to vote for all citizens. The League is supporting this and has individuals who will present the lesson for educational settings should anyone desire to have one. The website is vote18.org, and it contains a ready made lesson plan with discussion questions. It is very easy to understand and would be beneficial for all educators or parents to use. The Weber League will help let educators know when Pat Garner arranges for registration in the local high schools.

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 24 – 3 to 6 – Governor’s Commission on Strengthening Utah’s Democracy – Weber State University

September 29 – 7 to 9 – Ethics Reform Petition Public Meeting – Mound Ford Middle School

October 19 – 7 to 9 – Tour of Pleasant Valley Library and “Green” Construction – Pleasant Valley Library

November 9 – 7 to 9 – League Monthly Meeting – Topic to be Determined – Weber County Library