http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/group_rss/CampaignforResponsibleDevelopment Please visit www.fresc.org for more information! As a broad and growing coalition of labor unions, community organizations, religious groups, and neighborhood leaders, the Campaign for Responsible Development believes taxpayers should have a voice in deciding how tax-funded subsidies are spent in their communities. The CRD is fighting for community benefits to be implemented at the Cherokee/Gates redevelopment site right at I-25 and Broadway on Denver’s Westside. The developers will be asking for millions in tax subsidies for this project — we deserve to have a say in how that money is spent! These are the four principles that drive our campaign: QUALITY JOBS THAT SUPPORT FAMILIES Tax-funded projects should help create quality, full-time jobs, at family-supporting wages, with health-care, training, and retirement benefits – jobs that allow working families to build healthy, productive, self-sufficient lives in our communities. AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING Tax-funded projects should offer rental and for-sale housing options for our moderate- and low-income community members, and should also be accessible to our elderly and disabled residents. SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, LOCAL CONSTRUCTION Tax-funded projects should be built using our well-trained local workforce, should incorporate strong apprenticeship programs to sustain a next generation of local construction workers, and should be built by contractors with strong safety, environmental, and on-time and on-budget completion records. NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT Tax-funded projects should employ the highest standards for the environment, contribute positively to schools and infrastructure, address traffic and parking concerns, and be integrated into surrounding communities so all residents enjoy the new amenities their tax-funded investments have made possible. The new web site is up, www.protectcoloradosfuture.org. This organization is in place to help us defeat the work for less lobby. Please sign up as a member and help us stand up against these attacks on middle America. At the heart of the divide is the typical false premise that giving employees contractual rights is not good for them. This is already an "at will" state where most employees can be fired anytime for almost anything, ie, without "just cause", but that is not good enough for the work-for-less lobby, the so called "right to work" crowd. They are is a conglomerate of powerful corporate entities with a front group based in Virginia. Their purpose is to cripple labor unions and to keep the practice of democracy in the workplace an elusive goal for as many people as they can. They will demonize unions with double talk and clever slogans and glorify union busting under the scared umbrella of all that is "business friendly". Employees in work for less states make an average of $5,333 less than those in free bargaining states. Their benefits are greatly decreased and their job security is generally non-existent. Unionized workers are simply better off and claims to the contrary ignore the basic facts. A key point is that labor activists bear no ill-will towards business or fair levels of profit. We understand that business and labor are mutually beneficial partners when balance and cooperation exist. Those of us who represent labor seek only to empower employees as an inclusive component of business and not as an expendable tool. The individual freedom argument used work for less lobby and others is a sham. Federal law already protects the rights of non-members. Nobody has to join a union or engage in union activities that violate their religious or political beliefs. In a union shop however, the democratic principle of majority rule does require non-members to pay a fair share expense fee if they choose not to join the union. Organized labor is a primary avenue to bridge economic inequality and the imbalance of opportunity between average people and Wall street. The labor haters should stop pretending to care about workers by branding labor unions as the enemy. Anybody who takes a non-political look at the facts knows who is truly on the side of employees and that is the unions who set the standards for labor protections. Cross Posted (partially) Colorado Confidential http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/CqlH http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/CqlH/commentary#comments Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:25:17 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/CqlH Tim Allport Tim Allport 21 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CqlH/ The current system for forming unions and bargaining is broken. Corporations routinely block workers' freedom to decide for themselves whether to form unions to bargain by intimidating, harassing, coercing and even firing workers. The Employee Free Choice Act would restore workers' freedom to make our own choice about whether to have a union and bargain for a better life--without interference from management. The legislation, which the House has passed, would: * Strengthen penalties for companies that coerce or intimidate workers; * Establish mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract; and * Enable workers to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards. * Bring needed balance to the American workplace. Today, CEOs get contracts that protect their pay and benefits--but they fight tooth and nail to keep workers from having the same opportunity. As a result, good jobs are vanishing and health care coverage and retirement security are slipping out of reach. Only 38 percent of the public say their families are getting ahead financially, and less than a quarter think the next generation will be better off. This bill passed the House. Please contact your Senator to urge their support. This legislation is vital to the progressive movement . http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/C2Qm http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/C2Qm/commentary#comments Tue, 01 May 2007 02:09:45 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/timallport/C2Qm Tim Allport Tim Allport 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2Qm/ We had a little fun with 'Foxy' the fox today... NO, not That Kind of Fun! We heard that Frontier was doing a Campaign Interview style promo for the 'Foxy' Frontier's Favorite Animal at the Civic Center today across from the City Hall. So we thought this would be great test of our Concept of Instant Vigils. We flew downtown and did a 'one indian' to their 'circle the wagons' maneuver. The media types applauded my arrival but grumbled later when they had trouble getting a shot without our signs in the background. Our sign on one side said. Call Foxy and tell her to Stop the Iraq War and impeach Bush and on the other side Call Foxy and say Stop the War and impeach Bush. Amazing the amount of eyeballs these signs got. It was Fun... you all shoulda been there. Maybe next time, eh! Join Us. Impeachment can be fun. John WeeklyVigilsToImpeach.Us Link ProgressNowAction Member Link http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/C2vS http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/C2vS/commentary#comments Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:14:58 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/C2vS John H Kennedy http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/12e758207391a9b236_ggimv2s5d.gif John H Kennedy 2 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2vS/ Hi Campaign for Responsible Development Allies, Our campaign at the Gates Rubber Factory redevelopment is entering the final countdown. We've been negotiating with the developer, Cherokee, to make sure that the Gates/Cherokee redevelopment has good jobs with healthcare, thorough environmental cleanup, affordable and accessible housing, and responsible construction. Thus far, the developer Cherokee has not committed to making all of the jobs be good jobs with healthcare benefits. They've agreed to pay prevailing wages and healthcare to the workers who do the demolition and the infrastructure, but we think that since Cherokee will be receiving 85 million dollars of public money, every job on this project should be a family-supporting job with healthcare! We want to turn up the heat on on this issue, so we're having a call-in day to City Council members to urge Cherokee to negotiate! Please support the CRD and call your City Councilperson as soon as possible! Please let us know of any contacts you make and what kinds of responses you are getting from your city council people. If you have any questions about who your City Councilperson is, you can check online here . If you'd like more information about the Campaign for Responsible Development, visit our website . Thanks so much for all your support - together, we can win this! In Solidarity, Julie Gonzales CRD Organizer Talking Points/Script for Coalition Partners Calling City Council Members Hi Councilwoman/man _________________, this is _______________ (your name) calling to talk to you about the Gates/Cherokee Redevelopment and the Campaign for Responsible Development. At this point, the CRD has made progress with Cherokee in their negotiations around environmental cleanup and affordable housing, but we still do not have a formal commitment from Cherokee about quality jobs. I hope that you ensure that all the construction jobs, and the permanent jobs - many of which will otherwise be low paying retail jobs -are good family supporting jobs with healthcare. If we are going to be giving 85 million dollars to Cherokee to finance this project, then we should expect that every job at the redevelopment is a quality job! Thank you for your time. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please help the CRD by letting us know about your conversations with City Council members. Give Julie Gonzales, CRD Organizer, a call at 303-477-6111x17 or email jgonzales@denverlabor.org. Again, we appreciate your efforts in making sure that the Gates/Cherokee redevelopment is beneficial for everyone in our community! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Council Contact Information: District 1 Rick Garcia 2785 Speer Blvd., Suite 246 Denver, Colorado 80211 Phone: (303) 458-4792 Fax: (303) 458-4791 rick.garcia@ci.denver.co.us District 2 Jeanne Faatz 3100 S. Sheridan Blvd., Unit D Denver, Colorado 80227 Phone: (303) 763-8562 Fax: (303) 763-8564 jeanne.faatz@ci.denver.co.us District 3 - Council President Rosemary E. Rodriguez 69 Knox Ct. Denver, Colorado 80219 Phone: (303) 922-7755 Fax: (303) 937-4651 rosemary.rodriguez@ci.denver.co.us District 4 Peggy Lehmann 6740 E. Hampden Avenue Suite 302 Denver, Colorado 80224 Phone: (303) 504-5781 Fax: (303) 504-5786 peggy.lehmann@ci.denver.co.us District 5 Marcia Johnson 6740 East Colfax Avenue Denver, Colorado 80220 Phone: (303) 355-4615 Fax: (303) 355-4127 marcia.johnson@ci.denver.co.us District 6 Charlie Brown 2324 E. Exposition Avenue Denver, Colorado 80209 Phone: (303) 871-0601 Fax: (303) 698-4908 charlie.brown@ci.denver.co.us District 7 Kathleen MacKenzie 1437 Bannock St., Suite 451 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (720) 865-8900 Fax: (720) 865-8903 kathleen.mackenzie@ci.denver.co.us District 8 Elbra Wedgeworth 3280 Downing St., Unit C Denver, Colorado 80205 Phone: (303) 298-7641 Fax: (303) 298-9716 elbra.wedgeworth@ci.denver.co.us District 9 Judy H. Montero 2828 Speer Blvd., Suite 111 Denver, Colorado 80211 Phone: (303) 458-8960 Fax: (720) 865-9540 District 10 Jeanne Robb 1232 E. Colfax Avenue Denver, Colorado 80218 Phone: (303) 377-1807 Fax: (303) 377-1902 jeanne.robb@ci.denver.co.us District 11 Michael B. Hancock 4730 Oakland St., Suite 200 Denver, Colorado 80239 Phone: (303) 331-3872 Fax: (303) 331-3874 michael.hancock@ci.denver.co.us At-Large Carol Boigon 1437 Bannock St., Suite 451 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (720) 865-8100 Fax: (720) 865-8103 carol.boigon@ci.denver.co.us At-Large Doug Linkhart 1437 Bannock St., Suite 451 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (720) 865-8000 Fax: (720) 865-8003 linkhartatlarge@ci.denver.co.us http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/CRD/CHvn http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/CRD/CHvn/commentary#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:41:35 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/CRD/CHvn Julie Gonzales Julie Gonzales 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CHvn/ Commercials, commercials, commercials... It is amazing that people fall for the lies. Here it is folks, read it and weep! The memo outlines that we must cut $365,000,000 from the 06-07 budget if Referendum C fails. Take a look at the programs and the numbers… this is what is coming… IT DOES AFFECT YOU! READ THE MEMO!!! Here are some "highlights": "…included are the savings from reducing Corrections and Higher Education by 10 percent, which would generate $53.3 million and $59.8 million, respectively. However, given the fundamental impracticality and the public safety impacts of the cuts in Corrections, it is likely that a minimum 20 percent cut in Higher Education , as well as other cuts not proposed herein would be necessary to balance the FY 2006-07 budget if Referendum C fails." {page 1} "Eliminate Motorist Insurance Identification Database" {page 4} "Eliminate Instant Criminal Background Check" {page 5} "Eliminate Office for Victims Programs" {page 5} "Eliminate Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management" {page 5} "... the [Natural Resources] Department has indicated that this would entail permanently closing 11 state parks..." {page 5} "Eliminate the Poison Control Hotline" {page 6} But thats not all.... READ THE MEMO and Forward this to EVERYONE YOU KNOW! http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/thinknvote/CHBL http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/thinknvote/CHBL/commentary#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2005 23:09:24 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/thinknvote/CHBL Jake http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/6760eaf48aad73b432_56m6id71i.jpg Jake 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CHBL/