March 2015, League News
Emergency Medical Services were the highlight of the February meeting. A big thank you to Linda Meloy and Fire Chief Jerry Ewers for presenting information to raise our awareness. I am including the article on EMS for your information and reference on the next page.
We have another new member. Please welcome Jody Riibe! We are glad to have Ann Mayes and Jody as a part of our League.
We have a new website! Please check it out at http://lwvmcss.squarespace.com/
There are several issues before the Iowa Legislature that League is following. One is water quality. The League is hoping to see a tax increase of 3/8% in taxes to finance water quality through the IWILL efforts. The passage of the gas taxes may make that more difficult. Time will tell.
Another League issue before the legislature is Online Voter Registration. The League is working with the Secretary of State, Brennan Law Center, ACLU, the County Auditor leadership. The Senate bill SSB 1152 filed by Senator Danielson is quite comprehensive and addresses the need to provide OVR to all eligible Iowa citizens. Please contact your legislators and encourage them to support Online Voter Registration.
You can find all the League's Legislative Priorities online at http://www.lwvia.org/#!blank/c1z0s
During our March 24 meeting, Jean Clark asks everyone to bring a clipping or two to the meeting. She named the evening the Catherine Miller Clip-Fest. We will see how the clippings relate to League positions and priotities. It sounds like fun! Be on the look out for issues you hold dear and bring them to our meeting at Wine Nutz at 7:00.
In League,
Sue
Keystone Pipeline
President Obama fulfilled his promise to veto legislation approving the Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline! The League is proud to stand behind the President’s veto because the pipeline is not in our national interest. But the fight is not over—President Obama and the U.S. State Department must still make a final decision on the Keystone XL pipeline.
Upper Mississippi River Inter-League Organization
For the past six months, Leagues in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois met to form a group called the Upper Mississippi River Inter-League Organization (ILO). The primary purpose is to strengthen the work the League does on natural resource issues in the within the five states of the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
Our League has been invited to join this ILO. The dues are $25/year. The officers of LWV Muscatine County favor joining. We think there are people in our League who are interested in the natural resources of the Mississippi. This topic might encourage others to join our League.
To learn more, go to this neat video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HAhuToAOKk&feature=youtu.be
State Board to Meet in Iowa City on March 28
The LWVIA Board of Directors will meetin in Iowa City on Saturday, March 28 at the Iowa City Public Library Meeting Room E from 10:00 to 3:00. League members are welcome to drop by.