A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR, JOHN HASELEY
Chris Fahl, who has been a strong, progressive voice on Athens City Council since 2009, will soon be wrapping up her tenure.
Chris has made her mark on Council as a leading voice for sustainability. Her efforts gained international recognition when Chris authored legislation several years ago declaring a climate emergency. The United Nations climate office contacted the City saying no other community our size had been so outspoken. Her sustainability efforts are also evident much closer to home through initiatives such as the Celebration Tree program, where residents can pay for the city to provide and plant a tree for them in honor of special occasions.
Chris’s influence will be seen for years to come through the work she has done in helping to draft and implement the City’s comprehensive plan which takes a community-oriented approach on issues like parking and development.
Some may agree with Chris on the issues, and some may not. But I think everyone can agree that Chris Fahl is somebody who stands up and fights hard for what she believes in. We’re fortunate that she’s devoted so much of her life to public service. Athens is a better place because of Chris Fahl.
DEMOCRATS WIN IN ATHENS COUNTY
Congratulations to all of the Democrats who won their races on November 2! In the partisan contested Athens City Council At-Large race, Democrats Michah McCarey, Sarah Grace, and Ben Ziff were all victorious, handily beating the two independent candidates by sizable margins. Democrats Christine Knisely (President), Jeff Risner (Second Ward), and Sam Crowl (Third Ward) were all re-elected and will be joined by newcomers Solveig Spjeldnes (First Ward) and Alan Swank (Fourth Ward).
Kudos to Central Committee members that won re-election including Vice Chair Tim Warren (York Township Trustee) and Sean Parsons (Athens City School Board).
Allison Russo (pictured above left at her Oct. 30 Athens rally with Solveig Spjeldnes and John Molinaro) fell short in her bid for the 15th US Congressional District; but she won Athens County with 63% of the vote. A BIG thank you to the volunteers who contributed time and money to support our general election candidates.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Final Lunch & Learn of 2021
Have you been following all of the news coming out of Nelsonville? Come get the 411 from City Auditor Taylor Sappington Wednesday, November 17 from 12-1 PM via Zoom. He’ll share the city’s recent successes and talk about some of the ongoing challenges. This will be the final Lunch & Learn of 2021. Registration is required.
Young Democrats November Meeting
Are you a young Democrat? Do you know one? The Athens County Young Democrats are a newer group looking to grow and support the party’s next generation of activists. At their October meeting, the Constitution was adopted, volunteering was discussed, and they were excited about getting Dems elected in November! At their next meeting, the Executive Board will be elected. Join them Wednesday, November 17 at 7:00 PM at the Dems office on 74 E. State St. Questions can be directed to Nat Flanagan via email or by texting 419-276-9886.
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
Central Commitee Members – ALERT!
Central Committee precinct positions will be on the May 3, 2022 primary election ballot! If you want to continue to serve (and we hope you do!) there is a green form that you must complete and submit to the BOE by February 2. You can pick up a copy at the BOE or ask them to mail you one by calling 740-592-3201. Please email Kathy Hecht with questions or for assistance.
NOTE: The list of Central Committee members can be found here on the BOE website under “Elected Officials.” As you can see, we have a handful of vacant precinct seats so let Kathy know of Democrats that might be interested in joining the Central Committee!
Meetings Cancelled – Happy Holidays!
The Central/Exec Committee meetings in November and December are cancelled but we will reconvene January 26, 2022.
Recycle Your Campaign Signs
Campaign signs can be recycled by dropping them off at the Athens Dems office. If getting to the office is difficult for you, Solveig has graciously agreed to pick them up at your home! For pickup, call her at 740-590-2036.
Desperately Seeking Office Table
The wonderful oak table and chairs that have been on loan to us for the past few years are finally being reunited with their owner. A big thanks to Zach Reizes for letting us borrow them for so long! We are on the hunt for their replacement and feel certain that somebody has a table collecting dust that they’d love to donate! Email Andrea Reik with any leads and thanks!
Got Feedsacks?
We are in need of feedsacks to turn into reusable bags! Please drop your empty clean feed sacks (bird seed bags are especially appreciated with their beautiful images) at the Dems office during office hours Wednesdays 1-4 PM. Contact Janalee for more information about all our community service projects.
SPECIAL FOCUS REPORT – ATHENS COUNTY LAND BANK
Another Reason Athens County is so Special – The Athens County Land Bank!
The Athens Land Bank acquires and repurposes abandoned tax delinquent and dilapidated property in Athens County. Both private citizens and Habitat for Humanity of SE Ohio have rehabilitated and built houses on sites purchased from the Land Bank, thereby improving access to housing and adding to our tax rolls. Neighborhoods have been improved and derelict buildings have been torn down and replaced. The Landbank board is comprised of five elected officials, all of whom are Democrats, including County Commissioners Lenny Eliason and Chris Chmiel, See the video here.
LEGISLATION AND REDISTRICTING UPDATES
Bills
HB480 Ohio Republicans are moving to ban all abortions in Ohio — going further than the Texas 6 week ban. “Like the Texas law currently being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court, it would also allow any person to file civil lawsuits seeking $10,000 or more against anyone in Ohio who perform abortions or knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for it via insurance.” There are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. “It’s an egregious assault on women, a dangerous attack on healthcare rights and an embarrassment for our state. Ohio Republicans want to control women, but we won’t be silent,” said House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes. Read more here.
HB 109 The Anti-Protest bill known as the “Ohio Law and Order Act” passed out of committee along party lines last week and could be headed for a vote by the entire House this week. In the year after George Floyd was murdered, many states took action by enacting police reform measures. “Ohio, on the other hand, is following the lead of nine conservative states including Arkansas, Florida and Iowa that enacted laws cracking down on the protest activity.” The legislation is described by opponents as “a racially coded means to chill free speech.” Read more here.
SB123 The Anti-Abortion Trigger Ban bill had a second hearing on October 27. Sen. Kristina Roegner (R) and Sen. Sandra O’Brien (R) introduced the “Enact the Human Life Protection Act” in March to ban all abortions if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. This is copycat legistlation that has been passed in at least 12 other states controlled by Republicans.
Redistricting
State Redistricting: Thousands of pages of documents have been filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging the newly drawn and overtly gerrymandered Ohio House and Senate district maps. Oral arguments are set for early December.
Ohio Congressional Redistricting: In round three of this Republican circus, the drawing of the Congressional map is back in the hands of the state legislature. The Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting, described as the “information gathering” body, listened to public testimony last week on the four congressional district map proposals by each caucus in the Ohio House and Senate. The six-member panel is comprised of three senators and three state representatives, four of which are Republican. The Republican maps are a joke and were drawn to benefit their party rather than the public. What the rest of the process will be remains clear as mud but we know that lawmakers have until the end of November to vote on a map. View the House Dems map here; Senate Dems here; House Republicans here; Senate Republicans here.
What should I tell Republicans who say that Biden hasn’t done anything good for our country?
“Bold fiscal policy works,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote on Twitter. “…When our administration took office back in January, there was a real risk that our economy was going to slip into a prolonged recession. Now our recovery is outpacing other wealthy nations.” Yellen praised Biden’s American Rescue Plan and his immunization campaign that has vaccinated 193 million Americans against the COVID-19, for the recovery.
“March 2021, Congress passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan… The plan extended unemployment benefits and provided stimulus payments to individuals. It increased food stamp benefits and significantly expanded the Child Tax Credit, putting money in parents’ pockets [reducing child poverty by 40%]. It provided grants to small business and local, state, and tribal governments. It provided money for schools, housing, and healthcare.”
No Republican voted for it.
One month after President Biden took office in February, unemployment was 6.3%. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that it would take until the end of 2023 to lower the rate to 4.6%. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.6% – two years ahead of schedule.
Biden added more jobs in the first 9 months of his presidency than the last three Republican administrations, covering 16 years, combined. The news created a stock market rally, which is a powerful sign considering that Republicans predicted Biden’s policies would bring disaster.
This week the House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) by a vote of 228–206. Axios reported that “over the next 8 years, it will provide $110 billion for fixing roads and bridges, $73 billion for the electrical grid, $66 billion for railroads, $65 billion for broadband, $55 billion for water infrastructure, $47 billion for coastal adjustments to climate change, $39 billion for public transportation…”
We still need Biden’s Build Back Better bill to be enacted, but The Guardian’s congressional reporter, Hugo Lowell, stated, “…the passage of a $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure bill is a towering legislative achievement for Biden—and one that Trump never came close to matching.”
Source: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-5-2021
DONATE TO THE ACDP
We are so grateful to everyone who has financially supported the ACDP in the past. The fight to defend democracy and turn Ohio blue is far from over. If you have not donated recently to the ACDP, and have the means, please do so today.