PAST EVENTS

• Time:7:00 - 8:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Downtown Library, 401 East University Ave, 334-3900
• Two Seats on Gainesville City Commission up for election
• FREE and open to the public!
• Light Refreshments Served
• For more information, contact the League of Women Voters at (352)375-6960

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time: 6:00 to 7:30 PM
• Location:The Oak Room at Oak Hammock, 5100 S.W. 25th Blvd.
• Cost for Dinner: $15 for Hot Buffet
  
  
• Reservations Required by Thursday, May 11
• Click here for Mail-in Reservation form
• Reservations will also be accepted via LWV phone: 375-6960
  
  
• We will elect 2006-07 Board of Directors, adopt the 2006-07 Proposed Budget and Local Program
• All current and prospective members are encouraged to join us to hear about the past year's League activity and the upcoming year's plans for the League.
  

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

• Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Location: Doyle Conner Auditorium, 1911 SW 34th St.
  
  
• FREE and Open to the public!
• Meet the candidates
• Light refreshments will be served.

• 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM Circuit Judge, Circuit 8, Group 4
• 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM School Board, Districts 1, 3, 5
• 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Alachua County Sheriff
• 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM State Representative, Districts 11, 23
• 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM State Senator, District 14

• Speaker: Jeanne Zokovitch, LWV of Florida Lobbyst
• Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
  Lunch begins at 11:30, Program begins at noon
• Location:Sweetwater Branch Inn, McKenzie Hall, 625 E. University Ave. (352)373-6760
• Cost: $25

Jeanne Zokovitch, Legislative Coordinator/ Lobbyist
Jeanne is a Staff Attorney with WildLaw in their Florida Office. She also directs WildLaw's Assisting Communities with Environmental Solutions Program (ACES). WildLaw provides a variety of legal and professional services to communities and grassroots organizations working on environmental issues in the public interest. Jeanne represented the League in the 2006 Legislative Session on election reform issues and writing and publishing Capitol Report, a bi-weekly publication that recaps legislative activities affecting League issues.

• Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Housing Authority - D'Acosta House, 703 NE 1st St.
• Meeting will be held directly after the Board of Director's meeting, which begins at 6 PM. Members are welcome to sit in on the board meeting.

The LWVAC Board invites you to join us for discussions on Alternative Voting Systems! For the next few months, we will be learning about a few alternative voting systems, and discussing them after our monthly board meetings.

If you are interested in joining this discussion, please come prepared by reading Part I (Introduction) & Part II (Voting Systems) of the Alternative Voting Systems Study Materials. Part I & II are only 7 pages long, so please check it out! The materials are available on the LWV of Florida website: http://www.lwvfla.org/AVSstudypage.html.

• Time: 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
• Location: Savannah Grande Reception Hall, 301 N. Main St.
• Information on Proposed Constitutional Amendments will be available.
• FREE and OPEN to the public!

Click here for more information on the 2006 Fall Elections.

• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

Click here for more information on the 2006 Fall Elections.

Click here for more information on the 2006 Fall Elections.

• Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Housing Authority - D'Acosta House, 703 NE 1st St. (House is on the NE corner of NE 1st St and NE 7th Ave).
• Meeting will be held directly after the Board of Director's meeting, which begins at 6 PM. Members are welcome to sit in on the board meeting.

At the October 11 meeting, League members had an intriguing and lively discussion on the five voting methods covered in the study. League members in attendance decided to do further reading of the study materials, and then come to consensus on all five methods at the November meeting.

If you are interested in helping us come to consensus, please come to the November meeting prepared by reading Parts I, II, III, & IV of the Study Materials, as well as the section on "Issues Related to Alternative Voting Systems for the State of Florida."

The materials are available on the LWV of Florida website: http://www.lwvfla.org/AVSstudypage.html.

• Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, (Breakfast at 7:30, Program at 8:00)
• Location: Florida Community Design Center, 300 East University Ave, 334-7111

The Local Government Committee embarked on a civic adventure to understand the County Budget and how the County funding system works. The Committee studied the flows of money into our county, to understand what our tax dollars buy.

Come hear the findings of the Committee and learn about where your money goes!

Click here for more info about Follow the Money, and a link to the final report.

It is well documented that information alone is not enough to get most people to change their behavior. Those who would like to move beyond basic outreach programs in their quest to accomplish sustainable behavior change can participate in the FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR workshop, coming to Gainesville January 17-19, 2007. Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr teaches a proven "social marketing" approach for promoting sustainable behavior. Whether you are interested in water resources, energy conservation, civic involvement, or another area of sustainability, this workshop will help you be more effective in creating the desired behavioral changes.

Click here for more information

*LWV Alachua County/ Gainesville is one of the organizers of this workshop.

Sustainable behavior expert Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr will present a free lecture and discussion on Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 7:30pm at the Downtown Public Library. Dr. McKenzie-Mohr will explain community based social marketing and how it can be used to foster sustainable behavior, including ideas on how to encourage change in existing organizations, with time for discussion and questions.

Fostering Sustainable Behavior: Free Lecture and Discussion
Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr
7:30pm, Thursday, January 18, 2007
Downtown Public Library Room A
401 E University Avenue, Gainesville, FL
Free and open to the public

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This lecture is of interest to anyone who is interested in helping their business, family, or community become more sustainable, efficient, and responsive to change. The ideas presented can be applied to almost any problem that involves changing human behavior.

BEYOND BROCHURES
The cornerstone of sustainability is behavior change. Sustainability requires individuals and businesses to act to reduce waste and increase efficiency. To date, most programs to achieve these changes have relied upon disseminating information. Research demonstrates, however, that simply providing information has little or no effect on how people or businesses behave. If not ads or brochures, then what? A new approach, community based social marketing, has emerged as an effective approach to promoting sustainable behavior. The method seeks to identify and remove the barriers that keep people from changing their behaviors.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY
For over a decade Dr. McKenzie-Mohr, an environmental psychologist, has illustrated the science of behavior change and the utility of the community based social marketing approach in his workshops and in his book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior, available online at www.cbsm.com. He has provided training internationally for over 25,000 environmental program planners.

EVENT SPONSORS
This event is sponsored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, UF/IFAS Extension Service, Gainesville Regional Utilities, and Pandion Systems, Inc., and organized by the League of Women Voters of Alachua County/Gainesville, UF's Office of Sustainability, Gainesville Clean Water Partnership, and Sustainable Alachua County.

CONTACT
For more information, please contact Susan Marynowski of Sustainable Alachua County at sustainableac@gmail.com or 352-318-1218.

• Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Location:Matheson Museum, 513 E. University Avenue
• Free and open to the public.

The League of Women Voters of Alachua County/ Gainesville will hold a candidates forum for the upcoming City of Gainesville election. The following Gainesville City Commission seats are up for election: Mayor and District 4.

The candidates for Gainesville City Commission District 4 are: Francis P. Fitzpatrick, Jr., Craig Lowe, and Richard Selwach. The candidates for Gainesville Mayor are: Pegeen Hanrahan and Wesley Watson. All candidates have been invited to participate.

The forum will be recorded and may be rebroadcast on Classic 89.1 FM at a later date.

The election will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2007. The last day to register to vote in this election is February 5.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Springfield at: espring654@aim.com or 352-371-9909

• Time:7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• Location:Gainesville High School, Multipurpose Room, 1900 NW 13th

National studies continue to document the failing grades Americans receive in their knowledge of government and the principles of democracy which are the foundation of this country. Correspondingly younger Americans are becoming increasingly disengaged from the political life of the nation.

A wide variety of Floridians are taking notice. Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice R.Fred Lewis is recruiting judges and attorneys to serve as resources to schools statewide. These resource people will be supplied with training and lessons aligned with the Sunshine State Standards to help provide instruction in civics and government particularly addressing the courts and the Constitution among other topics.

Additionally Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. Senator, heads a Civics Working Group seeking a changes in public policy to support stronger civics programs in the schools. Graham along with Congressman Lou Frey have developed centers at major universities throughout Florida.

Panel discussion, including the following speakers:

• Annette Pitts, Executive Director of the Florida Legal Related Education Association, Inc (FLREA).
• Dr. Elizabeth Yeager, UF College of Education Professor of Civics and co-founder of a National Foundation on Civics
• Dr. Walter Rosenbaum, Executive Director of the UF Bob Graham Center for Public Service, will explain the Center's purpose and report on the status of the Graham campaign for legislative change in the civics program in Florida schools.
• Deborah Gallagher, Alachua County Elementary Schools Social Studies Curriculum Supervisor, will speak about civics curriculum in elementary school and the state standards for civics.

For more information, contact the League of Women Voters at 378-1138 or ludwigh@cox.net

• Time:11:00 AM
• Location:Alachua County Fire and EMS Office, 913 SE 5th Street.

• Time: 7:00 PM
• Location:Gainesville Sun Conference Room, 2700 SW 13th St.
• Information on Sunshine Laws, Accessing Public Records, and more.

• Time:10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
• Location: Matheson Musuem, 513 East University Ave, Gainesville
• FREE and OPEN to the public!
• Refreshments will be available
• This event is co-sponsored by the Josiah T. Walls Bar Association and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of Florida, Inc.

This program highlights the lack of voting representation for two groups of taxpaying American citizens. This program is supported by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and the Government of the District of Columbia. Topics include:

Lack of DC Voting Rights
Speaker: Kelly McFarland Stratman, League of Women Voter of the United States Staff

With a population of approximately 572,000 people, Washington D.C. is the only capital in a democratic country that lacks full voting rights for its residents. Since 1801 when Congress passed the Organic Acts, citizens of D.C. have failed to be represented in the House or Senate despite paying federal and local taxes, serving on federal juries, and being part of armed forces during times of war.

Restoration of Felon Rights
Speaker: Meshon Rawls, Josiah T. Walls Bar Association

Florida is one of only three states that strip all individuals with past felony convictions of their civil rights, including their fundamental right to vote, even after completion of their sentences.

Floridians with past felony convictions lose not only the right to vote, but also the right to serve on a jury and to hold public office. Restoration of civil rights is also necessary to obtain certain occupational licenses.

For questions or more information, please contact: 904-501-8403 or info@lwv-alachua.org.

• Time:6:00 - 7:30 PM
• Location: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, 4225 NW 34th Street, Gainesville
• Hot Buffet Dinner: $15
• Reservations Required by Thursday, May 24

Click here for reservation form.

We will elect the Board of Directors, adopt the Proposed Budget and Local Program for 2007-08. All current and prospective members are encouraged to join us to hear about the past year's League activity and the upcoming year's plans for the League.

For questions, call 375-6960 or email: membership@lwv-alachua.org

Please bring the following materials to Annual Meeting (materials are included in the May edition of the VOTER newsletter):

• Proposed Budget 2007-08
• Proposed Local Program 2007-08
• Local Positions
• Slate of Board Nominees for 2007-08
• Information on Dues Bylaws Amendment

• Topic: Judicial Independence and Accountability
• Speaker Judge Stan Morris
• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E. University Ave, Gainesville
• Hot Buffet Lunch: $25 per person
• Reservations Required by Wednesday, September 12 (Email Billie Staff at billiestf@aol.com for last minute reservations).

Click here for reservation form.

Click here for more information on Judicial Independence.

• Time:6:00 - 7:30 PM
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St, 374-4241

Email Crystal Goodison, Voter Services Chair, at cgoodison@gmail.com for more information.

• Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Housing Authority D'Acosta House, 703 NE 1st St.

• Time:10:30 AM - Noon
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St.

Email Jerry Kidder, Natural Resources Chair, at gkidder@cox.net for more information.

• Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Location: Oak Hammock (in the Oak Room), 5100 S.W. 25th Blvd.
  
• Free and Open to the Public!

Speakers:

• Karen Woodall, Director of Outreach & Education, Florida Center for Fiscal & Economic Policy, Tallahassee, will speak about the impact of recent property tax proposals and options for property tax relief.
• Randy Reid, County Manager, Alachua County, will speak about Alachua County's budget, and where your tax dollars go.

Floridians need property tax relief. But was the legislature's proposal to increase the homestead exemption and end the Save Our Homes program the answer to tax relief?

The proposed constitutional amendment to end Save Our Homes was thrown off the January 29, 2008 ballot by a Leon County Circuit Judge. The state is appealing the decision. The amendment could still appear on the January 29 ballot, or the November 2008 General Election ballot.

Come learn about the status of this property tax constitutional amendment which was supposed to appear on the Jan. 29, 2008 ballot, real options for property tax relief, and the Alachua County budget.

This event is sponsored by Women for Wise Growth and the League of Women Voters of Alachua County.

Related Articles and Information:
Judge knocks property tax off ballot, Palm Beach Post, 9/25/07

Property tax vote nixed?, Gainesville Sun, 9/25/07

State appeals property tax ruling, Palm Beach Post, 9/26/07

Click here to read the amendment language that was removed from the ballot.

• Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Housing Authority D'Acosta House, 703 NE 1st St.

• Time:10:30 AM - Noon
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St.

Email Jerry Kidder, Natural Resources Chair, at gkidder@cox.net for more information.

• 5:00 - 7:30 PM
• Open house at the home of LWV Member June Girard
• Address: 9315 SW 35th Lane (Haile Plantation)

• Time:10:30 AM - Noon
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St.

Email Jerry Kidder, Natural Resources Chair, at gkidder@cox.net for more information.

• Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
• Location: Alachua County Housing Authority D'Acosta House, 703 NE 1st St.

• Time:10:30 AM - Noon
• Location: Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St.

Email Jerry Kidder, Natural Resources Chair, at gkidder@cox.net for more information.

• Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Location: University of Florida Emerson Alumni Hall, 2012 W. University Ave.
• Free and open to the public!

Three Gainesville City Commission seats are up for election: District 2, District 3, and At-Large District 2

Election Day is January 29, 2008

The last day to register to vote in this election is December 31, 2007.

• Topic: Our False Democracy: Barriers to Elections
• Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
• Location: 43rd St Deli, 3483 SW Williston Road.
• Please join us for breakfast and a lively discussion on election issues such as our presidential primary system, the electoral college, and more.
• No reservations required

• Location: Federal Courthouse, 401 SE First Ave.
• Come witness and welcome our new U.S. citizens!

• Topic: Energy Conservation Issues
• Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
• Location: New Deal Cafe, 3445 West University Ave.
• Please join us for lunch and a lively discussion on energy issues. Is our community doing enough to promote energy conservation?
• Reservations NOT required

For questions or more information, contact Jennifer Springfield at: mediatjen@espring.cfcoxmail.com.

• Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E. University Ave, Gainesville
• Speaker: Cynthia Barnett, Journalist and Associate Editor for Florida Trend Magazine and Author of Mirage, Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S.
• Cost: $20 per person. Hot Buffet Lunch, Vegetarian Options provided.
• Reservations required.

Click here for Luncheon Flyer and Reservation Form:
The reservation form is in PDF Format (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Reservation Instructions:
Please mail the completed reservation form, along with a check to:
        LWVAC c/o Billie Staff
        5526 NW 25th Terr
        Gainesville, FL 32653

Luncheon Parking: Please park at the Kirby Smith Center, across the street from Sweetwater Branch Inn. The Kirby Smith Center is located on the north side of East University Ave, just west of East 7th St.

• Topic: Recap of State Legislative Session
• Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
• Location: 43rd Street Deli, 3483 SW Williston Road.
• Please join us for breakfast and a lively discussion on what happened in the 2008 Florida Legislative Session.
• Reservations NOT required

For questions or more information, contact Crystal Goodison at: cgoodison@gmail.com

• Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
• Location: UF Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute, Conference Room, 3450 Hull Road
• Cost: $10.
• Refreshments: Dessert and snack buffet with coffee and tea.
• All current and prospective members are welcome to attend. We will elect a board of directors, local program, and budget for 2008-09.
• Reservations Requested by May 20.

Click here for Reservation Form and Directions (in PDF format).

For questions or more information, contact the League at info@lwv.alachua.org or 375-6960.

• Time: 7:00 PM
• Location: Millhopper Public Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville
• Please join us for this important panel discussion on trees and hurricanes.
• FREE and OPEN to the public!

This program will feature a panel discussion covering the benefits and liabilities of trees when high velocity winds of tropical storms or hurricanes impact Alachua County.

The panel will be led by Meg Niederhofer, City of Gainesville Arborist. Two UF professors, internationally recognized experts on the subject, Mary Duryea of the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation and Ed Gilman, from the UF Environmental Horticulture Department will join Niederhofer.

Mary Duryea of the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation will share ideas about creating a more “wind-firm urban forest”. Her research includes measuring the after effects of four hurricanes in the Pensacola area. Ed Gilman will address tree structure, the characteristics that determine strength or weakness and what residents can do to reduce the likelihood of problems through proper tree care. Niederhofer will address Gainesville’s regulations, policies and practices pertaining to urban forest management. Niederhofer says, ” Everyone benefits from the oxygen, flood control, shade, beauty and wildlife habitat that trees provide.”

For more information contact Jerry Kidder, LWV Natural Resources Chair at Ph. 352-378-0562.

• Topic: Drilling for Energy Solutions or Problems Off Florida's Coast?
• Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
• Location: UF Hilton Hotel, 2-Bits Lounge, 1714 SW 34th St, 371-3600
• FREE and OPEN to the public!
• Please join us for an informal yet invigorating discussion regarding off-shore drilling in Florida.

• Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
• Location: Savannah Grande Reception Hall, 301 N. Main St
• This forum will cover the following primary election races:
  • 11:00 AM - Alachua County Judge Group 2
  • 12:00 PM - Alachua County Property Appraiser
  • 12:30 PM - Alachua County Sheriff
  • 1:00 PM - Alachua County Commission, District 1

FREE and OPEN to the public!

Click here for August 26, 2008 Primary Election Info

• Topic: Bricks and Mortar of Alachua County Government
• Speaker Honorable Buddy Irby, Alachua County Clerk of the Court
• Time:11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
• Location: Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E. University Ave, Gainesville
• Hot Buffet Lunch: $25 per person
• Reservations Required by Monday, September 15 (Email Billie Staff at billiestf@aol.com for last minute reservations).

Click here for reservation form.

Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Location: Savannah Grande Reception Hall, 301 N. Main St

Sponsored by: League of Women Voters of Alachua County/ Gainesville, North Florida Chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and Coalition for Responsible Growth. All sponsors are nonpartisan organizations that do not endorse candidates.

FREE and OPEN to the public!

Schedule of Events:
10:00 AM - County Judge Group 2
10:30 AM - Florida House of Representatives District 11
11:00 AM - Florida House of Representatives District 23
11:30 AM - Alachua County Commission District 1
12:15 PM - Alachua County Commission District 5
12:50 PM - US House of Representatives District 6
1:15 PM - Information Session: Local Ballot Initiatives & Proposed Statewide Amendments

For questions or more information, email: vote@lwv-alachua.org or call (352)375-6960.