This seems to me like an appropriate item for the
Poverty Roundtable to "co-sponsor".
I can say that Legal Services all around the
state are facing some very serious funding problems, both at the federal
and state levels, but focused particularly on state funding right now. We are
already laying off people and more will follow if/when MN cuts our funding. This
definitely impacts our ability to advocate effectively for low income people and
give them access to justice in the courts and with administrative agencies.
I am ok with either the 25th or 26th right now and
lunch or evening are both workable for me now.
Thank you, Suzanne, for bringing this to the Poverty
Roundtable.
= Paul Mundt =
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 10:02
AM
Greetings, all. I want to make you aware of an
upcoming event that is being (quickly!!) planned by a statewide, broad-based
coalition of concerned folks. It's called the Budget Blitz and it will
take place at 8-10 different sites across Minnesota on February 25 and
26. Winona will be one of the sites where convenings will be held and I
have been asked to coordinate the gathering. The Minnesota Council of
Non-Profits is one of the lead groups in this initiative. As I
understand it, the goal is to raise awareness and give concrete information
about the state budget situation and how this will all affect service
providers in Minnesota. There is much information flying around out
there and this is a chance to get a solid, timely update from folks who
know their stuff. Hopefully leading to folks feeling as though they have
a voice in all of this and have the information they need to contact their
legislators and the governor. Since the Minnesota Catholic Conference
and Lutherans for Public Policy have been among the partners in this --
along with a host of others -- I thought the Poverty Roundtable would be an
appropriate link.
Here
are the options. The group can sign on as a co-sponsor (no cost) and
assist us with promotion, turnout and the like. (We did say that
advocacy was an important piece of this puzzle, didn't we?) Or, you can
choose not to do that and simply show up. In any case, however, I would
like you all to provide feedback on the date -- we can do it either Feb 25 or
26 -- and the time. We are being asked to provide about 2 hours for
this. Would an evening gathering or a long lunch gathering be preferable
from your perspective? There are obvious pros and cons either way, but
what do you think? Any significant community scheduling conflicts it
would be helpful for us to know about?
Thanks in advance for any feedback you can
provide. As an aside, if any of your organizations or faith communities
would like to sign on as co-sponsors that would be great. No cost, just
a help in promotion and getting folks to show up. You can trust the
organizers -- the coalition is very inclusive and is bent on providing
information and tools for advocacy rather than any kind of narrow
agenda.
Peace,
Suzanne Belongia
Director, Parish and Community Social Action
Office
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of
Winona
Box
379
Winona, MN 55987
507-454-2270 (ph)
507-457-3527 (fax)