Sunday, July 25, 2004

New Progressive Action Group formed in Sacramento
I am pleased to announce the formation of People United for a Better Sacramento (no website yet), a grassroots membership-based issue advocacy and political action group working to enact progressive policies in the Sacramento area.  Brought together in the wake of a successful push to elect City Councilmember Dave Jones as the Democratic candidate for Sacramento's state Assembly seat, the group is the first explicitly progressive cross-cutting issue-advocacy organization working to bring real change to the Sacramento region. 

The board (of which Dave Jones is President and I am Vice-President) reflects a diverse cross-section of activists coming out of various communities: environmental, civil rights, labor, youth and student, senior, neighborhoods, disability rights, housing and other grassroots groups.

Our first action is to oppose taxpayer funding for a new sports arena in Sacramento.  But, last week's City Council meeting brought a referendum on that matter that much closer.  The Sacramento Bee reports that the (Sacramento Kings-owning) Maloofs are seeking a referendum in a special election (even more expensive!) in March.  That article also contains the first (as far as I know) news clipping reference to the new group we've founded--shorthand, "People United," please, not "PUBS." 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"People United, please, not PUBS."
So does that mean you're happy with P.U.? This, of course, is proof again, that we're simply running out of acronyms, and are getting ourselves up a creek without an abbreviation.
My very, very, VERY favorite sign on the night of the City Council meeting last week was the one that said, "If the Maloof Brothers get an arena, I want a horse and a swimming pool." I thought that nailed it.
David Link
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