ORGANIZING NOTES
November 26, 2024
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Ballot Iniatives Pass, But It Ain’t Over Until It’s Over
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Ballot Question 1. By an overwhelming 70% to 30%, voters approved a measure that gave the State Auditor, Diana Dizoglio, the authority to audit the Legislature. DiZoglio has made it clear from the beginning that she wishes to use the audit to reveal the practices of the legislature, a notoriously opaque and undemocratic body. She calls this a performance audit. Legislative leaders, particularly Speaker of the House Dan Mariano, oppose such an audit. Mariano’s most recent maneuver was to pass a change in rules in the House.The change gives the Auditor the power to choose an outside firm to conduct a fiscal audit of the House. The question is whether Mariano can sell this fiscal audit as an equivalent to the performance audit that Dizoglio wants. What is unknown is how much external political power supporters of a full audit can apply to the legislators. Will the fight for an audit be a high priority for voters and politically active organizations? Stay tuned.
Ballot Question 2. By a 59% to 41% margin voters decided that students could graduate from high school without passing the standardized test known as MCAS. MCAS will still be given to students; it is the graduation requirement that was changed. One consequence of this is that standards for graduation will vary from school district to district. Governor Healey said that she is open to a new set of standards being adopted. Who will set these and how they will be determined is open to debate. Business leaders are pushing the Governor to retain standardized testing.
Ballot Question 3 also passed. As a result, Lyft and Uber drivers have won some labor rights, although they have not won the right to form a union, nor will they be classified as employees. There will be a new state hearing process that allows drivers to seek redress for unfair labor practices. Also, with passage, the industry as a whole can seek a bargaining agreement with drivers. In this new context, the Service Employees International Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will seek to organize drivers with the eventual aim of forming a union.
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On Sunday, Nov. 17, 75 people attended the FCCPR General Assembly to discuss and make plans for the future under a Trump administration. 2 hours of lively discussion focused on what we can do in Franklin County to continue the fight for a better world for all. Please see below for details of the meeting and how you can be involved.
The tone was set with some opening remarks by Dave Cohen that reviewed what FCCPR has done in the recent past and some thoughts on the political situation we find ourselves in. here is a brief summary of his remarks:
FCCPR has been in existence since 2015, when we gathered to work on Bernie’s campaign for President. We have continued as a multi-issue, local, grassroots organization.
What we have done recently.
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Put up a billboard in Greenfield exposing Project 2025 and the danger of fascism
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Distributed Project 2025 lawn signs
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Held an Art fundraiser, thanks to Pixie Holbrook, that raised $2,000 to fund lawn signs and the billboard
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Contributed to a billboard in Michigan promoting keeping abortion rights legal
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Collected signatures to get the anti-MCAS ballot question on the ballot and campaigned around it. It passed by 68% in Franklin County.
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The Reproductive Rights task force held meetings and rallies “Beyond Dobbs” to expose the attacks on women’s rights.
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Helped elect progressives to the Greenfield School Committee
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Sponsored a meeting with State Auditor Diana DiZoglio to talk about the ballot question giving the Auditor’s office the right to audit the legislature, which won by 72%.
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Formed The Franklin County Community Land Trust which is now engaged in projects in Greenfield, Montague and maybe Shelburne to create permanent affordable housing. Conitnue Reading HERE
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Urge MA Officials to Take Action Now!
As the new Indivisible Guide explains, in Blue states like MA we need to be pressuring our state and local officials to protect the things we care about. Here are a few actions you can take right now.
Ask State legislators to reconvene in formal session for the rest of the year to get the job done.
Ask Governor Healey what specific actions she plans to take.
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If you’d like to make your request more specific, here are some suggestions:
- The ACLU of Massachusetts has put together a list of “Firewalls For Freedom” HERE.
- Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western Mass sent a letter with suggested actions to their State Senator – read it HERE.
- IMC’s Feminist Action Team is drafting a letter with suggested actions to protect reproductive rights – learn more about their work in the Teams section below.
And here’s some contact information to help you get started
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Celebrate Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers!
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If you would like to work with ORMA Members on
- Climate Change
- Community-Based Alternative Emergency Response Teams
- Ranked-Choice Voting
- Housing For All
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ORMA depends on your support to continue Bernie’s Political Revolution to create a society, a politics, and an economy that works for everyone, not just billionaires, corporations and the political elite.
If you value Organizing Notes and its twice a month distribution schedule, please make a donation to ensure its continued existence.
Invest in Change Now!
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Please send requests for action items, articles or upcoming events
for the next Organizing Notes to
beccobrien.orma@gmail.com by Thursday, December 5th.
We’d love to have you send us your favorite pictures of Bernie here in MA!
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Campaigns End, Movements Endure
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