By Yezdyar S. Kaoosji
This month’s column is devoted to updating the community about activities and plans of the Progressive Network of Central California.
Our first priority for the next few months is to engage all voters in the city of Fresno to “Vote No” on the privatization referendum and overturn the ill-conceived City Council ordinance to sell residential waste removal services to a private business. The next couple of months will require a major effort to educate Fresno voters with facts to combat the anticipated slick misinformation campaign.
Every progressive person in the Central Valley needs to step up to motivate Fresno voters of all political parties to vote against Mayor Ashley Swearingen’s plan to abdicate from primary municipal responsibilities. We elect our mayor and City Council members to run the government, not to demolish its infrastructure.
The network is also sponsoring a road show of the “Fresno County Power Structure Analysis,” which has been developed by Mike Rhodes and Michael Evans. Organizations interested in a presentation to their constituents may contact editor@fresnoalliance.com.
Simultaneously, the Progressive Network is engaged in designing a structure to manage this informal collaboration of like-minded organizations and individuals. The strength of the collaboration will remain in its informal structure, as it will continue to be managed through voluntary participation. A colloquium of participating organizations and individuals will meet in May to adopt an 18-month work plan.
Please mark your calendars for a fun evening of songs by Roy Zimmerman on May 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the United Universalist Church (2672 E. Alluvial Ave., Clovis). Tickets are $18; contact Steve Sacks at johnsonsacks@comcast.net to purchase tickets. Learn more about Zimmerman at www.royzimmerman.com and www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege_RBhh37A.
Among other activities, the network is planning a major Central Valley event featuring a renowned progressive scholar and leader in the fall of 2013. Details will be announced soon.
If you or your organizations are interested in participating in receiving Action Alerts from the Progressive Network of Central California, please e-mail me at the address below.
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Yezdyar Kaoosji is a steering committee member of the Progressive Network of Central California and a board member of the California Association of Nonprofits and the Fresno Free College Foundation/KFCF FM 88.1 Free Speech Radio. Contact him at cv2sierra.progressives@gmail.com.
