Supporters Call Agreement "A New National Model"

WHAT: Clergy and grassroots leaders from across the state of Illinois will gather at the new Mississippi River Bridge in prayer for fair and equal opportunities for minorities in the construction trades, and in celebration of the passing of the statewide Project Labor Agreement. The group will be joined by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials, including Secretary Ann Schneider.

WHO: Clergy, low-wage workers, and leaders from Gamaliel: United Congregations of Metro East (UCM), Faith Coalition for the Common Good (FCCG) in Springfield, Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI), and Gamaliel of Metro Chicago; along with St. Louis affiliates Metropolitan Congregations United.

Others scheduled to be in attendance include IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider, ESL Mayor Alvin Parks, and Washington Park Mayor James Jones.

WHERE:1st Street and Exchange Avenue - East St. Louis, Illinois

WHEN: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 1:00pm
DETAILS: An agreement between the Labor Unions and IDOT, the statewide Project Labor Agreement (PLA) lays out the baseline goals for state-funded roads and bridge projects. Grassroots leaders from Gamaliel of Illinois have served as the voice of the community throughout the drafting process of the PLA to ensure that it would benefit low income and minority citizens across the state. With the looming sequester, the community leaders are calling for a prioritization of transportation funding.

This event is a part of Gamaliel's National campaign, "Fire of Faith: Rekindling Our Congregations, Rekindling Our Economy, Rekindling Our Democracy" which seeks to move 1 million people nationwide into living wage jobs by 2015.

Leading up to the press conference, members of the local affiliate, United Congregations of Metro East, will host a bus tour of the East St. Louis community and the local constructions sites along with Secretary Ann Schneider and other IDOT officials. They will meet at Good Shepherd of Faith UCC (1514 Kansas Ave. ESL) at 10:00am.

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Statement Released by Transportation Equity Network Director Laura Barrett, part of the Gamaliel Network.  Laura Barrett has helped organizations win millions in public transportation funding, and has negotiated community benefit agreements and positive workforce development policies at the local, state, and federal levels of government. She holds a Master's in Social Work from Washington University and lives in Missouri

(St. Louis, MO.)  --Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is right to bring up the effect that a sequester would have on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic safety in this country.  But the untold story is more serious because cuts to transit, bus and train service will first impact low income people on their way to work.

Indeed, low-income people will be hurt by cuts to human services programs like Medicaid, but cuts to Amtrak, the New Starts  program, which funds public transit projects and TIGER --the groundbreaking program that funds important sustainable transportation initiatives --will hurt working people, forcing many to skip work, pay for taxis out of limited budgets or lose their jobs altogether because of absenteeism or tardiness.

In addition, nearly $1 billion of the $8 billion added to the highway trust fund in 2013 will be cut - impacting job-creating highway programs.  When we look ahead to 2014, these bone-chilling cuts will be extended to all transit programs as well as highway programs.

These cuts promise to be draconian in nature and will hurt working families and the middle class first.

Residents ask  Rep. Bobby Schilling to protect middle class tax cuts. A recent CNN poll reports that the public sees the looming "fiscal cliff" as a serious crisis for the nation.

Local residents will drop a large banner today (12-3-12) asking  Bobby Schilling to support extending the middle class tax cuts.

The banner will be dropped at 4:30 p.m. C.S.T. in Moline, Illinois

Location: On John Deere Road (between 7th and 16th Street) along fence at walkway overpass.

Please note:  Residents are not able to speak with Bobby Schilling about important issues such as this because Schilling has chosen to close his Moline Congressional District office.

Tell Boehner and Schilling to Represent Working Families and Not the Richest 1%

Note: Cry Baby Boehner Sheds 'NO Tears' for Sensata Workers.

 

[Colona, Ill] - Constituents, who for months have been clamoring for serious attention from Congressman Bobby Schilling to what matters most to them now - crucial economic issues impacting ordinary working families, seniors and others not in the richest 1%, will pay a visit to Schilling during an exclusive lunch fundraiser in Colona this Thursday where special guest and luncheon keynote is Speaker of the House John Boehner.

"Speaker of the House John Boehner is coming to the heartland but for all the wrong reasons," says Deborah Johnson of Congressional District IL 17.  "He's coming to raise money for Rep. Bobby Schilling when he should go and visit Sensata workers who are about to have their good jobs shipped overseas on Bobby Schilling's watch.  Sensata workers have the right to cry, Boehner doesn't because he supports Schilling whose lack of leadership has allowed this to happen. Where is the compassion for the people who are about to lose everything while Boehner and Schilling dine at a 100 dollar a plate lunch. Shame on all of them!"

Voters have called on Schilling and all of our elected officials to support an economy that works for everyone. Schilling has made it clear that he will support the extension of the Bush tax cuts, as well as the same "trickle down" economic policies supported by Romney which have failed in the past.  Working families cannot support a candidate who will continue to widen the gap between the richest 1% and the middle class.  We need a congressional representative in our district that will stand with the 99%.  We need to elect a representative to Congress who stands firmly with the 99%.

WHO:

"99% Voters" from IL 17 Congressional District Say "No" to Mr. 1% Candidate Bobby Schilling and Tell Boehner to Visit U.S. Workers who will soon see their jobs shipped overseas.

WHAT: The 99% will rally in support of crucial middle class economic issues such as ending tax handouts to the wealthy, increasing the minimum wage, creating jobs and protecting Medicare as we know it

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 18, 2012

PLACE: Tennant Truck Lines, 20812 E. 550th St., Colona, IL

VISUALS: 99% voters rallying

NOTE: This effort by 99% Voters in the community and members of Action Now Illinois is NOT authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

 

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Voters Demand that Rep. Bobby Schilling Supports an Economy That Works for the 99%

(Moline, Ill) - A diverse group of Quad City area and Peoria residents joined a protest against a Romney
Economy on Thursday, as the former governor accepted the GOP nomination. Across the country, activists now
calling themselves "99% voters" - low-wage workers, seniors, community activists, students and faith leaders -
roundly rejected the 1%-focused Romney Economy in favor of an economy that works for all of us.

Just returning from the RNC in Tampa, Cynthia Rivers of Peoria delivered a giant silver spoon, representative
of the 1%, to Republican GOP Headquarters today. "In Tampa, the 1% heard us. I'm not sure if it will do
any good but we asked them to make the richest 1% pay their fair share of taxes, raise the minimum, and quit
cutting our good jobs," explained Rivers as she taped the giant silver spoon to the Republican Headquarters
door.

Today's protest in Moline was a clear message for Mitt Romney and Bobby Schilling to stop outsourcing jobs,
stop tax breaks for the rich, coupled with tax hikes for the middle class, stop cuts to education and healthcare
funding and stop refusing to raise the minimum wage.

Illinois which is, in part, represented by Bobby Schilling is home to 1,238,225 minimum wage workers, who
must struggle to provide for their families while Schilling and Romney will increase tax breaks and loopholes
for the rich. Parents who have to make the heartbreaking choice between buying groceries or taking a sick child
to the doctor know that a Romney Economy will not work for the Quad Cities, Peoria or the country.

"We are the 99% and they really do need to give us a minimum raise wage," lamented Sandra Leathers. "I told
them in Tampa and now I'm telling Romney and Schilling again to support the raising of the minimum wage."

Earlier in the week, both Sandra and Leathers, friends for 40 years, traveled to the RNC in Tampa to protest the
Romney Economy.

Nationwide and here in the Quad Cities and Peoria, members of the 99% rejected a Romney Economy,
welcoming home protesters from the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. These voters want:
an increase in the federal minimum wage,

  • an end to tax breaks for the rich and corporations,
  • a renewed focus on creating good American jobs instead of layoffs
  • and outsourcing for profit,
  • and a Congress committed to representing all Americans, not just the richest 1%.

QC romney rally 8.30-4.jpg

Photo Caption from left to right:  (Moline, Ill)  Peoria residents Cynthia Rivers and Sandra Leathers, just returned from protesting at the RNC in Tampa tell Congressman Bobby Schilling to stand with the 99%.  They taped the giant silver spoon representing the 1% to the door of Republican GOP Headquarters in Moline, Ilinois Thursday.

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