...Milwood Democrats Serving the CommunityReuben Leslie, Jr., Chair
12203 Antoinette Place
Austin, Texas 78727-5334
512 837-6181
rlsd@io.com
Proud to be part of the Travis County Democratic Party
The Honorable Scott Ozmun, Chairman
Eddie Rodriguez, Executive Director
1311 E. 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78702
P.O. Box 684263, Austin, Texas 78768-4263
512 477-7500, Fax: 512 477-7769
tcdp@texas.net
http://tcdp.home.texas.net/
Contents: Welcome | What's New | Community-building Opportunities
Welcome
Welcome to Precinct 259, which includes most of the original Milwood Neighborhood. Except for blocks which are both south of Hawkshead and east of Cabana (now part of Precinct 263), Precinct 259 is bounded by Dorsett Road on the south, the Missouri-Pacific Railroad on the west, Parmer Lane on the north, and Amherst on the east. (See boundary drawn on Texas Department of Transportation Austin area map by clicking here). If you live in Precinct 259, this welcome into the Democratic Party is especially for you, but the general call to community service through politics applies to citizens of democracies everywhere.Political party platforms and candidates' position statements on issues are read by few but maligned by many. Political parties themselves are widely held in contempt by many citizens. But political parties perform a useful public service as institutions and forums for citizens to educate one another and to learn the skills and habits of self-government, leadership and service. Though seldom regarded as voluntary associations, parties rely on public-spirited volunteers acting out of personal convictions as much as any non- profit organzation. Parties help build community by allowing relationships of respect, common purpose, and trust to develop among diverse individuals. Participation in political parties enables ordinary citizens to exercise more influence over their government and their own lives. Rights we now regard as inalienable were once regarded as radical political ideas; they became mainstream because political leaders and ordinary citizens participated in politics.
Everyone of voting age should take advantage of the opportunities political parties present to learn about and participate in electoral politics on every level, and most especially locally. Learn more about the issues and how your neighbors feel about them and help find solutions to problems and lead public debate toward what you believe is important. If you don't participate, you are missing the opportunity to have a real say in selection of candidates and issues, and thereby deferring to the wealthy donors to political campaigns and to the increasingly superficial and sensationalist news media. And you're missing the fun of neighborly political activism: getting to know, enjoy, learn from and serve your neighbors. For details about upcoming opportunities, see What's New below.
As Chair since 1994 of Precinct 259 of the Travis County Democratic Party, I hope everyone living in Precinct 259 will consider becoming active in the Democratic Party and take advantage of many other great opportunities for community-building leadership and service. Visit the Travis County Democratic Party homepage at http://tcdp.home.texas.net/. And check out these ideas for non-partisan, non-sectarian community service in Milwood in the section, Community-building Opportunities.
What's New
Conventions! Precinct 259 Democrats convened in the neighborhood and downtown, and soon some will go to Fort Worth for the state convention. Precinct 259 Democrats met in the cafeteria after the Democratic Primary polls closed on Tuesday 14 March 2000 at Summitt Elementary School, 12207 Brigadoon Lane. The convention included caucuses by Presidential candidate preference and selection of 27 delegates and nearly that many alternates to the Travis County Democratic Party Convention. Of the 11 Democrats who signed in, 8 were for Gore, 2 for Bradley, and 1 was uncommitted, so the precincts 27 delegates were allocated proportionately: 20 for Gore, 5 for Bradley, and 2 for uncommitted. All who attended and all who signed up before hand as interested in being elected but unable to attend were elected delegates to the county convention, and the delegations committed to "rounding up" additional Democrats who voted to be elected to fill as many delegate and alternate slots as possible. The final record of the event showed 20 Gore delegates and 16 Gore alternates, 2 Bradley delegates and 1 uncommitted. All 26 resolutions in the packet and listed with the agenda were reviewed during proceedings, but only 12 were subject to a motion and debate. Precinct 259 passed the following: #2 against gun violence, #3 for a minimum wage increase, #6 for a Texas clean air, #10 for balanced peace process, #11 on future of Jerusalem, #18 Pro-choice (on abortion), #19 for freedom of transportation for all, #21 for the James Byrd, Jr., Hate crimes Act, #22 to establish equal rights for non-theistic Texans, #24 opposing school vouchers, and #25 for separation of religion from government. Precinct 259 passed a motion in opposition to #26 on the Living Wage. A large and enthusiastic delegation from Precinct 259 attended the Travis County Convention on 1 April at Palmer Auditorium. Several brought guests and many were first-time attendees. Gore and Bradley delegates caucused and elected two delegates and two alternates allocated to Gore according to party rules. Frank Ortega and Reuben Leslie, Jr., were elected delegates, and Ambrose Gonzales and Keith Sterzing were elected alternates. Watch for more details soon. For more now, take a look at the agenda and a brief report about 1998 proceedings. The next precinct convention is in 2002. Plan now to attend to get to know your neighbors who are Democrats, and maybe get elected to represent your precinct at the county convention or beyond! This year, the State Convention is 9-10 June in Fort Worth and the National Convention is 14-17 August in Los Angeles.Get wired and help others keep up. In both the virtual world and the real one, personal access and the public and private infrastructure needed are major issues of growing significance. The term "Information Superhighway" conjures up images of fast global access, but like vehicle superhighways, the metaphor and vision are incomplete. In addition to superhighways, both virtual and real infrastructure "transportation/communication" paradigms need to include neighborhood street and sidewalk networks that allow for and support physical community and physical access to all its benefits by all who are in it, including those who don't own or operate a costly vehicle or Internet-enabled-computer. The interplay of major forces are creating a great opportunity and challenge. The forces include rapid technological advances, competition for the exploding online consumer population, transformation of business organizations and relationships, growing disparity in Internet access by income, and the lagging of some governments and non-profits in providing e-services and information. We can watch the revolution and hope our institutions and professions find a place in the new society that will take shape. Or we can take an active part and insist that all institutions of which we are a part focus on the challenges and opportunities to do their part to help shape a more equitable and democratic society using the new technology. For inspiration, ideas, and free help, see the Travis County Democratic Party webpage at http://tcdp.home.texas.net, Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network (MAIN) at http://www.main.org, Austin FreeNet at http://www.austinfree.net and Central Texas PC User Group at http://www.ctpcug.com.
Volunteer! Sign up at the precinct convention, call or e-mail the Travis County Democratic Party at 477-7500 or tcdp@texas.net. Thanks to the Precinct 259 Democratic volunteers who made a big difference in the 1998 general election: Gloria Sue Downe, Marsha Mitchell, Tomas Aleman, Laketch Enkoselassie, Ginger Stuart, Jean Cox, Richard Cox, Julia Brown, Marshall Tanner, Ambrose Gonzales, Jill Mayfield, Donna Pauler, H. Lee, Melody Barber, Lela Wilson, Martha Rand, Elizabeth James, Tamarra Maxwell, and Rajen Hingorani.
Old News. This webpage was launched in March 1999. Check out the next to earliest and the pretty recent past issues for some history.
Community-building Opportunities
We all depend on personal networks of family, friends, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors for our sense of community and belonging. Religious and social service organizations also provide a similar sense along with additional meaning and purpose. However, these institutions tend to include only others like ourselves and to ignore some community-wide concerns. On the other hand, many activities that can involve every level of government, every jurisdiction, every neighborhood, and almost every neighbor offer valuable ways to create and reinforce a greater sense of community. Some also re-engage government and citizens positively by letting both apply and increase their knowledge of public issues, help others, and make civic life richer, more informed, and inclusive. Each of these--and many more--could be a highly visible public service project for any civic-minded person or group and a rewarding leadership and networking opportunity.Help with voter registration, voter turnout, voter education or conducting elections. Become a deputy voter registrar and help others do the same. Ask to be appointed as an election worker or judge. Contact your county voter registrar, county clerk or the state Secretary of State (SOS) Election Division. In Texas the SOS # 1-800-252-8683 or http://www.sos.state.tx.us/function/elec1/. Or join the respected, non-partisan public service organization, the League of Women Voters. The LOWV in Austin is at http://www.main.org/lwv-aa/. Become informed, help inform others, and keep candidates, elected leaders, and the press focused on issues that matter to you and your community, not just what matters to wealthy campaign contributors and owners of newspapers and radio and television stations and networks.
Join your neighborhood's civic associations. In Milwood, the main one is the Milwood Neighborhood Association (MNA), an organization based on households (renting or owning doesn’t matter) with memberships of $12 per year (see http://www.milwoodna.com). There are also others, including a few smaller than MNA and a couple that include other associations as institutional members: the Austin Neighborhoods Council and the Northwest Austin Neighborhoods Association. The City of Austin maintains a listing of others that register to receive zoning and other notices (see http://www.ci.austin.tx.us). MNA and similar organzations are not the government; they are voluntary associations. They vary in purpose (political, social, environmental, etc.), membership restrictions (property owners only, or anyone resident or business, etc.), dues, formality, visibility, and organization. They also vary a lot in terms of representativeness. Usually those that require dues have memberships of 10% or less of the households in the area they represent. Those that are registered with the City of Austin receive notices about proposed zoning changes in their areas, and that’s about all that’s uniform and official. Anyone can form an association representing any or all parts of the city. Some neighborhoods have several with overlapping boundaries, which confuses neighbors and officials. However, spokespersons for associations usually get the attention of city staff and elected officials because associations mediate between government and residents and keep regular forums going (in meetings and newsletters) to identify and resolve concerns. Volunteers who keep these non-partisan but inherently political institutions going deserve thanks and support from everyone. To keep the organizations vital and spread the leadership and service opportunities, everyone should also consider taking a turn at serving on a board, committee, or project.
Participate in the Week of the Young Child, 1-7 April 2001. Honor and help focus public attention to the teachers and caregivers of children aged 0 through 8 years whose low wages are a continuing national disgrace. Contact: National Association for the Education of Young Children 1-800-424-2460. See also http://www.naeyc.org/woyc/woyc_index.htm.
Celebrate National Volunteer Recognition Week in April every year. See the Points of Light Foundation for national observance information. Locally, honor volunteers who make a difference, such as those who run the Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network (MAIN, online at http://www.main.org), the non-profit organization that provides free webpages and related assistance to community organizations, including the Travis County Democratic Party Precinct 259 organization.
Celebrate Public Service Recognition Week the first week of May every year to inform citizens about the quality of people in government and the value of services they provide as well as to enhance excellence and esprit de corps in government, and encourage interest in public service careers. Public Employees Roundtable, a consortium of public-spirited organizations, offers free posters and guidebooks. Write to PER at P.O. Box 14270, Washington DC 20044-4270, call (202) 927-5000, or (202) 927-5001 FAX, or see http://www.theroundtable.org. Locally, the CenTex Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration sponsors collaborative planning of events (see http://www.main.org/aspa).
Promote the Earned income Tax Credit to help working, low-income families with children get the benefit that encourages work and helps millions escape poverty. Help provide transportation to, advertise or conduct a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance workshop. For more information, contact the U.S. Internal Revenue Service 1-800 829-1040 or the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 202 408-1080 or http://www.cbpp.org/eic2000/index.html.
Organize a Neighborhood Watch and observe National Night Out every year on the first Tuesday in August. Contact your local law enforcement agency (in Austin, see the Austin Police Department Crime Prevention Webpage at www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/crime.htm) or the National Association for Town Watch at 1-800-648-3688 to register for a visit by law enforcement staff and to receive free promotional items (posters, flyers, and more). See also http://www.nationaltownwatch.org.
Join WALK Austin, a new non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization devoted to building community in the city by improving Austin's pedestrian infrastructure and promoting the idea that sidewalks both symbolize and concretely help create community in cities by allowing safe transportation and providing meeting places for people on foot, in strollers and wheelchairs, which build a civic presence that makes streets livlier and safer. WALK Austin has twice been honored by Keep Austin Beautiful for its education efforts, including free help to businesses, engineers, architects, planners, and ordinary citizens wishing to learn the complex transportation planning processes of the federal and state departments of transportation, regional planning bodies and city government that shape the urban pedestrian environment. WALK Austin meets on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 PM at the Reception Room of the Austin History Center, 800 Guadalupe. WALK Austin has a new short video demonstrating ways for neighborhood groups to replicate the March 1997 group survey of Lamar Boulevard pedestrian environment called "A Walk on the Wild Side: Getting Austin Back on Its Feet". For more information, write to WALK Austin, P.O. Box 7753, Austin TX 78713, see http://www.io.com/~snm/walk, or e-mail rlsd@io.com. WALK Austin is affiliated with America WALKS (see http://www.webwalking.com/amwalks/).
Observe Walk Our Children to School Day on 4 October. For more information, call 1-800 621-7615, ext. 2383. E-mail thompsoh@nsc.org or see http://www.nsc.org/walkable.htm
Observe "Make A Difference Day" on 28 October, a day of volunteering sponsored by USA WEEKEND and over 560 newspapers in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation. See online idea bank, grant information, organizing kits and incentives at http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/index.html.
Learn and teach others about your area's unique natural environment. The MNA Wildflower Committee led by Gene Heinemann has for several years helped restore native prairie diversity to a meadow at Balcones District Park, and volunteers are always welcome (call Gene at 339-0618). Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is at nwrc@onr.com or 512 292-4100 voice or 292-4627 fax, 4801 LaCrosse Avenue. See http://www.wildflower.org.
There are many more rewarding service opportunities. Fellow Milwood Democrats, please send a note about your favorites and receive a boost and link here!
Thank you for visiting. Please let me know your interests, ideas and issues.