From Bonners Ferry to Bear Lake, from Boise to Burley, many ordinary people are making their communities stronger. They have a calling to work for justice, freedom, equality and democracy. Do you have a similar commitment?United Vision for Idaho and our partner United Action for Idaho build networks of people and organizations. Enter this web community and find out more. Join online discussions and blogs. Read the articles and send us more. Become active in our member organizations. Just because Idaho is known for "taters" does not mean you should be a "spectater" in the movement for change! |
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For 12 years, United Vision for Idaho has helped people who are active in diverse grassroots organizations build relationships, learn new skills and organize important changes in public policy such as fair tax policies and open government processes. We are all the richer for it and have made Idaho an better place. Recently, UVI created an affiliate organization called United Action for Idaho to engage more people into a growing movement for positive change.
Rather than just announce information, we want to use this site and United Action for Idaho's site to enhance face-to-face relationships. To many, the web seems too chaotic for meaningful interaction. We hope with your help we can include the web as one of the tools to connect people like you.
Please click on "register" above and sign up, also go to United Action for Idaho's site and connect with other people who want to become more involved in improving thier community, their state, their nation and the world. Be patient and persistent with this new tool and with each other.
These web communities should be
like neighborhood coffee shops, or libraries, or your living room: a
place for you to share your experiences and ideas, to learn from others' expertise, to
answer questions, to reinforce your hopes for the future.
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Announcement: The Board of Directors of United Vision for Idaho, and its partner organization United Action for Idaho, are seeking qualified applicants for the position of Executive Director. The Executive Director will serve as the chief executive officer of United Vision for Idaho and United Action for Idaho, with primary responsibility for leading the vision of the organization to create change in Idaho. The individual must have a working knowledge of and personal commitment to creating positive change in Idaho and working with member organizations to achieve the same. We are looking for someone with a Bachelor’s degree (required), but a Master’s or post graduate degree is preferred. The ideal applicant will have a minimum of 5 years experience in nonprofit management experience. This person should have demonstrated success in fundraising, program delivery, volunteer recruitment, community development, problem solving and decision- making. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals are encouraged to apply. Salary and benefits comparable with executive director positions in the region and depending on experience.
For more information, please download the full job announcement below (PDF). If you have further questions, please contact e-mail Pam Baldwin at: pam@tiaidaho.org or call UVI at 208-331-7028. To submit your resume, e-mail gmunoz@uvidaho.org and in the subject line: “Executive Director” or send it to United Vision for Idaho, c/o Pam Baldwin, P.O. Box 2181, Boise, ID 83701. Executive Director Job Description
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Camp
Wellstone was again a success this year! Over 65 people attended the
weekend-long training in Caldwell. Attendees came from all over the
state including activists from Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls, Moscow, Spirit Lake,
Lewiston, Boise, Nampa and Caldwell.
Click on the link below for a podcast of the event, plus attendee comments!
http://www.wellstone.org/blog/live-camp-wellstone#comments
Please don't miss this opportunity!
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| How your life is affected by the Idaho Legislature
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Your legislators gathered for 86 days in the cramped quarters of the temporary statehouse to decide how to invest your tax dollars and made many other decisions affecting your family and community. Many also refused to make decisions on concerns that you or your fellow Idahoans brought to them. In some committees, a majority refused to allow some legislation to be introduced and other legislators quietly agreed when committee chairs undermine the principles of open government and public trust when they refused to schedule public hearings on other legislation. Legislators should hear from you, the people they represent (here is a list) whether they served you well or not. Don't be a passive observer. They expect you to contact them, especially since most are seeking your vote in this year's election (Primary Election on May 27, General Election on Nov. 4).
UVI's Idaho Center on Budget & Tax Policy was busy this year analyzing a wide range of changes to state tax policy. By the end of the session, the legislature still refused to evaluate whether more than a $ billion of special interest tax breaks are still justified. In fact, they enacted more tax breaks for wealthy corporations. If it weren't for the pressure of ordinary citizens including small businesses, they would have squandered an opportunity to provide some small measure of assistance to small businesses and to families who have seen their grocery tax increase under prior legislative action.
UVI's Idaho Center on Democracy and Open Government this year analyzed several ways to make public officials more open and accountable to the public. Unfortunately, virtually every proposal to provide higher ethical standards and public oversight were stymied.
Issues that were the high mark of the session included: - Since 1998, UVI has been exposing how the sales tax on food disproportionately impacts families that make very little money and that the grocery tax credit must be increased significantly in order to offset the real impact of the sales tax on food. We have also shown that in order to be meaningful, the credit must be refundable to those low income families who do not make enough money to file an income tax return. Finally, the legislature put these concepts into law. They could be better, but were an important first step.
- For 13 years, UVI has urged public officials to invest in prevention of major social and economic problems before they become even bigger and more costly to local communities. This year, the legislature temporarily set aside it ideological blinders about investment in people and voted for programs that help people beat their addiction to drugs and alcohol at the community level. Legislators actually comprehended the notion that doing this on the community level early on is far more effective than waiting until the addictions lead to more serious crimes and costlier remedies. The governor vetoed the initial bills but relented and supported 90%.
- UVI has long urged lawmakers to recognize that small businesses must be be nurtured in Idaho through investment in infrastructure (public schools, higher education, health care, transportation, etc...) and that they must have a tax system that does not keep shifting more benefits the biggest corporations at the expense of small business and investment in infrastructure. Small businesses create most new jobs, take the toughest risks and are among the most loyal to their employees and their communities. Yet, the big corporations repeatedly get preferential treatment on a wide range of tax breaks. This year, a tax reform bill that targeted small businesses was finally pushed through over the objection of the lobbyists for the biggest corporations.
Issues that were the low mark of the session included: - When a Senate committee voted to not to limit the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho from investing in foreign corporations that have been identified as funders of genocide in Sudan. This vote was in direct opposition to the bi-partisan call by Congress and the President for all states to divest from foreign corporations that are funding genocide in Sudan.
- When the legislature refused to acknowledge over a decade of poor investment in public schools and could not even find a way to support classroom teachers who go above and beyond to call of duty to try to improve the performance of Idaho students. Rather than making a meaningful investment in public schools which is a critical component to help local economic development, they opted to keep huge tax breaks for corporations who's owners are not even in Idaho - and to add to them.
- When the legislature continued to ignore the work of local communities to come up with solutions to transit problems. Rather than introduce legislation sought by local communities, legislative leaders created a variety of delaying tactics and ended the session expressing deep contempt for local governments.
- When a senate committee refuse to allow parents to ensure they have day care centers in their communities that have minimal standards (such as employees that can pass criminal back ground checks.
These and more issues are detailed at United Action for Idaho's website and on the websites of our member organizations.  For 11 years, UVI has sent out the UVEyeOpener newsletter on what's going on in the legislature.
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 : Over the past 40 years, the legislature has given away a long list of special exemptions so some taxpayers so they don't have to pay sales, income or property taxes at the level most ordinary people do. That narrows the base of support for investments in things like schools, health care, transportation and public safety. Check out the analyses by Judy Brown, Director of the Idaho Center on Budget & Tax Policy. There are also some observations on the United Action for Idaho blog. |
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| The Latest on "The Ledge"
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As the session ended, cartoonist Mike Flinn saw guns a blazing...  For earlier cartoons and issues in the Idaho Legislature click here.
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| Celebrating Idaho's Progressive Leaders
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On Friday evening, January 11, 2008, over 400 people gathered to celebrate a growing movement for democracy, human rights and social and environmental justice. Incredible leaders in the movement were honored and the crowd was energized by a powerful speech by William McNary, President of USAction.  William McNary, who also serves as co-director of Citizen Action of Illinois, led a workshop on grassroots lobbying on Saturday to an overflow crowd. (see article in the Idaho Statesman). Read more about the amazing people who have been selected to receive this year's leadership awards: United Vision for Idaho and United Action for Idaho kept the cost of the dinner low and provided scholarships to many people who are living lightly. If you were not able to attend but would like to help, please consider a gift For more information call us at 208-331-7028 |
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With the total cost of the Iraq war and occupation exceeding half a trillion dollars ($500 billion and counting) and Idaho taxpayers’ share of that cost over $1.2 billion, Idahoans are demanding that our members of Congress Take A Stand against the continued occupation of Iraq. Rallies have been held in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Boise, Pocatello and many other communities around the state. United Vision for Idaho supports these grassroots efforts of ordinary citizens who are appalled at the toll that this war has imposed on our communities, on innocent people throughout the world and on America's once proud moral standing in the world. On August 15 and 17, United Vision for Idaho participated with other organizations in Idaho to release a report detailing what the $1.2 billion in our state could provide for families and communities if that money were invested instead in priorities in Idaho that have long been neglected. The full text of the report is here.  From August 17-26, United Vision for Idaho -
partnering with United Action for Idaho and the Idaho Peace Coalition - talked with hundreds of visitors at the Western Idaho State Fair.
We shared the most current research on what the war
and occupation of Iraq has cost Idaho so far and we are
asking people how they think the next $1,200,000,000 should be invested. Everyone was very thoughtful about how their
public moneys should be invested. The vast majority who participated in our informal survey preferred investing in health care, Head Start, transportation, education and protecting our public land and water resources. Most did not want to spend more to occupy Iraq. Many also signed a letter calling on our congressional delegation to support our troops by bringing them home. Here is the press conference we held in Boise on August 15, 2007:
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Ordinary people across Idaho are discussing what's happening - or should happen - in Idaho communities on a wide range of topics. United Action for Idaho hosts blogs and links to many others. Join in the discussion at |
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UV Eye Opener, Week of Mar. 24 - 28, 2008UV Eye Opener, Week of Mar. 17 - 21, 2008UV Eye Opener, Week of Mar. 10 - 14, 2008UV Eye Opener, Week of Mar. 2 - 7, 2008UV Eye Opener, Weeks of Feb. 18 - 29, 2008UV Eye Opener, Week of Feb. 11 - 15, 2008UV Eye Opener, Week of Feb. 4 - 8, 2008
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United Vision for Idaho is working with USAction Education Fund to build a national movement for economic and social justice. Our shared values include: In order to ensure strong families and communities we must do more than just stop the conservative agenda of endless war, privatization, immigrant-bashing and tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. We must make changes to ensure our economy works for everyone; in what our government does to help expand opportunity and prosperity for the vast majority of people; and in how our nation functions as a moral leader and partner for democracy and peace throughout the world. To ensure long-term economic stability so families and small businesses have the opportunities to do well, we believe the best strategy is for our government to invest in critical long-term priorities. Those priorities includes quality, affordable health care for all people, meaningful educational opportunities from early childhood through college, and energy independence through clean energy investments. . After years of enacting policies that subsidize some of the largest
corporations in the world, Congress finally recognized it can
no-longer ignore hard working low-wage workers in our country. In 2007, the minimum wage increased, ending the longest period when there has been no increase. A minimum wage is not a living wage. It is only a floor below which it would be immoral to expect people to work. United Vision for Idaho released analysis of the minimum wage. . Congress reauthorized the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007 but the Bush Administration vetoed bi-partisan legislation to improve this critical investment in the health of America's children. One of Idaho's House members voted with the children. The other House member and both Senators stuck with the President. Find out more at United Action for Idaho's site. . Medicare serves millions of Americans - especially seniors and people with disabilities - who were left out of private health insurance. It is a program built on the obligation we have in a just society to the most vulnerable of our neighbors. Medicare has provided this insurance with administrative costs far below the private market. Now, Medicare faces a privatization scheme called "Medicare Advantage" that will cost taxpayers an average of 12% more than normal Medicare. The Congressional Budget Office reports that with 20% of Medicare-eligible seniors using "Medicare Advantage" plans the over payments to the insurance industry will total $54 billion over five years. . With the total cost of the Iraq war and occupation has now surpassed half a trillion dollars ($500 billion and counting), Idaho taxpayers’ share of that cost is well over $1.2 billion and rising. UVI released a report in 2007 detailing how much stronger and more secure Idaho's families would be if that $1.2 billion was invested in other long-neglected priorities. For example. - health care for 337,393 adults – almost 2 times more than the 171,730 uninsured adults
- health care for 786,643 children – 17 times more than the 45,120 kids without health care
- full funding for Head Start, which has been cut by 7.4 percent since 2001
United Action for Idaho
is a network of individuals working with organizations in Idaho to
lobby for important social, economic and human rights policies. There
are many ways to take action. |
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