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Dec. 1, 2, & 3 - The Arkansas
Citizens First Congress traveled the state drumming up support
for its five priority issues this coming legislative session.
During the three-day bus tour, members of the organization
held press conferences and rallies in ten Arkansas towns and
cities. The tour schedule included stops in Camden, Fayetteville,
Fort Smith, Helena, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, Russellville, Stuttgart,
Texarkana, and Warren.
 The
five priority issues that the Arkansas Citizens First Congress
is promoting this legislative session include:
-
The creation of an Arkansas department of agriculture and
focus on farm sustainability.
- The
elimination of conflict of interest voting and increased
citizen involvement on state boards and commissions.
- Giving
Arkansas public employees the legal right to bargain collectively
and form legally recognized labor unions.
- Enacting
strong penalties for hate crimes.
- Supporting
the Arkansas Renewable Energy Act
Dustin
Duke speaks on behalf of the Arkansas Citizens First
Congress.
Photo:
Adam
Wallworth
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According
to Bill Kopsky, the executive director of the Congress's sister
organization, the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the five priority
issues were selected after the Congress held its annual convention
in Hot Springs in September. "The process was very much like
a legislative one. Each of the Congress's organizational members
sent delegates to the convention to discuss and decide what
the priority issues should be this legislative session," said
Kopsky.
The
Congress hopes that the issues they are promoting this term
will improve the lives of Arkansans in a variety of ways.
For instance, public sector bargaining, would allow over 161,000
Arkansans (13% of the Arkansas workforce) to form state recognized
labor unions. According to Eric Reece, co-chair of the Congress's
steering committee, unions would enable workers to more quickly
and clearly resolve disputes with their managers and employers
and would help to increase wages.
According
to Pat Ford, chairperson of the Congress's Agriculture Caucus,
a state department of agriculture would entitle Arkansas to
receive federal grants and subsidies that the state currently
misses out on. "The federal government sets aside funds specifically
for state departments of agriculture. Because we don't have
a department of agriculture here in Arkansas, we can't get
those funds. We're one of only two states to not have a department
of agriculture, yet we are the 10th largest producer of agricultural
goods," said Ford. Ford also said that a strong state department
of Agriculture would help to pull together a variety of state
agencies and boards that are currently inefficient because
of their lack of direction and focus.
The
Arkansas Citizens First Congress is a statewide coalition
of over 50 progressive grassroots organizations. Its member
organizations range from environmental and farming groups
like the Student Sierra Coalition, Ozark Headwaters Group,
and Arkansans for Responsible Agriculture to social justice
and labor organizations such as the Arkansas chapters of the
NAACP, AFL-CIO, and the Campus Democracy Collective. The goal
of the Congress is to increase citizen involvement in the
Arkansas General Assembly.
One
of the main focuses of the Arkansas Citizens First Congress
is to encourage citizens to lobby their Senators and Representatives
during the legislative session. "We hold lobby training sessions
throughout the year to teach Arkansans how to effectively
talk to their legislators and ensure that they feel comfortable
doing so. We encourage citizens to come to the capitol for
a day or two during the session and talk to the legislators
from their district. The only way members of the General Assembly
are going to know how people feel is if we talk to them,"
said Congress steering committee member, Katy Elliott.
"We
hope to create a voice for all Arkansans. It's time that the
Arkansas General Assembly heard not only from special interest
groups and corporate lobbyists, but from the people of this
state as well. [The General Assembly] need to find out what
the people of this state want and need, and need to start
realizing that the people's wants and needs aren't necessarily
the same as those of big business", said Citizens First Congress
steering committee member Dustin Duke.
This
legislative session marks only the third year of the Arkansas
Citizens First Congress's existence. The Congress formed prior
to the '99 legislative term and was successful in lobbying
for the passage of stronger and easier to use protective orders
for victims of domestic violence.
To
find out how to host a lobby training session in your area
or for more information on the Arkansas Citizens First Congress
or the five priority issues see their website at: www.citizensfirst.org
or call (501) 376-7744 ext.14.
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