Minutes - February 21, 2008

At the February 21, 2008 meeting, a number of important items were discussed. Note that delegate fees are due to MassDems by March 1st. Congratulations to all re-elected ADTC members. More info on other towns considering resolutions against casino gambling. No response from Senator Kerry to our invitation. Other items discussed included the ADTC summer picnic, more discussion on our resolution to close corporate loopholes, a discussion of the 2010 Census and reluctance of Latinos to participate and ways to reach out to the local latino population through the ADTC web site. Upcoming events information mentioned included the Focus radio show on Feb 24th during which host Leo Maley interviews Lt. Gov Tim Murray. Other discussions on Net Neutrality. Ed O'Reilly at Black Sheep on Feb 28th. ACTV Forum on Casino Gambling on Mar. 6th and more.

MINUTES

Herewith the minutes of our cordial, post-primary meeting on Thursday, 21 March, at the Jones Library.  (12-pt font is by member request).
 
Chair Harry Brooks called us to reasonable order at 7:01 p.m.
 
Congratulations to Regular Members elected or relected at the 5 February presidential primary to four-year terms!
 
ADTC Delegates to Mass Dem Nominating Convention in Lowell on 12 June:  Convention fees are due by 1 March.  You may pay online by MC/Visa at www.massdems.org, or by check.
 
Harry Brooks has the Convention money envelopes if you need them.
 
ADTC Dues: $10. Regular Members, $5. Associate Members, due on 1 May.  We also accept gifts to the ADTC up to $49.99 (don't ask) in a single year, with a graciousness that must be experienced to be believed.
 
Checks to:  Keri Heitner, ADTC, P.O. Box 1022, Amherst, MA, 01004-1022.
 
Secretary's Report:
 
Minutes from 24 January, as corrected by Diana Stein and Leo Maley, will appear on our lovely www.amherstdemocrats.org
website in the foreseeable future.
 
To send emails to ADTC Members or ADTC Friends (or both), please contact the ADTC and  This is so helpful!
 
Treasurer's Report:  Keri Heitner, delighted with all the dues coughed up at the Amherst Dem Caucus, reports that we have $480.13; will owe $200. plus copying for the Caucus.  We may find a cheaper place next time.
 
Old Business:
 
Private Amherst 4th of July Parade:  Being fond of our 1st Amendment rights, ADTC has refrained for 2 years from participating.
 
On 2 days' notice, Town Mgr. Larry Schaffer carved out time for an open meeting on Friday, 21 Feb., with ADTC Chair Harry Brooks; the Chairs of the Green & Republican Town Committees; League of Women Voters; & SAGE, to consider concerns that many of us share.
 
More on this patriotic/matriotic effort later.
 
ADTC invitation last spring to Senator John Kerry:  Alice Swift -- if we've already invited him (we have) and he hasn't responded (he hasn't), we needn't invite him again.  Murmurs of general agreement.
 
ADTC's resolution against Mass. casinos:  Leo Maley reported that the Williamstown DTC and Cambridge DTC will consider resolutions similar to ours.   There's nothing like influence.
 
5 Feb. presidential primary mopup:  ADTC member Allan Feldman was on sabbatical & unavailable to run.  We can re-elect him at our 13 March meeting.
 
New Business:
 
Easier /s/ collecting for candidates' nominating petitions:  Harry Brooks is willing to lend us lists of Amherst Democrats, organized by street.
 
ADTC Picnic:  Harry to ask whether Congressman John Olver wants to host again this year.  2nd Vice chair Peter Vickery and his family kindly hosted our traditional merry-making last summer.
 
Designated Techie: Roland Chilton, thank the lords/ladies of cyberspace, agreed to handle uploading of items to ADTC website.
 
How to Capitalize on ADTC Resolution to close Mass. corporate tax loopholes (Amherst would get $219,000 annually from telephone poll real estate tax; more than $500,000 from local option meals tax)?  ADTC secretary to draft nudge letter to our legislators; Diana Stein, Alice Swift, Leo Maley to edit.
 
2010 Census: Rafael Sanchez raised its importance to Mass: if Latinos duck census, we could lose a congressional seat: they are an increasing proportion of the declining Mass. population.  But Latinos, even new citizens in Amherst, are reluctant to participate in town life, to vote.
 
Leo Maley:  Commonwealth profoundly interested in census data: 1) federal $$ apportioned thereby; 2) we almost lost a congressional seat last census, will lose one this time.
 
Allan Feldman, from personal experience at census-taking: Census asks much more than # of people in house.  Rafael:  That's the key [to reluctance to be questioned].
 
Perry Conley: what specific measures can we take?  ADTC website translation capability?  Terry Forrest, from experience:  automatic translation can be execrable. Rafael: it can say 'gringo.'   Alice Swift (I think):  UMass will sometimes translate things gratis.
 
Roland Chilton:  ADTC could make a real effort to reach out to Latino [Democrats] -- asked Rafael to do so, ADTC welcoming to all.
Rafael will do so.
 
Upcoming Events:
 
Sunday, 24 Feb., Noon - 1 p.m., UMass radio station WMUA, 91.1, live on web: Focus:  Leo Maley hosts Lt. Governor Tim Murray.  Questions for the Lt. Gov. email Leo in advance:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  No call-ins during the show.
 
FCC Hearing on Net Neutrality: Monday, 25 Feb., Ames Courtroom, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Is 1st such hearing.  All 5 FCC Commissioners to attend.  (Rafael Sanchez: usually you get just 3).
 
Unless we get guaranteed access to Internet on same basis as we have phone service, i.e., no discrimination by user or content, it will affect civil rights, right of U.S. citizens to get info & organize, etc.  Terry Forrest: some telecoms already forbid downloading of free software unless you subscribe to their email service.
 
As technologies converge, so that, e.g., you use computer for phone service, and hand-held device for both, failure to enforce net neutrality would be a serious daily hindrance to any who did not (or could not) pay a premium for good service.
 
ADTC secretary plans to attend whole thing, leaving insanely early on Monday a.m.  Call Sarah McKee, 413.256.6129, if you want a ride.
 
Wednesday, 28 Feb, 6 p.m., Black Sheep:  Let Mass. Dem. candidate for U.S. Senate Ed O'Reilly meet you.  Fundraiser for Ed (thanks, Nick!), suggested donation $25.  Ed O'Reilly, UMass Amherst grad, union guy, & quarter-century Mass. defense lawyer, may be the only U.S. Senate candidate who ever worked as a commercial lobsterperson.  He may be the only one who's been a professional firefighter, too.
 
Thursday, 6 March, 7 p.m., ACTV: Forum on Casino Gambling:  League of Women Voters state president; Hampshire College prof Robert Goodman, author, The Luck Business; Rich Young of www.casinofacts.org; Leo moderating.  ACTV audience capacity: 50.  Call for reservations to be sure of a seat: 256-1010.
 
Corrections to Minutes:  Please email me or phone (246-6129) by 28 February or, as my Scots grandmither used to say, forever hold your peace.  This way we can make corrections before Roland Chilton uploads the minutes to the ADTC website.  It beats quill pens.
 
As all rose we did have a motion to adjourn, a second, and all aye votes -- perhaps the first motion etc. of the evening -- at about 8:30.
 
Attendees:  Ruth Backes, H. Oldham Brooks, Roland Chilton, Perry Conley,  Sylvia Cuomo, Allan Feldman, Terry Forrest, Joan Logan, Rafael Lopez-Sanchez, Leo Maley III, Sarah McKee, Jill Sherman, Diana Stein, Alice Swift.
 
We also had an attentive & thoughtful Hampshire College undergrad who did not sign the sheet.  He was studying local institutions.  We, apparently, are one.
 
Yours for democracy,
 
Sarah McKee
ADTC Secretary